The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-06-09

ing them nothing in return.
Now as to the police regulations of
the town, [ hope the marshall elected
by this board will prove to be a man
true to the discharge of his duty, but
you cannot expect any man to see
everything, and believe that if peo-
pie generally would Encourage the
marshall in the performance of his
duty instead of abusing him, often
unjustly, there would be far less vio-
lationS 60 unpublished. If he wilfully
or careleSsly neglects or refuses to
discharge his duties, be should be dis
charged, and if l am allowed any
voice in the matter, shall be. Bear
this in mind, however,, the marshall
is creature of the board, and not of
the mayor, so the mayor has no an
thority whatever to discharge him,
and at best could only recommend his
discharge to the board. 1t is my in
tenti0n to have as far as possible
every ordinance enforced, andIto this
end shall insist upon every officer per-
forming his whole duty. If we have
an obnoxious ordinance the quickest
way to get rid of it is to enforce it,
After an ordinance becomes law it
is not the business Of the mayor nor
the marshall to say whether the law
is good or bad, but to enforce it. This
applies not only to the police regula-
tions of the town, but to all orGi-
nances alike. Three of our ordi-
nances seem especially difficult to en-
force.
The ordinance which requires prop
erty owners to keep in repair side
walks in front of their property, has
been disregarded to q considerable
extent even after notice has been
given to repair or rebuild the walk.
Now, whether this ordinance is good
Or bad it is law, and VIC cannot af-
ford to let our walks all 20 to pieces
because the owner of perhaps one lot
in the block or on the street refuses to
repair his walk. There is no appro-
priation whatever to build sidewalks,
nor can there be any SO long as this
ordinance is on our books, SO it must
be enforced or repealed if We would
have walks. The ordinance that pro-
hibits stock running at large is, and
has always been, very difficult to en-
force, and has been amended from
time to time to meet some of the diff.
ficulties that have arisen. AS it is
now, one who allows their stock to
run at large is liable to fine and inn
prisonment, in connection with the
empounding fees. Now, that there
may be no misunderstanding about
this ordinance, I wish to say, If any
animal is found running at large in
the town in violation of this ordinance
it shall be impounded, if possible,
but whether the animal is caught or
not, il it can be ascertained who the
owner is they shall be arrested, and If
it can be proven that the animal was
at large through any fault of theirs
they shall be fined to the extent of the
law.
The ordinance which forbids gam
bling is also very difficult one to
enforce indeed. Many tell US that it
is impossible to enforce it and it may
be, in fact many of the games consid-
cred by the generality of us as gam
bling are claimed by those who en-
gage in them as not gambling at all,
but games of skill. Not being we'll
enough acquainted with many OF the
games to know whether it is skill or
chance that makes wrecks of men,
financially, physically, morally and
every other way, shall be ON the
safe side, and adjudge every game,
gambling where there is anything at
stake, whether tits "chips, ?" ''drinks"
or anything else. Nor does 1t make
any difference to me whether it is call
ed "monte," roulette" craps"
poke" or anything else, the fine
shall be the same to every one convic-
ted; which in every case shall be the
maximum, regardless of trace, color