The St. Louis Republic., 1905-12-20
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EVASION

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ENASlON.
Shall lawbrenkers blur the Law and the of,eer-
u the law in Missouri and St Louis: That Is ex.
ac,ly what certain liquor selling joints are doing
when they rarne themselves Clubs. sell liquor
without license and throw their doors wide open a
Sunday to do business with whomsOever will huy.
Governor Foik should promptly order Attorney
General Had!ey I" institute proceedings. either in
person or through Circuit Attorney sager IN revoke
the pro foriia DEGREES which have been issued in
these few cases where incorporation has been act
uaIy obtained by successful deception nf the courts
And the ST Louis Grand Jury should a, once in
vestigate the clubs which do business under the
shallow prctense represented y possession II copy
Of a decree issued 70 other persons in the past.
It will he 4 simple matter rid the city of both
classes Of illegal establishments In the where
Incorporation has been actually secured the egality
of purpose IL plain and could be easily demonstrated
in a proceeding IN the nature Of qu" warrautc In
the great majority Of where old DEGREES have
been copied and IN cases only rented. i,y the
liquor sellers from 'rifty erafters the miseeanor
is plainly within the province Of the Grand Jury to
consider.
The ex.<;enc" of % # such nacrantly Illegal
tablishmen's ur,,er the very of the law. and in
bold defiance of the principle "f law enforcement
upon which the people Of the Stat. insist is an
outrage and scandal-an affr"nt public decency
and good citizenship which cannot he tolerated l"n.
-r Already the matter Is too old. II is "verripe
The clubs should have been proceeded against
weeks and months ago. Absolutely step has been
taken except ny the Police Department which has
made arrests in those cases where the clubs" de
veloped the phases cf crime and rowdy:sm. In one
Joint robbery committed In another instance
drunken toughs in front of Joint arrested
for Insulting people returning from church in the
evening Why has nothing heen done heretofore I"
wipe out the menace Z" law and order. the stencil
and the bad advertisement for 81. Louis which
the clubs represent:
These clubs" had their birth in a political m"
i've to enbarrass and cheaper the principle of law
enforcement. Rad practical politics met the Issue
II law enforcement hy wide open appeal 10 law
lessness ard the gang elements benefited by lax
administration and especially 4" certain. definite
protected interests which were injured by sunday
closing.
II officials plead that their tarlness in the mat
ter Of the clubs has been due {" de!sration AMI
preparation for action they will he taken at their
word. provided they do promptly undertake action
Certainly the time has been ample and the action
should lie commenced. The fireworks should begin
II proceedings are NOT Instituted that fact
will give and color the political hypothesis
which explained the origin ~ the clubs There
will he other reasonable conclusion In that event.
Law Enforcement versus the wide OPEN order
of things is already we'll defined as the issue ,,e
tween the parties In Missouri Ry promptly going
after the establishments which defy law enforce
mcnt the officials will public approval :i, an-
swer public demand