The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-29
Derelict Officers
of the Law.

The Journal recently had occasion
to call to the attention of the sheriffs
of the state the necessity of enforcing
the laws against Migrants, and the
press generally have taken up the
matter and are calling on these Off
GERS to properly perform their du-
ties.
As stated before, the entire blame
for the nuisance of these winter
tourists who come to Florida to
do anybody and everybody hes with
the officers of the county charged
with the proper enforcement of the
law. The people asked the legisla-
ture for law broad enough to cover
every case, and the vagrancy law on
our statutes is sufficient TO rid us of
this particular class of immigrants if
our officers will only do their duty.
The Gainesville Sun in discussing the
situation says:
The people generally, with the sin
gle exception of the loafer-, agree
with The Pensacola Journal that the
vagrant law should be enforced, and
the people of this city and county
would like to know why it Is not en-
forced. OF all the curses with which
this city and county is afflicted, blind
tigers and Migrants are the greatest.
We understand that Sheriff FennelI
of Alachua recently made a raid on
blind tiger settlement in that coun-
.ty and captured several illegal booze
shops" If he is as vigilant after the
Migrants as he is after the blind tigers
ne can soon rid Alachua county of
the nuisance.
OF all the counties in the state
Dade is, perhaps, the worst af-
ficted with these tourists" because
of the class of rich people who go
there annually to spend the winters,
and on account of the large number
of laborers employed on the East
Coast railway extension near that city
The Miami Metropolis in a recent is
sue says:
The Pensacola Journal is calling
for an enforcement of the vagrancy
law. Brother, we fear you are
wasting your breath and time on an
issue that has been forgotten. The
Metropolis has called loud and pa
tiently for the very same thing, but
the ears of our officials are deaf or
their eyes blind. II You are up
against it like we are on the vagran-
cy proposition we not only extend
our sympathy, but our most sincere
pity.
If the ears Of Dade oounty's Off
Gals "are deaf and their eyes blind"
to this question we would suggest to
The Metropolis that there is a big
man over at Tallahassee who is elect
ed to see that, among other things,
these sheriffs do perform their duties
properly. Miami. above all the towns
in the state. should be rid of this class
of visitors and if the people of that
city make the proper demand on their
sheriff. and let him understand that
they mean business, there is little
doubt but that he will get busy
along this line.
The question of the Enforcement of
the vagrancy law lies entirely with
the sheriffs and police officers of the
state. If any community in the state
is worried by these tramps it is to
their sheriff that they must appeal.
If the sheriff does his duty the judges
will doubtless see to it that the de-
PENDANTS get the maximum punish
ment and these tourists" will be
made to feel and understand, once and
for all, that Florida does not desire
immigration of their class.
Again we say "Mr. Sheriff, do your
duty"