The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-07-05
Governor Pattison's Letter
tAmerIcnn lssuel

utterance of Governor Pattison.
The issue in Maine at this time is
the enforcement of the Maine pro-
hibitory law. The Republican
party of Maine, including Govern
or Cobb, standso for enforcement.
The Governor has been using the
powers of his office to this end,
and is speaking for law enforce
ment in various places. A lead
ing question in the next Maine
election will be the sustaining of
this policy of Governor Cobb.
These facts being brought to
the attention of Governor Pattison,
among the last acts of his life was
the preparation of the letter we
print, and which is this week re-.
leased to us for this purpose.
1t is practically the final testi-
mony of Governor Pattison to the
principles for which he was elect
ed Governor of Ohio. 1t ought to
furnish a guiding light for his
successor.
Acting Governor Harris has only
to put himself upon this platform
of law enforcement to place behind
him at once all the forces that
elected Governor Pattison-and
which elected Lieutenant Govern
or Harris. He can be the most
popular and successful Governor
Ohio has had for many a year by
following this program.
This letter comes as near being
a political bequest to Acting Gov
ernor Harris as anything of which
we know, 1t represents the doc
trine for which Ohio voted last
fall and which the people wanted
Governor to carry out. We
have. faith that Mr.. Harris will
view it thus.
Cincinnati, o., June 5th, 1906.
My Dear Governor Cobb:
| have just had the pleasure
of reading the address which you
delivered before the Deering Re-
publican Club several weeks ago.
1t certainly puts the issue in your
state in masterful way, and
though | differ from you on the
principles that divide the Republi-
can and Democratic schools of
political thought, | cannot refrain
from expressing my profound adj
miration for the firm and patriotic
stand you have taken in behalf of
the Maine law and its proper en-
fGrcement.
Every patriotic and honest citi-
zen must admit that all the laws
on the statute books of the state
should be obeyed and enforced;
no one citizen has more right than
any other to select what he. will
obey and what he will not obey.
If he fails to obey them, lie is not
a good nor patriotic citizen, and
an officer who has taken an oath
to enforce the ordinances of a vii.
lage or city and the laws of the
state and fails 20 do so, should at
once be removed. This doctrine
tried to emphasize in my inaugu-
raj address. The lack of respect
for law is one of the evils of the
times, and all people who are pa
triotic and who believe in a stable
form of government should realize
that no form of government can
exist without law, and no republic
can continue except on the foun-
dation of strict obedience to law
and proper administration of
justice. The dignity of the law
must be maintained or the repub-
lie will decay. Lincoln said that
reverence for law should be the
religion of the Nation" This
was but strong way of express
ing his IDEA upon the subject of
law enforcement. All christian
people, irrespective of sect or
creed, should be in favor of l1w
and order and should be opposed
to lawlessness.
/ feel sure that the results of
your temperance legislation, as
shown by your criminal and eco.
nomic statistics in comparison
with those of other states have
demonstrated the wisdom of your