The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-03-29
The SHAME
OF THE ISSUE
he Legal Side of Law and
Order

there must be some latitude; that
there must be a certain degree of
freedom of trade, and that the crea-
tion of a day of rest must not be
made a. pretext for reviving the obnox-
ious Blue Laws Of New England. It
was provided, therefore, that hotels
and restaurants might furnish meals
on Sunday; that livery stables might
rent teams, and drug stores sell med
icines; that undertakers might do
business as usual; that news stands
might quietly sell and deliver daily
papers, and that there should not be
any interference with the sale of non
Intoxicating refreshments, candies and
cigars. For one day in the week,
then, the sale of liquors, beer, wine,
gin, and other intoxicants was for
hidden under rather heavy penalty,
to-wit. fine of not less than thirty
nor more than two hundred and fifty
dollars, and Jail sentance Of from
one up to ninety days. Here is the
penalty for disobeying or defying the
law, as the Scallonites propose to do:
''Seo. 5. 1t shall be che duty of
each Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff,
Constable, City or Town marshal, or
any or all other public officers in
this state, to inform and diligently
prosecute any and all persons guilty
of the violation of the provisions Of
this act, either upon credible inform
alton as to any such violations, or
upon reasonable cause to believe that
there has been any such violation.
ANY said officer who shall refuse
or wilfully neglect to inform against
and prosecute said offenders against
this act shall be deemed guilty Of q
misdemeanor, and on conviction
thereof shall be punished by a fine
Of not less than Hfty dollars nor more
than five hundred dollars, and the
court before which said officers shall
be tried shall declare the office or
appointment held by such officer
vacant for the remainder of his term. T"
1t is no more possible to ignore
this law than 1t would be to ignore
the general statutes against forgery,
grand larceny, burglary, rape, or
murder; Jet the Scallonites say that
If they are permitted to manage the
affairs of the City of Occur d'AIene,
they will shut their eyes to the law,
ignore its existence, prosecute no.
body, and allow every gin mill and
dive to run night and day throughout
the year, because they don't believe
in a closed town." Is there any law
on the statute books that they do be-
lieve In? And If they boldly say
they will treat the Sunday Rest Law
as dead letter, what guaranty Is
there that they will respect and obey
any other law that makes for peace,
decency. good order and good morals
in a city of six thousand inhabitants?
1t is astounding that any man, or any
set of men, should aspire to direct
the affairs of city of any size, and
at the same time take the stand that
the Scallonites have taken in this
matter; for they announce, before the
peoples votes are cast, that they will
defy the law of the land, obstruci
the affairs of officers in the discharge
of their eworn duties, and refuse tC
give necessary aid to the courts that
J have jurisdiction of Offenders under
the legislative act referred to. II IL
like Dick Turpin asking to be made g
bishop, and pointing to his record a.
the reason he should take holy or.
ders. THE LAW.