The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-09-12


Not Enforced the Law.
The attitude Of the City Councl
would seem illogical Whcn rpntrastet
with its action. which l.. u nljorlt,
vote. resulted in the election # Chic
Chclette. who has been requested to re
sign by majority of this body.
The majority today is not the major
ity through which Gerald was defeatce
and Chellettc elected at the organization
Of the present administration.
1t should ever be borne i'll mind thai
all authority is presumably derived from
the people.
AS rule. with rare if any exceptions
in a Democracy where the officials are
elective. the people by a majority vote
create the governing authority which
control and manage their affairs.
If the administration, or the govern
mcnt 50 created, fails to respond to the
requirements Of law and order, of peace
and progressive development, the pco-
pie can not escape their share of the re
sponsibility for any fault or shortcom-
ing of the administration.
The administration of today is as the
majority decreed it to be, but the people
being the sovereigns have the power and
the right to protest and to demand and
insist on change and, if necessary, a
dismissal of any officer failing in the
discharge Of the duties of his office.
For such action the law is plain.
By a majority vote Of the Council
Chief Chcllettc has been requested to re
sign In brief, his offending is in his
failure to have enforced the law, es-
pccially the Sunday law.
Chief Gerald failed Of reelection be
cause he did enforce the law, and the
class which opposed him, radically and
uncompromisingly are generally known
as the antagonists Of the Sunday law
which they hold III supreme contempt
1t is not singular then, that the very
suggestion of relieving Chief Chelette
as chief and electing Gerald as his sue
cessor, gives this class the cold sllvers
Since the day. or rather night, whei
Gerald was defeated because he did en-
force the law, two changes have oc-
,,,o,,,E,rc ct, nf tho { IT
Council. which give the majority to the
class who insist on the enforcement no,
only of the Sunday law but of every law
many of which have been ignored will
contempt
That the Sunday and other laws Of
the municipality have been disregarde1
with impunity will not be disputed sue
cessfully, and why there has been Sc
manifest a laxity i'll the law may be ex
planned by Chief Chellette, who, per
haps, has been operating on lnstruc
tons, suggestions or misconstructlon o
the law.
Naturally Chief Chellette will not &C
quiesce in the request Of the maJorIt.
for his resignation, and he will probabl,
face trial, during which he may jus
tify himself and avoid the dlscredlt II
the charge of the majority Of the Coun
|ci.
AS usual, there is the class which /
|Drotesting in loud tones that this actor
against Chief Chellette is political. II
the absence of better and more plaus
ble pretext, let it go at political, but tn
lax enforcement of the law which is re
cognized and manifest is the only groun
for complaint and the call of the MAJOR
| ity of the Council for his resignation.
Perhaps Chief Chellette when calle
to explain himself officially, may rellev
himself of any apparent discredlt. A
least his friends and every good c1tize
and the majority of the Council will b
gratifed if he can clear himself OF til
charges against him.
However, this is not a case tor ser
timentality or personality; nor is Ger
raid the issue. 1t is simply case whe
the rule of the square deal must b
applied fairly and fearleosly.
Indirectly it may be querled: Who
the higher authority?
| Is it not the mayor?
Is not the mayor ex-offlclo chiet
police?
If he shall direct the chief of polio
to enforce the law, every law, and tt
chief shall order his subordinates to ei
force all the laws, the Sunday law, tt
automobile law and every law, and tn
failure or neglect in this duty shall II
|volve dismissal, what will be the r
suit?
I Every law will then be enforced, n
|onlv against the small fry, but Il
yb,1ec and the sharks as well