Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-04-03


every thing, even the honor and fntore
welfare OF his boys and girls, Tor tue
almighty dollar. His sons have TO
look to the school teacher at school
and the town marshal on the streets
for their moral and Intellectual train
ing, not daring TO follow the precepts
and example Of their father. he is
moral COW ard, and ~ an ofi,ial he is
owned body and soul by the Ia ssbreak-
ing element. He will tolerate any
civic condition so long az IL contrib
ute. to his financial welfare. OF
course he doesn't want any sheriff to
"meddle" with bis policies.
In most of the towns Of Oregon
the saloon element Is strong enough
10 elect favorable" mayor and
city council, by importing a bunch
of floating tinhorns II necessary.
The city council collects the license
money from the saloons, gambling
ubub anu uource VI ploesieu'ioht INV
of course expen1s the money IN the
city. When these incubators of crime
hatch and bring forth their finished
products in the shape Of murder trials
aud kindred cases, it is then only that
such cities do not object to the sheriff
and the district attorney and the
farmers and the stockmen butting in
aud "meddling" with city affairs. for
there are perhaps thou sands of dollars
Of circuit bills to be paid. Ninety
FIVE per cent of ell crimes are iDcu-
bated If not perpetrzted in the saloons
of the cities and towns.
Mayor Reddy, has the country tax
payers no interest in the way bis
home town is run? Has he nothing
to say when his boys and girls come
to town to attend school and fall prey
to the vicious town environments 7
Has the farmer nothing to say wien
his harvest hands come to town
Sndnys, get drunk and don't return
for several days, while his crops and
hard work are sacrificed for want Of
helpl
In such cases as these q law enforc-
ing sheriff or district attorney proves
a God-send to the farmer and stock
men aud the law.abiding element Of
towns and cities. after the essygoing
city authorities refuse to do their
plain duty. These county officers
represent higher power, and are
usually under no obligations to the
vicious element for their election.
They Can bring order and decency out
OF this chaotic state aud be upheld in
it by the people Of the county. There
are, Of course, some sheriffs and dis
trict attorneys in Oregon who have no
desire to ''meddle" in city affairs, or
in anything else that might lose them
a few votes. Such officers belong to
the gang above described, and their
chief pursuit is playing politics and
smiling upon and winking at anything
and everything, even the devil him
self. II he could in some manner help
keep them in office. 1t is really re-
freshing to see mayor or any other
public official rise above his surround
ings and take hrm. manly stand for
law and order. Is Is astonishing how
quickly he can change the moral COM
plexion ofithe city without in the least
damaging its financial interests, for
after all there is latent majority in
every community that stands ready
and willing to come to the support of
a public official who has the moral
stamina and courage to take stand
for right.
Such men as Mayor Reddy and the
others We have described belonged to
a past age, and have no place in Of
fetal life IN this great, growing,
regonerated West. Eliminate the
moss.back official and professional
politician and install patriotic men
who hold sacred their osths OF office.
What we need in congress, in the
sovernor's office, in all state, county
aud municipal official circles are men
who are not afraid to do their plain
duty. whatever this calls for, even
though an apparent majority are
against them on the start. Great aud
small reforms spring from heroic and
persistent minorities Lincoln.
Roosevelt and Folk furnish good ex.
amples for emulation.
X. NJ SHUT.