Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1908-04-03
OFFICERS EMBEDDING"
In AFFAIRS OF The CITY
Vigorous Expression OF Oregon
Sheriff on Ciyic Unrisht.
sovsn ess.

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eonisn are 80 completely and ably
yoicing tile sentiments Of the moral
pc plp Of Oregon ON the question Of
law and order that little remains to
be said. However, there is one very
important i'sue along that line upon
which the writer has noticed scarcely
any comment in the public press. We
refer TO the question Of "whether or
not county officers have 9 right to
meddle in matters pertaining to city
affairs" IL is matter that is beiDg
discuss d and agiiated in the samll
towns and cities throughout the State
Of Oregon.
This question has become so acute
in Southern Oregon that Mayor Rec.
dy, of Medford, has tiled with the
Secretary OF State an initiative petit
tion for constitutional amendment,
giving to incorporated towns exclu-
sive authority to license, regulate OF
suppress saloons, poolrooms, tbsateIs,
rae etracks and similar places. thereby
sbrogating the present local option
law. This question will of course be
voted upon at the state election next
June. and the friends Of good govern
ment must turn out and promptly de-
feat this proposed amendment. At
tempts TO enact such legislation were
promptly crusped at the 1905 session OF
this Oregon Legislature.
Mayor Reddy says; "We don't like
to have county officers NEEDLE in mat
ters that relate to city affairs. -
Now, we all know that the best in.
terests Of the town and country are so
identical and closely related to each
other that no dispute should arise
over matters of local government.
The trouble is that we have not yet
elm mated from official circles all
the Mayor Reddys in Oregon. and the
few remaining ones must be weeded
out as quickly as possible.
You may rest assured that the city
or town that has respect and reverence
for law aud that stands for civic
righteousness and public decency has
no desire to secede from nor to nullify
the state criminal laws. The town
that Is governed by men who stand
for law. and order, who have regard
for their oaths Of office, and who have
sense Of their moral duty to society,
has no fear Of "meddling" sheriff
but 10 glad and willing to work in
conjunction with him for the better
ment of social, moral and financial
conditions.
The municipality that doesn't want
to be "meddled" with by she state
criminal laws is usually governed by
men who stand for wide open, Grip
Pile Greek, riproaring, town where
gambling and thievery thrive and
where everybody, including father,
works on Sunday. The mayor and
oouncilmun and marshal and recorder
Of such cities are nearly always to
be found spending their leisure mo-
ments In the saloons, at the gambling
tables or some similar place of amuse-
meut. They are usually men who
regard home as simply a quick lunch
counter and a place to sleep Home,
in its highest aud noblest and grandest
sense-the very foundation of the
government itself--is an unknown iu-
situation to them.
The wife of such man stays at
home year in and year out, shaving
along with the children and house
drudgery. never knowing what ID is TO
enjoy the sweet companionship and
tender. protecting love of husband
and father Wife and children see
him only ut meal times, for after
business hours and all days Sundays
he sits at the card tables In the saloons
OF at the Pastine or at the club He
is blind to his duty to his family and
to the moral welfare Of his city. He