Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-05
LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE FORMED
Statement 1t Is Not Intention to BE
Too strict.

Too strict.
At the meeting held last night at the
county court house at which about eighty
citizens were present the Council Bluffs
Law Enforcement league was organized
with these officers: President, Attorney
D. +. Stuart; vice president, F. ]. Day:
secretary, Attorney c. +. Swanson; treas
urer, Dr. j. II. Gasson.
The meeting was called to order by O. ].
McManus, former county superintendent
of schools, who called Attorney Charles NJ
Harl to the chair to explain the purposes
and aims of the proposed organization.
Mr. Harl said that the league was not
for the purpose of furthering the ideas of
any political or other element of the COM
munity, but merely for the purpose of en-
cOuraging and backing up the city and
other authorities in the enforcement Of the
law. 1t was not intended to prosecute men
for tririal violations of the mulct law but
to prevent flagrant violations of that law.
Referring to the proceedings begun by an
attorney for the Anti-saloon league against
four of the saloons. Mr.. Har said he be-
lieved there was sufficient civic pride IN
the citizens of Council Bluffs to have the
law enforced when flagrantly violated
without importing outsiders. He said he
did not wish to impugn the motive Of those
responsible for importing a lawyer from
elsewhere, but on behalf Of those men who
were promoting the organization of the
league he wished to disclaim any response
bility for bringing him here. "A fair,
honest, impartial enforcement Of the mulct
and other laws is all that this organization
will ask" declared Mr.. Harl in closing.
After Mr.. Harl had outlined the purpose
of the proposed organization o. j. Nc
Manus on motion OF Mr.. j. II. Gasson was
named as temporary chairman and At
torney C. E. Swanson was named as
temporary secretary on motion OF y. c.
LOugee.
1t was then suggested that the meeting
proceed to form permanent organization,
when Rev. o. o. Smith, pastor of the First
Congregational church. took the floor. He
said that several business men had talked
to him with reference to the meeting and
had expressed the opinion that to form such
an organization, jus. as he was about to
take his seat would be TO give Mayor Elect
Thomas Maloney a slap in the face. why
not let US adjourn say for sixty days and
wait and see what the new administration
will do" said DR.. Smith, when he was in
terrupted by the temporary chairman with
the question TO whether his remarks
were preparatory to putting a motion.
They are, SIR" replied the minister, who
forthwith moved that an adjournment be
taken for sixty days.
For moment there was deep silence
and then the motion was seconded by
Thomas Flood. On being put to a vote,
it was very evident the motion did not
meet the wishes OF a large majority OF
those present.
A motion TO the effect having prevailed
Mr.. McManus named F. c. Lougee, F. IL.
Orcutt and DR.. A. c. Brown as a COM
mittee on permanent organization. While
this committee was comforting the chair
named c. NJ. Harl, c. @. Saunders, w. j.
Leverett, Thomas G. Green and Dr. n. j.
Rice as a committee on by laws and constiA
teton to report at the next meeting.
The committee on permanent organiza-
tion then reported, suggesting the nance
Of the officers, the report was concurred
in and the meeting adjourned without a
date being set for tho next session.
During the afternoon about twenty OF
the leading business and professional men
Of the city met with the members OF the
Ministerial association and the others in
terested in promoting the organization OF
the Law Enforcement league and talked
the matter over in business like manner.