The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-14
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
LEAGUE.
Resent the Implication That Their Of
ficias Are Not Doing Their Duty
Mo Necessity For Movement

fol the purpose of taking some actlo"
with reference to the recently organ
lied Law Enforcement League in this
city.
Mr.. Cliff Williams was selected as
chairman and Mr.. R. P. Osler, as
secretary.
In taking the chair, Mr.. Williams
stated the object of the meeting as
being to deprecate the action of the
citizens who organized the Law En-
forcement League, admitting how
ever, their honesty of purpose. He
said that conditions did not warrant
such action and that the city and
county's officers were as vigilant and
as efficient as could be found any
where and that a movement of the
league character was nothing more
nor less than an affront, whether in
territorial, or otherwise to the Off
GERS and an unwarranted reflection
upon the good name of the city and
community. He concluded his re-
marks by saying that in view of the
existing state of affairs, the prime
movers in the afternoons meeting
lad thought it nothing more than
wise to give public expression of the
adverse opinion to the Law En-
fcrcement League and invited such
of those present as desired to be
heard let their views on the sub
ject be known.
Mr.. VIM. F. Gray responded to
the invitation to address the meet
ing. He classed the movement of
the Law Enforcement League as not
justified by conditions. He COM
r1ended the officers OF the law for
their past and present excellent SER
vice and deprecated the action of the
gentlemen who went into the move
ment of the league on the ground of
their being honestly mistaken, but
said such mistakes should be guard,
ed against. That the community
cannot afford to sit silent and that
he was in hearty sympathy with the
object of the meeting.
DR.. Cecil Champenois followed Mr..
Gray. counciling conservatism. He
too, thought the motives Of the peo-
ple constituting the league were
honest and straightforward, but mis-
directed, However,, he said that it
should be a matter Of pride and gen
elai consent Among those at the
meeting then in session to have it
go out that they were in hearty ac-
1rd with the enforcement of all
Ultimate and constitutional law and
! lat if the minor irritations which
I'D given rise to the league move
mcnt in this city were declared I'M
| lawful, then it was best that the
statues should be put to final test
in the supreme court to determine
their constitutionality.
Mr.. S. A. Neville, E. Calm, C. w.
Schamber, T. NJ. Gillespie, L. COIN
and Tom Lyle spoke in turn and
made few remarks. E. Calm and
Tom Lyle endorsing what DR..
Champenois had said Mr.. Gillispie
discussed the question in a general
way and Messrs Schamber and Calm
insisted that some definite action
should be taken, whereupon DR..
ChampenOis offered a resolution in
line with his remarks, but failed to
get a second.
Mr.. Neville then offered the fol-
lowing resolution, which was sec.
onded by Mr.. Gray and adopted with.
out negative vote, after which the
meeting adjourned sine die:
Resolved by the citizens assem-.
bled, That we deprecate the move
ment inaugurated by some of our
good citizens to organize a Law and
Order League, thereby implying that
our community is not protected by
able, conscientious officials. and we
ask that they carefully consider the
effects of such a movement and we
endorse our officials and declare our
confidence in their ability to en-
force our laws and their official in
tegrity.
For the reasons set forth we
think there is no necessity for the
movement"
Contrary to the report circulated
on the street the meeting was not
called by the board of trade. Secre-
tary Moore, of that organization say
ing that he knew nothing of it until
shortly before the participants be-
gan to assemble.