The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-11-25
MAKE THE LOCAL OPTION Law GooD.

There is at least one justice of the peace in Lincoln county
who is III favor of enforcing the law. Speaking Of what lie
would do to the bootleggers who might be brought before him,
he said, 'Ill give them everything there is IN the statute
book, and l can read a id lot in that old book"
That is precisely what every peace officer should do. There
may be an excuse for any man to commit murder, under great
provocation; or to steal, under certain circumstances, like
helping himself to the property Of a defiant debtor who is able
but refuses to pay his bills; there MAJ be good excuses for a
good many Of the crimes enumerated on the statute books. But
for the lawbreaker who buys booze iliicitly, and peddles it in
defiance Of law, there is not one legitimate excuse. Whether
he sell this stuff over or behind a drug store, or peddles it in
bottles from a blind pig or down a dark alley, he IS OF the one
class-a wanton defiant law-breakeT, who does all his crimes
in bold defiance of the law. Soak him to the Limit, and raise
more should he be Inundated. He could soon sell enough booze
to repay the fine, but there may be men to whom their reputa-
ton is something, once they stop to think OF it. Hit them hard
and make the law respected.
There is one honest saloon keeper in this county who is said
to have declared that he will assist in making the local option
law a success. Ii ne cannot sell the stuff legally, he says, ne
won't stand by and see some one else sell it illegally. III there
were more OF such saloon keepers, the business would not be so
dangerous as it is. But in general, it is a business that will not
be regulated. You scarcely hear of a ''reguated' saloon, eX-|
cept when the people, exasperated by repeated violations OF.
any and all regulations, rise to abolish it altogether.
The law can be enforced as well as other laws, if the people
will be honest. 1t is not more honorable, or defensible, to COM
init the crime OF bootlegging, than that Of theft, or forgery, or
rape, or any other crime Of violence. 1t doesn't take much
nonor' OF a burglary, or arson, or other desplcable crimes. Yet
1T IS too often true that a jury that would send a man to the
IN the face OF three or ten times as good evidence for boot
Logging. And then these snug patriots go on to rail about
the mefhclency OF the laws, the high taxes, the increase OF
crime, II the people will but realize that it is as wrong 10 VIC
late the liquor laws as any other laws, the cowardly, criminal
plea you cam enforce 1T will not be made here. it is an af-
1ront u good cIuzenshlp, to say thls-and to help prove 1t by
violating it yourself, or refusing to punish criminals or support
the officers who are trying to punish these violations.
The Recorder has made no attack on the business while it
was legal. So long as the law legalized the sale of liquor, it
was legally as honorable to sell under a license as to sell coal or
hay. 1t wasn't a nice business but 1t was legal, and the ven
doris Of strong drink had their own consciences to settle with.
But now, it is made a legal offense to sell the stuff. 1t isn't
more harmful, now, but IT'S no more legal. And the business OF
every good citizen should be as much to enforce this Law as the
law requiring the isolation of scarlet fever or small poX, the
safeguarding OF bridges and public buildings, the protection
of the orphans and the helpless, or any other duty Of law or
decency.
1t should not be necessary to form a Law and Order League
to help the officers enforce the law.