Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-06

wouldn't take the dare" He acted.
That is all he did. He marched about
town. and acted like policeman.
Some critical persons might allege
that 1t was all a piece of horseplay
with very important matter as the
butt of the play. That If the minister
actually wanted to call the mayors
bluff he should have accepted the
chiefs place. Then there might have
been music in Mason City when things
went wrong or when policemen grew
blind and deaf as policemen do. AS it
is when he and the mayor played horse
with the police business neither did
any good. No doubt. however that the
motives of both were above such re-
proach. But when the performance and
its results or lack of results is carefully
considered it was horseplay just the
same.
Law enforcement is a serious thing.
Monkeying doesn't belong with it. The
position of policeman ds one to be
taken most seriously. To have the re-
sponsibility that comes with authority
Is serious matter. We are going the
wrong way about to get the best SER
vice and protection out of the organ
ICED police. 1t is in the hands of the
mayor and the policeman's job depends
too often on the desires of cheap poll
tician. Not all mayors are political
police is dominated by, guided and
used to further the political ends of
demagogue 1t becomes a danger rather
than protective influences. Perhaps
it would be we'll if the police force
could be separated from petty politics;
If the chief were hired as a school
superintendent is hired and kept or
fred as he deserves. 1t is a pity that
the police might not be entirely sep
arated from petty politics, and the
petty ambitions and petty vengeances
of petty men.
A preacher or any other man, resi-
dent or resident, has a perfect
right TO find fault if he can show rea-
son. 1t isn't at all necessary-or ad-
visable-that a minister should carry
club because OF an offer to let the
minister show what he could do az
policeman. The more dignified and eff
feetive way would have been to point
out 10 the mayor and the police force
that certain things ought 10 be done
might be done and should be done.
That's What the police force is for,
strange as 1t may seem to many who
inside. The minister as one of the pub
lie, as leader of the forces that make
for law enforcement and morality he's
an established right to suggest things
to the police powers whether they like
it or not; and of late he and the pub
lie have acquired further and legal
rights and powers to interfere when
police officers and peace officers of all
sorts and kinds fail in the performance
of their legal duties.
1t isn't at all necessary to play po-
liceman because some one gets back at
you by saying that you couldn't do
any better. There is no need of walk
ing day in the van of crowds of the
curious in order TO establish right
to suggest or criticise The right to
praise is Of course permanently es-
tablished as is the right and propriety
of letting the police look after things
their own way The preacher did no
great good by his exhibition Perhaps
he Showed his willingness to have been
a policeman were he not busy in an
other line Of duty and endeavor. But
that's about all.