Middletown transcript., 1909-12-11

almost to man wet" and candidates
who are in sympathy with their senti-
ments are certain of election. 1t is rot
surprising, then, that in one large town
the police are not allowed to serve war.
rants in liquor cases, even though sent
by the Attorney General, and that per-
sons against whom warrants have been
issued walk the streets with impunity,
hiding only when State detective comes
to town.
So il may be set down that in those
communities where the liquor laws are
largely violated the town government is
either Indifferent or in sympathy with
the violators.
Again, the work of checking the drink
ing evil is only half done, even in Kent
and Sussex. Tie saloon is outlawed and
penalties for violations are prescribed.
But it doesn't adequately provide for the
detection of violations. No matter who
is elected Attorney General, speakeasies
will not be cleaned out until that official
is given a sufficient contingent fund to
enable him to do the work. At present
he gets 81, ,000-if am not mistaken-for
that purpose, sum hardly sufficient for
one deputy.
When we consider that the local police
forces are often friendly to the whiskey
element, when constables cannot find
men against whom they have warrants,
while those men are walking the streets
every day, the Attorney Generals hands
are tied unless he can keep a force of
State detectives active. How much can
he do while paying carfare, board bills
and other expenses for this force on
81, 900 per year? Compare what it costs
Us for our militia aud what We pay for
detecting criminals and for bringing them
to justice.
There has been some amusement over
the decline OF tile local Law and Order
Societies of the principal Kent and Sus-
sex towns These organizations, prac.
ticalIy without exception, have gone to
pieces, not from lack Of work, but BE-
cause of too much of it. That was ne.
tural and inevitable. In the heat Of
campaign men may fight their neighboFs
and associates; but one who lives in a
small community cannot be at war per-
petualIy with an irresponsible element,
and also perhaps bis neighbors, people
with whom he and his family are neces-
sarily brought into daily contact. II he
has business and desires peace he can
not give evidence against persons whom
he meets al every turn. Consequently,
while the anti-licsnse law has worked a
benefit, its possibilities for good have
not been half realized. Ifit is to remain
the Law it must be enforced. But its en-
forcemeut depends upon the attitude OF
the local governments that the people
elect aud upon the conduct OF the Attor-
ney-General's Office. The work of that
Office cannot be more efficient until the
Legislature gives the Incumbent a fund
somewhere nearly adequate to his needs.
II prohibition is to prohibit, the people
must take the means Of enforcing their
fiat.
The most important thing in matters
of this nature il to understand our exact
problem and not to wink at the facts.
Consequently when correspondents write
weird tales of wholesale debauchery and
crime, due to closed saloons, editors
should know enous.I TO u4e the blus PEN
weapon Of defense against all
liars. So, tao, when ministers, whose
knowledge Of the psopls is coufaed 10
pastoral visits, assert that a community
is absolutely dry their evidence should
not be regarded as tinaI.
As it took msilrity of the people Of
these two counties TO make the sel.iag of
liquor illegal, so majority can keep
at the minimum by electinR
The proper officials and putting into their
hands the implements with which to do
their work.
M sane person expects the i,nposs bic,
md too often we hear suci foolish ques-.
ions as Does prob ibition prohibit? No
aw prohibits, strictly speaking; it is
,nly an instrument which is effective 10
to the energy with which it
) applied. Prohibition laws certainly da
lot prohibit t-unless they are enforced.
GEORGE B HYNsos.
Milford, Del, Oct. %.
The Junior