The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-11-29


nothing less than a heart of flint
could be Indifferent to the cry for
protection of human life and honor.
Or is it possible that these same
men are afraid of being exposed
themselves? Do any of these men
run dives and gambling dens"
and otherwise participate in public
vice? Are any of these men I'M
willing to obey the laws of the land
in the conduct of their own business?
Are they afraid that real law and
order league would smoke them out?
This question is all the more persist
ent in the light of two statements
made during the past week. The
chief C. police is reported to have
said that the business men of Cairo
want gambling and Thirteenth street
to remain. A member of the city
council is reported to have said at
the Commercial Club that Il law and
order is carried ont some Of its
strongest advocates would suffer
first. In view of these two state
ments, it does look as though the
men who opposed the law and order
movement at the Commercial Club
are really afraid of being exposed
themselves.
VIII the business men Of Cairo al
low themselves to be used as fur
ther protection for crime and law
lessness?-lt is now evident to all
observing citizens that the leader
ship at the Commercial Club was for
the purpose of defeating the move
ment for law and order and for the
purpose of capturing the prestige Of
the club to further protect the law
lessness of the community. 1t was
a shrewd and long headed move
provided all the rest of the people
are too much asleep to observe the
strategy of the opposition.
One good result of the meeting
however, is this. that the community
will hereafter understand who the
enemies of law and order are. They
ARE the representatives of part of
the saloon interest and the city adj
ministration so far as reported in
public. II the present effort should
fail, the people will know who is re-
sponsble. This will help to prepare
for the final day of reckoning,
Will the law abiding citizens of
the committee allow the opposition
to defeat their purpose and to make
use of them to serve our enemies?
Is the main work Of the Law and
Order League to be side-tracked
while these fifty men close up a few
dives? The broad principle involved
is to protect our community from
criminals by becoming law abiding
community. 1t must be the broadest
application of the universal principle
of law and order that will be of any
permanent value to Cairo, If the
fifty men are not willing to do that.
then their appointment might be a
menace to good government, instead
of blessing.
1t is not supposed by any one that
we are to transpose Cairo into a
prayer meeting or Sunday school
7 But the community at large is de
mandiDg that we make Cairo at least
| safe for our wives and daughters
and that we make it a safe place for
human life. To this end the crime
breeding haunts of vice and the law
defying customs Of part of our bust
ness interests should be removed
The earnest citizens are not clamor
| ing for clean sweep all at once;
but for the exercise or common sense
and tact, in dealing with the prob
| lens as conditions may suggest. And
we would all be willing to trust the
sagacity and honesty of men who
themselves are in earnest about law
and order. But the community will
not trust the men who have already
expressed themselves as opposed to
the very thing that the community
most needs.
Are the law abiding men of Cairo
ready for the hourT-Or must We
wait for some other tragedy to arouse
us to a deeper sense of our sin and
shame?Do we want more horrible
exhibition of our need?
Is not the plaintive appeal of ouf
noble women sufficiently loud tc
arouse the chivalry of our men? Or
must or men remain little longer
the unwilling slaves of grinding op
position?
The call of the hour Is for men
iof courage to come forward TO the
defense of life and morals, and tC
| protect our community by an honest
enforcement of law and firm
| preservation of good order.
The atmosphere Of our town i
electric with the pent up feelings
of being wronged by the iawlessness
and crime Some day this subdued
force will break forth in chain light
ming, and awful punishment will be
melted out toN he unfortunate mar
who stands in TN way. We are now