The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-07
Executive Committee
 Pastors Association
 Issue Communication
Say that Judge Perry's Re- marks Were. Misquoted in
 the Press Reports

A few days ago some of the city
 newspapers, purporting to report an address made by the Hon. John H. Perry, gave as headlines to their re- ports, Pastors Should Not Attempt to Enforce Laws," Perry Scores Minis ters for Recent Action" etc.
 In the body of one of these reports it is said of Judge Perry: 'Emphati- cally he claimed that it should not be the duty of the pastors of the city, either individually or as an organiza- ton, to see that the laws are enforced, Neither should they insist on prosecu- tions, but rather that this procedure belongs to the auth critics elected to enforce the laws.
 Believing that these reports could not be accurate, the Pastors Associa- ton obtained from Judge Perry the following verbatim copies of all those portions of his address which related to the action of the ministers of the city with reference to law enforce ment:
 "I have been requested to talk on great deal better than I what the To- cal situation is, and if by any chance that situation merits censure, it would be in poor taste for me, an outsider, to criticize it to you, the ditizens and by hosts. Let us commune TOT
  which rightly rest upon the citizens of all communities, and that will sure ly cover your case and mine.
 .In the community in which we live each <one of us shares the com mon protection and enjoys the com partners responsibility in the conduct of its affairs. That responsibility is not discharged by fault finding, but alone by actual effort to make the community healthy and law abiding, free from oppression. corruption. ana at least easily prevented temptation.
 "I don't believe that. it is enough for us to let mayors and selectmen or any other officers, once elected, do as they choose. It may not be easy to know how to prevent wrong doing or inefficiency, but com binatiOn is DOW fectant. I fancy that it is our busl-' ness to find out occasionally how our business is being done.
 'T wonder why ministers as such should be. expected or left to look after law enforcement. Is it any great ministers association to do what is the primary duty of citizens lea gue?"
 In the letter transmitting thesd copies Judge Perry adds:
 eff there is any dispute about what I really said, it is fortunate that I can reproduce it word for word. as do above. se
 q supposed that the only possible of the paragraphs about your association would be that the. work which fell to its hand so fell simply because the law-abiding citi-f zens of the community-of whom my auditors were part-failed to do what I thought was their duty.
 fr I-< 1fcyt<z eHy. hort to good citizenship, I am pro-. foundly sorry to see the laymen push them, as such, to a lonesome front in its exercise. I
 My intended criticism was not that you did it, but that you were appar- ently obliged to do it Or let it go un- done"
 The Bridgeport Pastors Association has not thought it fitting or needful to reply to those communications in the press which have been marked with abusive epithets and apparently untruths. Such things an swer themse.yes. The silly falsehOod to the effect that the association has been made the catspaw of designing for political Nlrposes, has seemed too evidently manifactured to require denial, since the officials whose of lawlessness it became necessary to protest against belong to both leading political parties, and nearly every honest man knows that the issue with US is fairly and square, ly moral one.
 Even the milder misstatements con- corning stbitter controversies sincere but mistaken men,, brief spasmodic attacks, and the rest, should not be allowed to distract attention from the main issue. That issue is whether in this city the servants of the people with executing its laws shall be the protectors of lawlessness or the protectors of the people. We have no bitterness toward anyone. If any mistake has been made, let it be out in manly fashion. A work that has already covered several years, and is intended to cover many more years, and with more constant earn estness, is hardly s'spasmodfc". Nor does any of these plaints affect in the least the one thing which is of essen- tial importance to our citizens, ns,-that shall become a morally city, by reason of it's officials being squarely on the side of duty to the public and law enforcement. -
 But the Hon. John H. Perry is not to be. classed with men whose words are unworthy serious consideration. Men who know h1m know that ne IS a | man of absolute integrity and, sound Judgment It is most unfortunate that l such mans words should be pervert- d by press reports This association | wishes to express it's firm belief in all | that he has said concerning law en- 'orcement and the primary duty of lay | to see that the laws are en- forced by the officials set for that | purpose.
 Just as soon as the Pastors Associa- | ion is convinced that honorable lay nen -of the city have awaked to their | luty, and are actively contending for he enforcement of all laws, it will | most willingly leave to the laymen | his work If, however, it still finds tself, as Judge Perry has said, "oblig- | d to do it or let it go undone', it | nay be counted on to do it. It is | lobody's duty to enforce the laws" ,ut the public officials put in office or that purpose. But it is every cfti- .en's duty to see that the laws are enforced by such officials, and if they will not do their duty to bring that act to light.
 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF
 THE BRIDGEPORT PASTORS AS
 ISOLATION.