Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-17
Editorial Comment
Rebuke of DeIinquents.

| NAN''hi"iIh NouIhT-tIdZettG.)
| During the state campaign of last fall
| thefe was no more radical spokesman for
| the Democratic party than the Waterville
| sentinel, whose partisanshp was so in
| tense that its frank rebuke of certain de-
| iinquences of the present administration
excites all the more attention and carries
| all the more weight. 1t may be that the
Sentinel's present attitude is actuated by
the political desire of not seeing its party
commit suicide, but however that may be
it is a stern reminder that Gov PIaisted' :
administration is among the breakers.
and that. flustered by success, ii must
not lose its head. The Sentinel of April
touches upon the issue of enforcement
and what it says is SO well to the point
that We are impelled to quote the follow
ing:
All through the campaign it was said
without equivocation that the Democratic
party stood for the enforcement of the
prohibitory law by the regularly elected
officers. The Democratic state platform
declared that the Democratic party of
Maine. if entrusted with power would
Enforce the laws by means of regularly
elected officers. repeal the So-called
Sturgis law and submit to popular vote
the question of constitutional prohibit
ton"
Well the Democratic party was "en-
trusted with power but is it enforcing
laws by means of the regularly elected
officers? 1t has kept its pledge far
repeating the Sturgis law and submitting
the question of prohibition concerned.
But is the Democratic party keeping its
pledge Of enforcement by the regularly
elected officers?
There are Democratic Sheriffs in Han
cock, Piscataquis, Waldo, Somerset Lin
coin, Knox. York. Kennebec Androscoa-
gin, Cumberland and Penobscot. What
are these Democratic sheriffS doing To
save the neck of the Democratic party
from hanging two years hence? Ar"
they following the lead of the Legsla-
ture, the Democratic Legislature which
repealed the Sturgis law and voted to
submit the question of constitutional pro-
hibition to the people?
There is no complaint in Hancock coun-
ty Reports from that section are to the
effect that the Democratic sheriff is en-
forcing the law to the best of his ability.
Snerln Doble in Piscataquis is doing his
duty so far as it is possible for any man
to do. Sheriff jenkins in Waldo is indus
triousy keeping the pledge his party
made in its platform and TO which he
gave assent when he accepted the nom-
nation for the office of sheriff. John
Mooers in Somerset is as honestly at
work now as he was at any time during
his first term John Mooers is keeping
the pledge for enforcement. Sherih
Rafter in Lincoln is doing his duty, ac-
cordng TO reports from that section
Sheriff Emery of York seems to be con-
sistent with the platform pledge OF his
party Sheriff Tolman of Knox we are
uncertain about. But we are not uncer-
tain about the sheriffs of Penobscot, Ken
nebec, Androseoggin and Cumberland
counties, where enforcement is neglected
and the party platform pledge seems to
be a thing of ridcule TO be discredited.
The Sentinel stands for the fulhlment
of platform pledges. The Sentinel mas
stood for that one thing since it stood
for anything. It declared that the state
legislature should ratify the income tax
amendment because the party platform
pledged ratification. 1t stands Just as
earnestly for enforcement of the prohibi-
tory law by the regularly elected officers
because the party platform pledged that
brand of enforcement Inc recalclltaht
sheriffs should get into line or be gotten
out of line altogether. The Democratic
party needs no hangmen. ii needs men OF
fidelity TO i've it strength of purpose ana
success.