The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-11
WORD ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.


We have several times fq8iutaincd that the en-
forcement OF law depended upon the diligence
aud faithfuness Of the authorities, who are
paid and sworn TO enforce laa Ne are in no
disposition 10 give mp The contention This
article is designed TO furnish additional demon
stration Of the truth Of the proposition
The usual plea Of authorities where law is not
enforced. is that p&bHc sentiment is not stuff
cent for such enforcement This is bally rot
Law Is law. regardless of public sentiment
The plain and unacceptable duty Of officials la to
sindicate their oaths in the enforcement Of law.
regardless ef public opinion. The appeal To
public sentiment ordinarily means
not that the authorities haven't the power TO
enforce. but that they please make coucea
sions in enforcement to what they interpret as
public sentiment. And their Interpretation Of
public sentiment is usually forgeful Of the
quiet citizens who mind their own business and
stay at home. bu, recognizes the win and the
wishes of the minority who desire that certain
laws shall not I've enforced Give these thoughts
consideration and they will commend them
selves true Law be enforced II
should be enforced. II the law is an unjust Law
1t ought to he repealed. II tho officials arc In
competent or unfaithful they should be re-
called
The whole subject finds suggestion by
recent occurrences in Buffalo New York, II
seems that the law demanding the Sunday clos
ing of saloons found little support by the police
Saloons vide open. Citizens made com.
paint. But somehow the officials could neyes
poweress To enforce the law, Perhaps the pub
uic sentiment among those who wanted their
SUNDAY booze TOO great to permit the lit
eral enforcement Of law to close the saloons
on the Sabbath day.
police commissioner appeared on the
His conception Of obligation seems some
what out or the ordinary. He says that the
people Of Buffalo paying him salary to
that laws enforced and he proposes to do it
Moreover, he seems to feel that the complaint
of citizen concerning lax administration is
about as indicative of public opinion AZ the
wish of the saloonkeeper 10 sell and the desire
o. the thirsty to buy.
Having somehow gotten hold ~ these. anti
auated notions he wrote a letter to the chief
OF police. in which he advised him to put on
the lid. The chief got busy and issued orders
to his captains and through them the word was
passed TO the men. The result that the
next Sunday In Buffalo ~as dry one
License and law viii regulate when Of.
ncials determine that It shall not, Neither viii
law prohibit when authorities would prefer that
y ri shoul8 nHt WHEN tire officials charged
with tie proper responsibility and sworn 10 Il
certain activity 80 decree, the law does regulate
and the law does prohibit with equal force
When the Law fails, seayeh for the Of its
failure and in the majority OF instances YOU will
finally across man or uen tn au-
thority who do desire it to be effective and
have passed the word This ease In Buffalo.
recent occurrences around baltimore. IN Roam
oke and In Portsmouth-aiI certify that law
may be effective or otherwise as determined by
the administrators Of IT, They further suggest
that at the proper time, when public ndigna.
tion puts spur In official laxty, Indifferent
and inactive authorities get mighty busy
snd produce very creditable results