The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-01-26

Hades is a paradise as compared
with convict camps in Mississippi.
1t young man, able bodied, sent
to one of these camps for 90 to 90
days lives to return home, he is fit
for nothing the rest of his natural
life, for he is physical wreck. ~
In the Spokesman Review. Jan.
9TH, inst. is an account of the con-
victon of MIR. w. S. Harlan, a
man of high business standing, rep
resenting a large lumber and tur-
pentinc Co. He was found guilty
of Criminallv holding men. and was
fined $1,000 and sentenced Is
months Imprisonment. We can
not study this chattcl slavery with
out sense of revolt. Instead of
commanding the respect of society
and inparting therein sense of
security, the opposite is gained.
This is the voice of experience
from the use of good principle Of
government to secure selfish end.
What may we expect from the adj
ministration of government in FL
lensburg, when a statute forbid
ding known prostitution is used i'll
Ellensburg, when a statute forbid
ding known prostitution is used in
the wrong way in order to secure
the sum of five or six thousand
dollars to the city, The road tray
eled is the same in principle as that
travelled by the convict labor adj
ministration. The end sought is
money, rather than the security of
society. Who, with living con-
science. can think of granting to
common prostitutes. sufferances,
not granted to good citizens, with
out sense that society has been
endangered, rather than protected:
SECURITY THROUGH POLICE
POWER
Inherent with the right of self
protection, is the right to secure
another to protect you. When this
has been done by society, through
organized government, by ballot
or otherwise, the character of the
right is in no way altered. The
purpose of police power is the same
as that found in all departments Of
civil government, viz: the welfare
of the people. The salary, there
of, is by mutual agreement, service
is continuous, and confined by oath
to constitut ional principles, wheth-
err legislative, judicial or executive.
If rightly administered. bene6cent
results will be secured.
For any department to assume
arbitrary power in these matters
will mean a departure from the
right road in order to secure pro-
fessedly the right end.
Recently. certain body of oath
bound officers were sitting in judg-
ment on very vital question con-
corning municipal privilege to be
granted or rejected. An attorney
pleading before them. for his client
argued with them not to exercise
too freely, their arbitrary power.
Here we have an attorney, oath
bound to support the constitution,
advising that the decision to be
formed by an oath bound body is
an arbitrary one. Are we to be
taught by attorneys that when a
man solemnly binds himself to act
according to certain fundamental
principles, that he is at liberty to
act from arbitrary stand point?
Little wonder, under such teaching
that results are not for the good of
society.
In the Los Angles Times, Feb.
1909, Kansas City, Feb. 10Th, we
have an example of the wrong or
assumed power put into practice,
professedly to gain a good end, yet
resulting in security for society.
"A census of the county Jail,
completed today under the direc-
ton of Judge Latshaw. shows Is
prisoners who had become lost to
the world. There are absolutely
no charges on file against any Of
these men, twenty of whom have
been in confinement from four to
eight months. One prisoner,
Edward Wangaman, of Pittsburg,
has been forgotten for thirteen
months. Wangaman had pleaded
guilty thirteen months ago to a
minor charge. but sentence had
never been imposed upon him. He
says that Judge Wallace told him
that he would release him if he
would give bond. The prisoner
had no friends" When assured
power is used. results are never de-
sirable. What parent from Pitts