The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-01
ENFORCEMENT LEAGUE
LOOKS FOR GREATER
RESULTS next YEAR
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

tIOHLl1uCu lTOII ItiSe WO.J
hold themselves above the insidious
influence heretofore brought to bear
upon them as to such legislature, SO
that suitable and workable laws with
reference thereto ma be passed and
enforced.
Resolved, that we favor votes for
women the same as for men and we
pledge IL best support to the cause
of woman suffrage.
Resolved. that we will with IL
more than 1000 membership in this
state stand for those things, and only
those thingsii which make for good
government and higher and better
citizenship. That W. will support for
election to any office only those men
who will cooperate in establishment
and CARRYING out these principles and
that we will ut all times oppose for
recollection those officers who prove
to their trusts.
--Robt. NJ. Pollock.
Elizabeth Preston Anderson.
r. c. Hebron.
Governor John Burke and III. II.
Aakcr of Fargo, We're the speakers ut
the closing meeting i'm tho BAPTIST
kota Enforcement league. Gov. Burke
discussed the a~dvisability of giving
the state chief executive power to re-
move officers guilty of neglect of duty.
while IL. III. Aakcr gave an interesting
address on the initiative n rcferen-
dun. The evening meeting was we'll
attended and both addresses We're lis
tened to with the closest attention.
Naturally the governors address
was the feature OF the session. He
said that there were two main argyll
wants il, n,,,,ncitin,, tn Si,,1o a law
and that they are: The governor will
use this power for political purposes
and that it is giving him judicial pow
err. Following Il statement of these
objections. Governor Burke devoted
some time to arguments tending to
prove that they will not hold.
In closing his address, the governor
urged the members of the Enforce
ment league to use their influence to-
secure the adoption of :; plank in the
political parties of the state, providing
for a law giving the chief executive
the authority to remove negligent Of
ficers.
Governors Address.
The following is the governors adj
dress in part:
You ask me to speak OH tho dues-
tion Shall the Governor have power
to remove officers who fail or neglect
to enforce the laws of the statc?"
Tho name of your organization is an
indication that all the laws of the
state arc not enforced in all parts of
the state, for If they were there would
be no necessity for an Enforcement
league. And if all of tho officers in
the state whose duty it is to enforce
We're diligent, vigilcnt and ac-
tive. no n would raise the question
of removal. 1t is because some laws
are not enforced in some parts of the
state that your organization exists.
and in spite of Your organization and
all the machinery of the law for its
enforcement, there is a lax enforce
ment of some laws in some parts of
the state by reason of the negligence
or refusal of tho officers to prosecute.
executive and ask OF him the question:
Should not the Governor remove
such officers?"
Officers are always vigilant in the
enforcement of popular laws. but a
law popular in tho state generally may
be Very unpopular in certain commu
mites and because the sentiment
in such communities is against
the law, officers are sometimes elected
upon the issue of the non-enforcement
of such laws. This is illustrated by a
story that recently went the rounds
of the newspapers. about a. cowboy
in the west who was indicted for some
Offense. He a Il powerful friend in
the east to whom he wrote, telling
about his trouble and asking his in
fuence in his behalf. The powerful
friend wrote him, however. that there
was nothing he could do for him, and
meeting him a year or two late. asked
him what. became of the prosecution
against him. and the cowboy said:
oh that's all right. the case never
tried. Before it came on for
trial we elected our states attorney"
But even where the non-enforce-
ment of the law is not the issue, and
sentiment of the people is gen.
orally against the law. prosecuting off
GERS may or may not be very active.
fearing that activity might prevent
reelection. Again, in such COM
munities there arc many officers who
are faithful and active in the per-
Torrance of their duties. but fail for
lack of cooperation of the people.
If there was a power of removal in
the governor. the officer would no
longer need to fear public sentiment.
for he could say to the people: II
ave no choice in the matter; l must
do my duty or the governor will re-
move me from Office and some one
will be appointed in my place who
will prosecute. The people are fair,
and realizing the truth of this position
would become reconciled to it, and
not only the officer but law enforce
ment generally would be popularized.
for the people being fair, in the end
admire the public official who does his
duty. and the more strictly you en-
force alws the more popular law en-
forcement becomes.
MNSf EnfOr<ss, An Yau.s
The people cannot judge as to
whether a law is good or bad until
1t Is enforced. 1t was General Grant
WIN said the hest u.a.. "a uo4 IL