Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-05-12
Are You Enforcing the Law?

The Democratic claim. the liquor
business claim. has been. in recent
years, that the people dc not want
the ,rohibitory lax enforced. AM
the 4ysteni 10 which the people fiii
IN their duty 10 encourage officials ana
10 inSisG-on enforcement, that claim is
true. How many of The church peo~
pie of this county are mt present CIV
in,.s the sheriff, county attorney aHa
others an occasional word If approval
ON recent good work? How many are
taking pains To arse upon officials.
from Governor down, the fact that
they have been elected by the people
to enforce ali laws. and To insist that
The time has arrived when we are de-
termined to have honest demonstra-
ton of official activity or know the
reason why?
j. j. Kelso in The Survey deals With
this very question in way that
should set The people to thinking, To
acting, and TO standing behind loyal
officials who are doing their duty. He
says:
The town constable is one of the
most important links in the chain OF
social service. and yet he is seldom
taken into consideration by the active
workers for social betterment.
A town constable was recently held
up to public censure at church meet
ing for failure 10 wipe out certain
well-known evils. When asked about
il the next day his reply was: The
Law is being enforced in this town just
as far as the people will stand Tor.
His idea, you see. MAS that ohserv-
ance of Ia " xass a. matter Of ednea-
tion, of moral hacking. and without
this strong. sustaining support, one
man, even with badge and club.
could not go beyond a certain point.
The idea got into another eonstable's
head once that his duty was 10 carry
out the law, no. matter what people
thought about il. and To his great sur
Prise il was not long before his resig-
nation was insisted upon. He did
splendid service and really frightened
law-b breakers. so much so that they got
busy in bringing about his downfall.
Where we're the good people? En-
tirely missing. Here and there man
under his breath would give the official
a word of faint praise. but in the
council church members allowed Them
selves to be made the tools for his
Ell .s.,ts lrst aflr-
ing in judgment" was tine decision;
rash, hasty. ill-adyised." and so he
had To go in disgrace, while the law
breakers smiled quietly and continue
en- in the old way. Public meetings
in that town still continue To denounce
the Weli-known evils. Indifferent 10 the
fate OF the officer who thought he had
all the forces of good al his back.
Some towns have high moral to4e
largely because of the good influence
of the head of the police department
Others are on a low plane of moral oh
servance because the constable is in
different, if not indeed hostile, To ad-
vance measures. Lack of encourage
ment and appreciation is often the Sc
eret of this indifference.
Social and church workers, let the
town constable know that he is ap-
precated, let him feel that good work
is recognized, that if he is attacked
because of fearless discharge of his
duty, he will have behind him an un-
fiinchine body of men who will make
his trouble theirs and fight for a
righteous cause as we'll as talk al
church nneetinus.