The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-06-06
(Tues days Dailq.)


Gov. JOS w. Folk, the attraction
this afternoon at the Chautauqua, re-
ceived fous,ng reception He made
an earnest, eloquent and logical plea
for the supremacy Of the law. He
declared that the executive of the
state should be clothed with the
power to enforce the laws and where
necessary to remove local officials
who refuse to execute the laws of the
state. His argument along this line
was a mastery one, for he spoke
from his experience as governor of
Missouri. His great address was
cheered to tie echo. His declaration
that the cities of Tennessee were in
open rebellion against the state, was
heartily applauded.
Gov. Folk paid a tribute to the late
Edward w. Carmack, who commenc-
ed the fight for temperance and good
government in Tennessee. He be-
gan the fight here that Gov. Folk so
successfully made in the show me
state.
Gov. Folk vas appropriately intro
duced by Col. H. c. Weber, of the
Columbia Military Academy, who
paid high tribute to the ability, in
tegrity and fighting qualities of the
distinguished son of Tennessee.
In answer to question "Srculd
the governor Of state have power
to remove local officials for failure to
enforce the laws" Mr.. Folk said:
"State governments are weak and
impotent when il comes to enforcing
laws for the protection of the public.
If our dual system of government is
to be preserved, the chief executive
of the state must be SO in fact as well
as in name. He is compelled to fake
an oath to enforce the laws through
out the state, and he should have the
power to do il
1T is insisted that the governor
should have nothing to do with the
counties. He is the chief executive
of the state, ana it is no more incon-
sistent with home rule to permit an
appeal to the governor from lower
executive official than to allow au ap-
peal from the lower circuit court to
| the supreme court. There are three
departments Of government-legi
tive, judicial ard executive. The cit
| izens of this county can appeal to the
Legislature, the highest law-making
body in the state; they can appeal
from the local courts to the supreme
court, the highest judicial body in
the state. Why deny them the right
to appeal to TIE governor, the high
est executive officia. in the state?
Why should all connection with the
executive authority of the state be
severed, while the connecting links
with the legislative and the judicial
departments arc left untouched? The
only reason for refusing such authori-
ty would be the purpose to override
the laws of the state through the con-
troll of local officials, by those who
wish to break those laws.
1T is argued that this power 10 re-
move might he abused by the COVER
nor. That las not been found true
in New York. Missouri and other
states where the executive has this
authority. There is far less danger
of the goTernor using the powec i'm
properly than there is in local gov
ernment 5eiug destroyed through
special interests securing control of
the local law enforcing machinery, on
account of lacl; of power of supervi-
sion by the state. Such power rarely
would be used, and in extreme cases,
but its existence would have "a ten
dency to prevent the abuses requir-
ing its use Why OBJECT to the gov