The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1915-11-12
HERE is GOV. RYE'S
CUSTER PLEA REPLY

HNl QtuCI McAuCTH VI LuC OOWu1ttCc
Il have carefully considered the
request made by your committee with
reference to the custer proceeding
heretofore instituted by the State
against certain city and county Of
fcials.
1t is requested that the State dis
miss these suits and rely upon the
assurance of the committee that an
organization of business men OF Mem
phis will cooperate with city officials
in creating sentiment in favor of
law enforcement that will bring
about the same result as contem-
plated and desired by the court pro-
eeeding, I am not unmindful of the
value of public sentiment in the en-
forcement OF any law, but you know
public sentiment is sometimes slow
TO respond to changed conditions and
you must realize that you undertake
q task worthy of your best efforts
when you propose to convert an an
tagonistic sentiment into one of guar
anteed law enforcement. / do not
mean to say that this could not be
done, but it is an admitted fact that
the reasons assigned for the non
enforcement of the law in Memphis
are and have been that public senti-
ment was against it. Therefore,
without doubling the sincerity of |
purpose of your organization and in
no way questioning the honesty and
integrity of it's individual members,
and with no doubt in mind as to the
your organization in its efforts to
adjust conditions in Memphis and
bring about dismissal If the pend
ing litigation, still / must decline to
sccede to the request. No matter
how energetically and enthusiastical-
ly your organization might labor to
bring about satisfactory results and
there is no legal way by
which members could be compelled
to perform the duties they have as
nor could you compel obedi-
ence on the part of the officials, and
after all the assurance given in the
letter of the Mayor depends in the
main upon conditions of which he i
and his associates alone can, in the t
future as in the past, be the sole t
Judges. e
WOULD AVOID FIGHT. t
II could not, if / desired, compel I
i dismissal Of the suit referred to,
or the reason that the Attorney t
General of the State can institute a p
uit of this character Independent of n
he Governor and without suggestion s.
rom any State official. This case, r
lowever, was begun at my instance Ct
nd after a careful investigation Il
lade by our own agents, disclosing a
state of facts which in my judg s;
lent not only authorized and justi- o.
ed the bringing of the suit, but p
lade it absolutely imperative that
uch proceeding should be instituted
y the State, or else we would admit st
nat our declaration of law enforce eC
lent in the interest of decent gov of
rnment was mere sham, hollow ca
Iockery, and intended alone to lull 70
, sleep the unsuspecting citizens pr
ho really and honestly believed in w
wv enforcement. In directing the de
lstitution of the suit tried to avoid of
king up the fight of any individual, of
as moved by no political considera- br
on for or against any candidate, de
1t actuated solely and alone by my an
'nceptions of the duty of the chief we
,ecutive of a great State called to sh
at position by the vote of men who po
'lieved in the sincerity of platform wi
and had right to ex- ex
ct that they would be CARRIED out. mi
DISCUSSES CASE po
Prior to the institution of this
it similar suit had been insti- COZ
ted by the freeholders in your city, ue
d soon thereafter an appeal was oi
ide to me for assistance in that SUI
igation. But at this time, how aee
er, a protest was filed by large SUI
mber of business men, who ex- ap'
essed entire satisfaction with ex- COL
ing conditions and claimed that we
reason whatever existed for the NE
oceedings against these officials. lnd
is, together With the Mayors bold OIL
allenge to the parties who had MOI
is dared to call in question the tho
cial conduct of the city's officials, OF
ygested that owed it to the State ing
well as to the accused to investi- PM
.e for myself before entering into the
= sort if litigation in Memphis. Isl,
is investigation was had, with the sell
ult that local counsel was en- ges'
yed and suit brought on the part the
the State thru the Attorney-Gen- Tor
|. The moment this was done an