Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-01
BERRY WOULD USE
THE NATIONAL GUARD
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to cases Of inefficiency and the state
ment he was about to make, he said,
was the following out of this policy.
Am Inefficient" asked the Cover
nor. to which Mr.. Berry replied that
he might be so considered if he neg
lected to act upon the information
about to be presented 1.-THE Governor
asked if he tried to promote efficiency
in all lines and was answered in the
affirmative. Continuing this line the
Governor asked If he had found in
efficiencies only in the matter Of en-
forcing the gambling and prohibitory
laws and to this Mr.. Berry answered
that there would be other complaints
Of different nature later.
Governor the Objective
Mr.. Berry made it plain that the
Governor was the objective Of his
| remarks. Standing close to and a little
to the right of the executive desk in
the Council chamber, he directed all
his remarks at the Governor, apparent
ly regarding the Council as a mere
| witness. He said he realized the Gov
ernor could not go all about the State
investigating and consequently was
bringing to him for his attention the
reports of investigations made.
He read the following statement:
Statement Of Lawless Conditions in
Certain Maine Counties Made to
Governor Curtis and Council June
80, 1915, by Wilbur F. Berry, Super
intendent of the Christian Civic
League Of Maine.
Your Excellency:-
l sent you through the mail June Is
1915, general statement as to lawless
conditions in certain Maine counties, an6
In the accompanying letter asked for ar
interview. You replied under dane q
June 18th, and invited me to come here
today.
l represent the Christian Civic League
of Maine, an organization formed by ap
pointed representatives Of most of the
Protestant denominations of Maine
representing more than 100000 of ouI
population. Our work is alsp endorsed
by some of the Catholic clergy of the
State.
The purpose of the Civic League is set
forth in its constitution as follows:
~, to educate the people in all that
pertains to good citizenship; 2, to
arouse and maintain throughout the
State a reverence for Law: 3, to Sc
cure the enactment Of the best posi-
BILE laws, their impartial execution,
and the choice Of competent officials
to that end"
Ny reason for making to you state
ment of lawless conditions in certain
counties is as follows:
The League workers keep in close
touch with conditions of law violat. o..
throughout the State. We usually sees
the betterment of such conditions
through the proper officials. acquaintinc
them with violations of law, and fur
nishing them with any information AM
evidence which may come into our pos
session.
The enforcement of the laws to which
your attention was called is assigned by
the statute as follows:-(C hapt. - Sec
69).
"Sheriffs and their deputies and county
attorneys shall diligently and faithfully
INQUIRE into all violations of law within
their respective counties, and institute
proceedings in case of violations or SUP
posed violations of law, and particularly
the law against illegal sale of intoHi-
eating liquors. and the keeping of drink
ing houses and tipping shops, gambling
houses or places, and houses Of ill-fame,
either by promptly entering a complaint
before n magistrate and executing the
warrants issued thereon, or by furnish
ing the county attorney promptly an |
without delay, with the names of alleged
offenders, and of the witnesses"
You will notice. also. that this statute
makes it crime for one of these officers
to wilfully or corruptly neglect or refuse
to perform any of these named duties:-
ANY sheriff. deputy sheriff Oh county at
torney, who shall wilfully or corruptly
refuse or neglect to perform any of the
duties required by this section. shall be
punished by fine not exceeding $1,000 or by
imprisonment not exceeding one year."
The duty of prosecuting such offend
ers is placed upon the State attorney
general
ut shall be the duty of the attorney
general to take charge of all investiga-
fusal or neglect of any sheriff, deputy
sheriff or county attorney, to perform
any of the duties required by this section,
and in case of the finding of an indict-
ment to conduct all subsequent proceed
ings in court in behalf Of the State as
prosecuting attorney"
The existence in county of an open,
general violation of the laws named in
this statute and the continued violation
of these laws for weeks and months put
officials Of such counties in the attitude
Of wilful or corrupt neglect or refusal to
enforce such laws.
In dealing with such a situation the
League must itself comply with the pro-
visions of law. The constitution, Article
5. Sec. II, places upon the Governor of
Maine this duty, "He shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed"
In the statute. Chapter 81. Section 8,
the duty Of the Governor is farther stated
as follows: "Sheriffs shall obey all such
ordefS relating to the enforcement of
the laws as they from time to time re-
ceive from the governor" The governor
is, in the constitution and statutes of our
State, clothed with power to deal with
sheriffs who refuse to obey his orders re-
lating to the enforcement of law.
The only right or duty of the citizen in
such a rawless condition as 1 have de-
crr;hod 10 cot forth in ha 1s<h Cao%;o,