Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-10-11
THEIR PLATFORMS.

states attorney Of La Sale county
have issued their platforms tor the
consideration OF the voters. They AZ,
so radically different. II read be
tween the lines" that every voter
should understand exactly what they
really mean as to law enforcement
(which is the sole and only duty II
the occupant of the .ate's attorney :
office, and Judge by which candidate
there is the greatest prospect Of real
prosecutions for inlringemc nts Of the
laws as they now stand on the statute
books
Mr., Wileys platform is as follows:
"A public office is a public trust
both before and after the election.
The man elected to till that office is a
servant of the people. and a servant
only. He does not own the Office
any more than he owns the public
building in which he is permitted 10
administer said Office He has no
right to make OF said Office Il political
office, or partisan appendage. any
more than he has rich. In bar fro'h
its doors all those who happen to
differ from him politically. No man
is az big as his Creator, and the
'CreatOr' Of any elective ot'iCcholdCr
is the people There is nothing IN tho
affairs, conduct or administration OF
public office that Is not the property
of the people 1t all belongs to the
people and is merely administered for
them by the oficeholder, their servant.
He is, and should be, merely the ser
want in the house Also. states at
torney should be. at all times, prose
cutor, not a prosecutor. Am ! right"
What does it mean? That a public
officer is the servant of the people is
as old as time, and why does that fact
require The emphasis given. What is
meant, bearing on this election, by
NO man Is as big as his Creator, ANA
the creator of an elective Otficeholder
is the peope"f Does it not mean "ail
things TO all men? If the creator
of the elective Otliceholder is the peO
pie who elect him, does it not mean
that those people shall tell him what
class of law infractions, in their judg-
ment. should be prosecuted and what i
should not, no matter how the laws /
read?
The only reference made in any way /
to the real duties Of the office +
states attorney, that Of law enforce
nlent is in .he last few lines. Like a
Woman's letter, the whole item Of
importance is in the p0stscript
also, a states attorney should be, at K
all times, a prosecutor not 4 persa-
cutor" In other words, il the laws
as they stand suit the "cFea ors.' trials
4if,,, ~ l.
same laws are not satisfactory to the
creators efforts to enforce them are
"persecutions" Who is to be the .
Judge? Is tho discretion as to what
the "creutors' want to be LEFT 10 the
states attorney and his assistant, Or
are the laws as made Ivy the rcpresen-
,atiyes OF the people at Springfield 20
DC accepted and enforced to the letter,
with any infringemeuts Of them prose.
cu.ed, even though they may not
meet with the approval of the local
oiilcors2
The platform is very adroitly writ
ten and subject to almost any con
struciion that will win ii vote II is
susceptible of almost any intc.preta-
lion, like the average political plat
form. is that the manner in which
you want candidate for an Office as
important as this is at this particular
time to state his position?
Mr.. KelIy's platform is as follows
"A public office carries with it q
trust Personal gain must not be per
mitted TO restrict the tulflIment nf
that trust A states attorneys duty
is to enforce the law and not 20 max"
it, Law is created by the people,
through their representatives.. and the
states attorney has no discretion in
its enforcement The oath of office
provides for the supper. of the con
stitution and the enforcement of the
law. No discrimination can lawfully
be made under that oath
IF elected, | purpose to fulfil nv
trust and discharge my duties under
my oath without fear or favor"
Note the difference Beyond the
first sentence in each. the two plat.
forms are az different as day and
night The whole burden Of Nc. l.
Kclly'S platform is the enforcement
of the laws as they are written He
recognizes (and so StateSD that "a
states attorneys duty is TO enforce
the law and not to make it,; and that
mo discrimination can lawfully be
made under that oath" The platform
IL too open and above board 10 require
any analysis. Mr.. Kelly's position Is
so clear that amy school child can
understand it. He recognizes tha tn,
law IS created by the people,
THROUGH THEIR REPRESENTA-.
TlVES, AND THE STATES ATTOR.
Nt'Y HAS No DISCRETION IN IT'S
ENFCRt t.MENT, and those who
know Harry Kelly best know that he
means what he says ana says what he
means.
Anyone who has talked with Harry
Kelly or listened TO any address made
by him knows that his firm belief
chobby,' il you Wild Is IN the en-.
iorcement Of existing laws and he up.
holding OF the constitution Of the
United states and Of the state Of Hi
nOis. His every act in life has demon.
strutnJ his hpliuf In what no