Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1920-02-04
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY a. 1920.
MAKE GOOD OR GET OUT.

MAKE GOOD OR GET OUT.
II Is certainly sad commentary on
the efficiency CT the Ottawa police de-.
partment when it is necessary for tAe
mayor Of the city, acting in the ca.
pacity Of private citizen, to make
II complaint and back it up with his
personal bond in order to eradicate a
house Of i'll fame loca.cd within a
stones throw Of the police headquar
lprs.
If the police department Of the city
cannot locate resorts Of this kind
When Il private citizen is able to DO
50. something certainly needs fixing.
Ii satisfactory action could have been
had along the regular channels. it is
Cinch the mayor would not have
gone to this extreme in order TO
make good on a prediction promise
And the mayor was not the only man
who made a promise to clean out this
place and. so fart as he might be
able, to clean up Ottawa. Others who
were candidates for election at the
same time were in attendance at the
same meetings as the mayor and
facility a, least, made the same
premises,
There is no question but politics !
how H,I tb,;r ,br,,,,-i,,
stones in the way of Kidding Ottawa |
sof this moral pest hole. There are
influences which are opposed to the
mayor who would willingly battle any
efforts he and the commissioners |
undrr him might make. But That i |
no excuse for the police REPORTING
that they can find nothing ont of the
way going on when a private citizen
can get evidence that there is.
Aside from the mora, not to say
decent side Of the question there IS
another which should spur everyone
directly or indirectly connected with
the police department to make every
choIJ to keel Ottawa free from sores |
Of this kind, wherever located 50 |
long as these resorts are permitted |
10 run the nccuSat ION IS made. openly |
or quietly, that someone is being |
seen We do not believe that in |
his instance, ri least, that blood |
T., b,t Ia,
Terminates. But the city dailips have
shown mp so many cases OF blood /
money in connection with the large
city police departments that it is |
nara to convince the average reader |
that a like condition. in smaller de-. |
gree perhaps, does not exist in OF
tawa.
There is no chance for an uIibi |
here Someone is to blame for th
condition ana others which exist in |
Ottawa No ones honesty is ques-
toned. but police department Is paid .
To detect and eradicate crime and pes
h0leS, Law breakers are not looking
Tor trouble with the authorities and
they gro. bold only when they be
lieve that either because OF ignorance,
weakness, lack OF backbone or for
some other reason hey are immune
1t is not too late yet for the Ottawa
police department 10 clean up tho
town and make good, but it will be
much harder Job than ii they had
begun with the change Of ddministra
ton and kept the town clean The
promises had been made before cleo
ton; the people and the Would-be
law breakers alike expected. those
who made those promises to make
good, and it was only after consider
able feeling around" that the offend
ers decided to take the chance thar
have given Ottawa the very unsayory
reputation she enjoys.
1t is up to the department to make
good. ii the present force cant or
won't, get one that will.