Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1920-12-10

Some one suggests that, along with
other Commodities" the price of
booze has dropped, and will be cheap.
er for the holidays. One would i'm
agine that it is not only cheap but
easily obtained, when young boys,
even kids in knee pants, seem to have
little or no difficulty in obtaining ia
either themselves or at the hands of
other parties.
The TRUTHS, alarming truth, it is
this country is flooded with moon
shine liquor, and this town, along
with other towns in the county and
in the country generally, is no ex-
ception. 1t seems that the past five
years of war and prosperity has left
trail Of slime and Immortality in
their wake. Highway robbery, lynch
ings, burglary, and lawlessness gen
orally, is rampant all over our coun-
try, and the worst of it is, seems to
be on the increase. 1t is not pleasant
to admit, let alone write and print
these facts. But, crime and wrong
doing never dies natural deaths or
ceases of their own accord. The devil
is responsible for all sin, but we, the
people, are responsible for the sun
preston of crime, and the violation
of law. The state provides officers
who are clothed with authority, to
arrest and bring before the bar of
justice, the violators of the law. And
where crime increases there is al
ways the suspicion-not always lust.
that the concervators of the peace
are either unfaithful to their oaths
and trusts, or are incapable and in.
ef1cicnt. The enforcement of law de-
ponds, first upon the public officer.
but his efficiency and SUCCESS is de-
pendent large upon the kind of pub
lie sentiment that is behind him.
Grand juries and witnesses. not in
sympathy with the prosecution of
the violator of law, can tie and
shackle the best efforts of the best
and most conscientious prosecuting
attorney. Backed by public sentiment
expressed by the citizens and the
pendent largely upon the kind of pub
lie peace are doubly efficient and sue
cessful
As little rs is said about it it is n
TACT, that we, the people, the minis
ters and the churches, must shoulder
our share of the responsibility of
the persistent violation of law in our
Our influence should be
greater than any influence of force.
100 often it is negative rather than
positive. The churches stand for the
suppression of all evil and immoral
ity, but too often they do little more
than stand" The influence exertod
powerful as it is, is only negative,
In too many instances.
In many communities the churches
DO not enforce the laws on their own
church books. Stand up, stand III,
Tor Jesus" is fine hymn, but son
ward Christian Soldiers" is better
One is negative, the other positive
we get nowhere by just standing.
What we are trying to say is, a
healthy public sentiment, fearless
aggressive and uncompromising. be.
hind the officers of the law. while
never entirely stopping crims, will
reduce its committal to the minimum
These remarks are offered for what
they are worth, and in no spirit of
carping criticism. They are the re.
suit, partially, of conversations hat
with the writer by several leadino
esEazens of this community. Are we
each of us, Individually and collec
1Veiy, public officers and private citi
zens, doing what we can and should
to make this, our beautiful town anf
county, safe place in which to rea,
our children. and to promote M,
own growth in the things that coun
most?