Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-29
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DIR. RAMsAY,s BOOMERANG

Or. william E. Ramsay, Demo
4 cratic candidate for congress In thi'
j district. ought to make an interest
ing witness before the federal grand
jury that 10 nov engaged in secur
ing information regarding violations
OF the prohibition laws. In his ad.
dress at the Democratic mass meet
ing Monday night DR.. Ramsay seem
ed 70 have q whole lot OF inside in.
formation. particularly IN regard tc
conditions in this city. Mayor Dorsey
was present and heard what the
doctor had TO say; likewise Prose.
cutor Stricken. Both these ofieials
are Democrats.
II liquor agents are 30 common In
this city that. to quote DR.. Ramsay
rthey ought 10 wear badges to keer
from trying to sell booze to each
other" what are the local authori-
ties going TO do about it?
II one wholesale house doing a
large business in this vicinity il
selling such an enormo quantity
OF dried fruit ~ostensibly to use in
private stills. as DR.. Ramsay init
mates. what are the local authori-
ties going to do about It?
In short, IL conditions regarding
the enforcement of the prohibition
laws are a. bad as DIR. Ramsay
points out, it 10 . most serious re-
Election on the authorities that are
charged with the enforcement OF
The law. No doubt the doctor. In
his speech at that Democratic meet
ing. was trying to discredit the VOL
stead act. AS a matter of fact, his
indictment was a boomerang. COM
ing back to hit squarely Democratic
officials under whom all this law
lessness is going on.
DIR. Ramsay holds up to ridicule
the comparatively small force of
men under Prohibition Commission
er Kramer to aid him in enforcing
the prohibition law. OF course, it is
ridiculous to think of having only
1000 men to police 100000 peo-
pie. But it was never intended that
the enforcement Of the prohibition
laws should be left entirely with
Commissioner Kramer's men. Every
state and every city has a large
force of officers whose sworn duty
it Is to uphold the constitution OF
the United States and enforce all
laws, whether they be enacted by
the city, state or nation. II all OF
this great policing body were doing
their duty there would be no such
Iawlessness as DIR. Ramsay complains
of. This applies to Perth Amboy as
well as to every other place in the
United States. Whether we believe
in atIaw or not, IL It Is the law II
must be respected and obeyed and
the police OF every town and city
must enforce It II the majesty oi
the law is to be upheld.
Defiance OF any one law breeds
contempt for all law. DR.. Ramsay
in his speech Monday night pointed
out the bold defiance that exists ir
this vicinity. The remedy is in the
enforcement Of the law. and until
something IL done in that direction
the law cannot be condemned as Q
failure.
DR.. Ramsay is a skilled physician
and surgeon. He well knows that
II a man comes to him with a sore
toe he will not forthwith condemn
the toe and cut 1t of. Rather. hi
will apply the remedy that he be-
lieves will cure the toe. doing every
thing in his power TO save the tot
and make it as sound as every othei
member of the mans body. VIII,
not apply the same principle to th'
prohibition law? Why not appl,
the remedy for the evil that nov
exists. which is a strict enforcement
Of the law, instead of at once con
dcmning the law as worthless with
out even trying to enforce it?
DR.. Ramsay. in his speech Mon
Jay night, was endeavoring to con
denim the prohibition law and pla'
upon its unpopularity. AS a matte
N2e fact. he succeeded mainly Il
showing the laxity of the loca
authorities in the performance o
heir duty. If the doctor Is able I
secure such evidence as he intimat
d in his speech. surely the author
ties, whose duty it is to secure sue
evidence, ought to be able to secur
I. too. As the responsibility OF LAY
enforcement in this city and count
: IN the hands Of Democrats at tn
present time. DR.. Ramsay's address
delivered at a Democratic mas
meeting. ought to be read with cor
siderable interest by those in al
shortly. II Or. Ramsay. by h
speech. succeeds in arousing h
Democratic colleagues now IN ONE
- ! fun ssnse Of their responsible