The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-05-06
FEWER LAWS AND MORE RIGID
ENFORCEMENT

In these days-of "crime waves,
when there is a general clamor for law
enforcement, it is gratifying to note
how few crimes are committed, and
how little the law is resorted to, in
Glasgow and Valley county. We do
not think that the people of this vi
cinity are any better or any purer
than those who live in other places;
the reason for the condition can be
better found in the fact, that crimes
are prevented here, by proper law en-
forcement; which means that we have
capable and honest officers, who think
that the community is better served
by guarding against criminal depre-
dation, than by catching the offender
and Furnishing him, after the crime
has been committed.
There is cause for reflection in the
present status of law enforcement in
the country at large. The unpre-
cedented number of crimes are var
iously attributed, to war psychology,
prohibition, hard times, and other
things, and the advocate Of each of
these different reasons, has some ar
gument in support of his claim that
sounds convincing. Probably the
cause for most crime is deeper seat
Il, -, ;,broJ 1;ernrpa.t for low, u
confidence that the officers of the law
are corrupt or inefficient, are among
the reasons that are the most sound
when we attempt to point out one
specifically, for the existence and toll
Grafton of the existing cult and race
of criminals, brazenly operating any
where. even within the shadow of the
courts. A mental condition is here
reflected that is not the result of a
near cause, but which has required
at least a generation of environment
and custom to form.
There is a remedy at hand, but it
will take years to accomplish it for
it will require the upsetting of many
fads, and the fixed general idea, that
anything can be cured by a law
against it. 1t will require the uproot-
ing of the custom and winking at law
violation. The people must be edu-
Gated to repeal all freak laws and also
to enforce those that remain, to the
very letter. Not many years ago
Montana was confronted by an even
worse condition than now. The laws
were ignored; the officers were
bandit leaders. The citizens arose and
inflicted a few exemplary punishments
and the reign of crime vas over Sup
by the way of argument it
chinery of the law for six months
should be devoted to the arrest and
of bank robbers. The law
against bank robbers would be en-
forced and no one doubts that bank
robbery would end. If our legal ma
chinery was adequate crime could be
suppressed. 1t would be sufficient,
if directed only to one crime, but is
woefully insufficient, when scattered
in the efforts to enforce laws requir-
ing the activity of an army, and fu-
tile, when used to enforce laws which
the people do not care to have en-
We believe that generally the char
acter of officers of law is below the
standard that it should be. BY i'm
the intellectual and moral
of our officers, and by the en-
actment of fewer new laws, and the
of many old ones, respect for
the laws would be increased. By the
punishment of a few principal offend
ers, promptly and publicly, salutary
results would be accomplished.
Such a long campaign of education
would reach the root of the evil, but
perhaps it should be merged with one
Of the exemplary shorter ones, such
as were used by the early Montanans.
The ten commandments, properly
enforced would be better for society
than the thousands of laws which we
have now, that are valueless as
scraps of paper"