American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-01-13

American Falls Press:
I know nothing of the trial which
was discussed in your last weeks is
sue but have a great interest in the
stand taken by the Press IN the ques-
ton Of slack law enforcement. If
newspapers in general would take a
stand for all citizens meeting their re-
sponsibility fully this question would
take better care of itself
Leniency in punishment springs
mostly from reluctance to meet one's
responsibility Our criminals take adj
vantage Of this fact much the same as
a child takes advantage of an indul-
gent parent. Personal feelings must
Step aside when it comes to the admin
~istration of jstice. To secure the pro-
lection for which we pay SO dearly and
do not get, each citizen must count his
government first and his friends in
l~awbreaking second. Our brother
should know that he cannot obtain i'm
munity to punishment at our expense.
1t doesn't matter how important he
may be law enforcement should be
first We certainly would not build a
house and look on while he tore 1t
down, yet we are trying to build a pro-
lection and stand unconceFnedly by
and watch him destroy 1t
1t seems tho that the juries should
not bear the entire blame or even the
greater part of it. We think that judges
and executive officers come in for a
bigger share of this responsibility.
Again the lawyer has more RESPONSE
bilfty than the ordinary citizen. With
strict adherence to duty we should be
able to get along with half the judicial
offices we now have and if we were a
judge drawing big pay, light work we
woul o care to work ourselves out
of a job That's human nature but SO
also is self preservation and it is the
business of each individual citizen to
demand that the law be enforced.
We r Indifferent or perhaps
guilty when our everyday school law
is broken. Is that important? Most
assuredly it is for indifference to the
breaking of one law develops indif-
ference to that of others. Again, take
the hunting laws. Do you know of any
who kills ducks or other game out of
season? Most everyone does. The
common feeling is that it is no crime
to break the hunting law, but our re-
sponsibility is plain We should in
justice TO ourselves report any infring-
ment that can possibly react on the
efficiency Of Jul government and re-
4AAAC O0A PnAQ OlICtdi6 W uO LuG' SdAl6.
Petty larceny is very common but
the percentage of punishment is neg
ligible In Raft River Valley within
three years past there has been stolen
and destroyed easily $25, 900 worth of
property and the writer does not know
of a single prosecution. Why isn't
something done? Because those who
lost are too poor to meet the high cost
of securing justice and as a conse-l
quence are encouraging crime not
from desire but from necessity. In
short we pay taxes for protection and
then if we have enough money besides
to buy it outright we might get it.
The Press has given the percentage
of executions in murder cases as one
percent 1t is perfectly safe to say that
less than that percent of punishment
is melted out in other violations of law.
AS the Press has stated the remedy
must come from those good citizens
who will not fear or favor either the
lawbreaker or those in authority when
it comes to requiring them to do their
duty. Let's get behind any move that
calls every man to do his duty and in
sist that he do that.
A SUBSCRIBER