The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-10-19
THE DEEPER ISSUE IN THE
STATE POLICE CONTROVERSY

The state police system is of European origin The
Old World monarches have long relied this strong
arm to support their unstable thrones The more demo-
cratic of them like England have had less need of such
aid while Romanoff Russia type of all that reaction
ary IN governmental theory and repressive govern
mental practice, developed the police system to
point of diabolica efficiency
Whoever would understand the possibilities of the
state police system, let him read in any modern
European history the exploits of the appangy
efficient police director of any country
riehve whose iron career to abrupt close in his
carriage, July %, 1904, when bomb hurled by Mos
COW student, snuffed out his hated life.
If the citizens of Colorado really desire police
efficiency in its higher they do better
than to retain Major Hamrocks Rangers urge the
the major to give his days and nights study
Plehve. So far, Hammock be regarded only as an
amateur. Yet he gives excellent promise has the
great merit of starting fundamental Plehevan
assumption, that there is large and highly
dangerous group of men bent overthrowng the gov
ernment.
That idea has tremendous possibilities leading
wards efficiency. Hammock may grow. He finds
these dangerous radicals only among tie workngmen
Plehve found them among the farmers the sma-town
merchants the students in the schools
and especially among the Jews He had spies every
where A police director do much with spies. He
can stop the progress of thought. Pehve did it.
Only police director should take care that his
efficiency does not to point where the pres
sure under repression exlodes to the possible
machine. Plehve was too efficient. His spying among
horribly punished, nerved students to deed of
shocking violence.
Nobody defend such an atrocious deed any more
than defend the high-handed aggression which
provoked it. Even the Revolutionary committee sponsor
ing the student, could say nothing better that sad
act than that I'VE disapprove absolutely terrorist
policy in countries that free But in Russia
owing to the reign of despotsm open political dis
cusson is possible where there against the
responsibility of absolute power throughout whole
bureaucratic Organization, shall be Obliged fight
the violence of tyranny with the of revolutionary
right"
Alas, that any government should be SO deluded as
to lean heavily the fragile repression But
that America whose peculiar strength has always lain
in her daring confidence that the men are
able of seaf-government should in single state
contemplate committing herself such vain program
must be accounted little short of madness.
state police system develops naturally under gov
ernments which unitary in principle European gov
ernments Switzerland untary. Our state gov
ernments unitary, thus following the Old World
principle Our national government federal Although
deriving its principle from Greek league
or confederacy national nevertheless
so completely native to the genius of people that
the federal principle is commonly regarded Amer
lean invention To the matter in another way
ever is peculiarly American in apper-
tains to the federal scheme
The federal scheme provides for an abundant meas
of local independence The national government has
slight connection with the municipalities
counties and other local except through
mon allegiance of the people, So far the federal
scheme concerned the local constituencies manage
own schools vote their taxes, police their
munites, and in general regulate their affairs.
This wide range of local freedom has been the Pc
cuar glory of Americanism Whereas Bourbon France
the state gendarmerie stood guard in every community
polishing their weapons by the roadside subjecting