The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-03-23
In public duty and in private thinking.
Had Little Cooperation.

lations of law for which you returned
indictments and upon which convic-
tions have been had represent hardly
one in thousands of such violations.
Nevertheless the results fully Justify
the labor and expense, and it is to be
hoped will prove of permanent value
to this community and the state. 1t
is quite true, as you say, that had
there been willing cooperation on the
part of the many who have knowledge
and might have helped, your labors
would have been materially lightened,
would have occupied much less time,
the county would have been saved ex-
pense and the results would have been
more general and inclusive. 1t is quite
true that the disregard for laws so
glaringly shown by your Investigations
is of long standing. 1t is far too gem
eral throughout this country, and has
been conspicuously so in this COM
munity. Such conditions are due not
alone to the law yiolators themselves.
Public officials charged with enforce
ment of the laws who fail in or be-
tray their trust, otherwise good citi-
zens who wink at known violations
of the laws, are likewise, if not pri-
marily chargeable with these condi-
tions.
stream will rise no higher than
its source. The character of a COM
munity, state or q nation will be no
higher than the average character of
its individual citizenship. If individual
so-called good citizens are unconcerned
about enforcement of laws, if they are
unconcerned about the character and
reputation of their community or
state, is it surprising if their elected
public officials are lax or corrupt
Most assuredly it is not alone those
who come to us from foreign shores
who need to be taught and to frequent
ly recur to the fundamental duties and
obligations of citizenship. When
, tell the newly-made citizen some of
the duties and obligations that go along
with the. privileges of citizenship and
: adjure him to measure up to them,
: when | entreat him to make of him
self so good an American citizen that
he will stand out as an example of
e good citizenship, sometimes wonder
4 if he makes any COMPARISON of those
ideals and duties with their lack of
appreciation and observance on the
part of those older in American citi-
zenship than he?
Has Given New Vision.
fully agree with you that "the
community is sadly in need of new
vision and new purpose, and each
citizen who has not, ought now to re-
: solve to do his part in making this
community respectable, law-abiding
: place to maintain his home" I be-
: lieve such new vision, new purpose and
7 high resolve have come into this COM
munity in consequence of your labors,
so ably assisted and made effective
through the interchangeable co-opera-
ton of your special prosecutor, and
that this community will go forward
with such new vision, new purpose and
high resolve until it becomes a model
instead Of being notorious.
: l understand that in response to
: some complaints made to him and after
some investigation on his part, former
Governor Philip said in this city, re
garding its conditions, II guess the
: people of Kenosha get about the kind
, of municipal government they want
: He meant, of course, that the remedy
l lies in their own hands. What kind
} of municipal government does this
5 community want? What kind of q
= place to live in and to bring up chill
2 dren in? What kind of a reputation
2 do the people of this community want
t to have? We shall see. You have
helped them a long way on the right
e road. 1t is to be hoped that they
D will Garry ON; that they will insist
on law observance and law enforce.
r ment no matter how, as individuals
d they regard the policy of any particu-
: lar law or laws; that they will insist
d that capable public officials charged
p with enforcement of laws shall do thei1
e duty; give such officials their support
g and approval if they do their duty anC
a call them to account if they do not.
Y Disregard for Law Dangerous.
We need not be so much concerned
about this infraction of some law OF
: that, as specific instances, only as suc1
v things lead to greater. In the hear
p of the hills there rises little sprine
a so tiny that a dog might lap it up OF
. summer day. AS it trickles alonI
i among the grass and leaves and bould
I ers, it is joined by other tiny rills ant
It brooks and streams and rivers unit
i they all become the mighty Father O.
n Waters" So this small violation O
i law or that, this illicit sale of intoxi
0 eating liquor, this bride giving or brib,
e taking, this unlawful carrying of con
cealed and dangerous weapons or tina
keeping of gambling or bawdy house
5, may not seem to amount to so mucl
d taken by themselves. But taken alto
gether they lead to official corruption
IS to murder and rapine, to general dis
4 regard of and lack of respect for Law
It and altogether constitute menace t.
community, state and nation and t.
a stable and respected government.
More than sixty years ago Abraham
IL Lincoln said:
There is even now something of evi
l. omen amongst US. 1 mean the in
creasing disregard for law which per
IS vades the country l know the Ameri
can people are much attached to thei
e government; / know they would suffe