Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-11-30
OHapodrida
Dance Question at Merrimacl,
LET the people know the truth
and the country Is saTe"

and the country Is safe"
"A. Lincoln
In your report of the proceedings
of the county board of supervisors
as published in The News there is a
resolution by Supervisor Shanks
asking for an appropriation of $500
for the purpose or employing special
police to regulate places of amuse-
ment, especially dance halls.
In his comment and advocacy OF
the resolution, Mr.. Shanks places the
village in a rather unfavorable light,
and paints the local dance hall in
scarlet.
Whether there is an urgent need
for special police force to regulate
dances in the rural communities, we
do not claim to know, but in incor-
porated villages such supervision by
special officials is entirely unneces-
sary and superfluous. Merrimack. a
village of less than three hundred in
habitants, has no less than eight
officials commanded by statute to
see to it that peace and order is
maintained within its limits, and the
law clothes them with ample power
to enforce all laws and regulations.
The statute prescribing village gov
eminent, makes it the unqualified
duty of the president to maintain
peace and order ,and in case of ap-
parent necessity, he may appoint
every able bodied citizen a special
marshal to aid in enforcing his or
ders. In addition to this, village
boards are empowered to Prohibit
disorderly assemblRges, drunkenness,
fights. noises, etc, dances included;
if they believe them to be detrimen-
tai to good morals or the safety and
comfort of the village residents. And
whenever a village board does by
resolution or ordinance prohibit any
of the acts named, it becomes obli-
gatory upon the president to enforce
tho order.
Sec 4513. Provides that whenever
thirty or more persons are unlawful
ly assembled, it shall he the duty Of
the peace officers (ar1 among others
village presidents are named as
SUCH to command all such persons
to Gisperse, and upon failure to
heed the command, they shall be
subject to arrest. The penalty fixed
for any officer negiecting his duty Is
a fine of $780,
Sub. Div. (g) of Sec. l of the Pro
hibiti1n E forcement Act makes any
peace officer liable to removal from
Office, who knows. or is creditably
informed that an offense has been
committed against this act, and
who neglects or refuses to make
complaint to the proper magistrate.
Now in view of the many drastic
laws already on our statute books,
covering all or the misdemeanors
complained of by several supervisors
to the county board, it would seem
more urgent and appropriate for the
board TO adopt a resolution directing
the district attorney to bring action
against the peace officers, OF those
municipalities where the law has
been violated, as alleged, for neglect
ing or refusing 10 perform their
official duty; rather than creating a
sinecure by appropriating $500 and
appointing special policemen to per-
form services for the doing of which
a host of officials are already pro-
vided.
AS citizens of the village Of Mer-
rimack, under whose auspices most
of the dances in this place have been
held. we most emphatically deny
Mr.. Shanks' allegation, that dances
have been held for the purpose OF
selling "moonshine". He might with
equal veracity claim that church So
ciables are held for the purpose OF
giving young people an opportunity
To spoon, and married folks chance
10 find their affinity.
We also assert, that to the best OF
our knowledge. there has been no
drinking of intoxicating liquors, nor
any drunkenness, in the hall where
the dancing is done; if such things
have been done they took place on
the street, and had the village mar
shall been alive 10 his duty he would
have arrested the offenders.
We do not know what an Apaches
vail IS like.-never having heard one
-but we do maintain that the dan
ces are closed at reasonable hour
and we do not believe that people OF
their way home purposely make I'M
necessary noises, intended TO dis
turb sleepers.
me incident that Mr.. Shanks re
lated with reference 10 hurting