The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-10


and your stare 9nr institnnons
Z only be p~erpetuatea onr soclal
ga goSeFnmensal tapElsS ~ Only
DC maintained. anda ~ gnpertlea
can only ne secured through g
prompt enforcement y laW.
Another subject 10 be specially
given In charge Is that embodying
legislative regulations concerning
lahor and the emp1oyment OF per-
sons IN certain hazardous indus.
tries. IN The interest Of good citi.
<enship and TO prevent tnterfer-
enoe with the nornalsdeyelopment
md education of the youth, It ID
provided that no etifdSunder four
teen shall be einpioyedEo or permit
ted to work IL any gainfn1 occupa-
ton except agriculture or domes-
tic service, and that no child un.
dor sixteen shan be permitted to
work in any mine, quarry, tunnel
or excavation, S other occupation
dangerous 10 the life or limb OF
Injurious to his health or morals.
For several months past a large
portion of the lime Of the officers
Of the County has been employed
In an effort to suppress violations
of the prohibition Law, and al
though the otfieesgot the Justices
OF the Peace have been crowded
with the trials ofsthese cases and
heavy fines and imprisonment
have been imposed, yet the Of
ficerB are daily and almost hour
" bringing IN additional violators
and c~onfiscating and destroying
materials and implements used in
the Illicit manufacture and sale OF
Intoxicating beverages. It might
aeem TO the casual observer that
the prohibition law Is virtually a
dead letter and that all efforts to
enforce its provisions are futile,
but not SO. IL wi11stake some time
1t VIII require some vigilance on
the part OF officers, It win re-
quire some growth In public SEN
timent, but In time, unless re-
peaied, these laws will be sub.
stantially enforced and observed.
Even now, one cannot fail to OBJ.
serve a very wholesome improve.
ment. II Is rare indeed when one
encounters an Intoxicated person
upon the public street, yet the
time is quite green in our memory
when II one had occasion to ride
for a few milesaon an interurban
car from thirtyitoi fifty per cent Of
The occupants OF the car were not
only intoxicated but sometimes 50
drunk as to be disordarly. That
situation at least does not occur
any more. True, national prohi.
bition was pfecipitated upon the
country rather suddenly, and pos
sibly the legislative and congress
sicnal acts to carry out the pro.
visions % the constitutional
amendment were considerably
more drastic IN their terms than
many Of our citizens had antici-
pated who voted for the amend.
ment. u Isl I think, most uafor-
tunate that our Legislative bodies
do not give more consideration tc
that old maxim that q country
least governed is best governed,
and refrain from enacting laws
that are IItra-reyolutionary in
their character until 1t is clearly
apparent that the public senti-
ment back o. them.is sufficient to
secure their observance without
the necessity for such frequent
prosecutions It Is not a whole
some thing Tor the state, that
violations Of law shall occur with
such frequency and that SO large a
percentage OF our people should
look upon these violations with In
difference. II has q tendency to
bring our whole system into dis.
repute and It Is Eliminated that in
some sections or the country Of
Ulcers Of the law share this In
different attitude and wink at vio-
lations. NoSsuch charge can be
laid at the door OF your officials,
and if these statutes in their
terms have gone beyond the line
where the substantial sentiment
OF our clsIzenShip lis back OF them,
n the people do not want them
enforced! they should zee to II
that their representatives in the
Notwithstanding or repeal them,
For So long ashley remain a mari
uf the law they must al least he
attempted 10 be enforced by the
Officers az StheFIaw And thIq
does not apply alone 60 the fnreig.
q who WITH MA crude methods
produces Il iarSo pfckhandle. INT
il applies AZ wei 10 the citizen
OF nigh dsrreeSwho imnorts ~
brings intoSthe state or nses or
has II his possession IN an nnIaw.
fnI manner m nnbIic n1acaa vines
and iidrors al the hast 9usiitv
Wa frednentiv bear the comment
s