The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-01-04
WHAT THE PEOPLE EXPECT.

The new Sheriff and the new District Attor-
ney, who formally assumed their duties on
Monday, are facing hard task, and at the
same time they have a wonderful opportunity
to render service to the community. The de-
cent and respectable conduct of the people of
Kenosha for the next two years is committed
largely to the hands>of these officials 1t is adj
mittedly big job, but it can be made compare
lively easy if the two officials start right and
keep going right.
Undoubtedly there will be tendency on the
part Of people who violate the law and wink at
the statutes to try out the new administration.
Undoubtedly, the call of friendship will be sug-
gested to these officials as a reason to forget
the law or to make convenient Interpretation Of
the law. Already there has been rumors that
certain elements hope to stage comeback. 1t
is not apparent that there is any foundation for
the hopes of this class Of dangerous citizens of
the community. The Sheriff and District At
torney are going into office with clean record,
and there is every reason to believe that they
will want to keep it clean.
Keeping a record clean, and keeping a con-
science clean in the Offices Of Sheriff and Dis
trict Attorney is task which demands per-
sonal honesty and personal stamina. weak
ling in either of these oficesAa fellow who
hears the call Of old friendships or new friend
ships rather than the call of the law, is pretty
certain to result in disaster. The law which
these men are called upon to enforce has been
pretty clearly written in the statute books. 1t
is not open to Interpretation by Tom Dick and
Harry, but any Interpretation of it must come
from the courts. These men have no alterna-
tive but to enforce the law as it is written, and
their personal opinions as to the reading of the
law are of little consequence or of little inter
est. The official oaths which they have as
sumed leave no room for bubble and no oppor-
tunity for evasion.
Both have been given the votes of the people
with the direct and expressed understanding
that they will enforce the law. Both have as
sured the people that they were willing to take
upon their shoulders the burden of law enforce
ment Both have said that they were willing
to take the law as it is and not as some of their
friends may seek to interpret it,
Kenosha has made progress along the road
Iof law enforcement, but there still remains
much to be done Liquor and gambling laws are
still being evaded in Kenosha county, the boot
Qegger still flourishes, and his customers still
eontinue to have liquor in their possession in
violation of the law and regardless of the law
Il The persistence of the violation of the prohi-
bition law makes the demand for the enforce
ment of this law insistent Other laws are Just
as important of enforcement, but there is not
the insistent violations Of them. Any sheriff is
expected to arrest and any District Attorney to
prosecute man charged with murder, but
somehow the violations of some of the other
laws have not been regarded as so serious
What the Kenosha county people want is the
decent enforcement of all of the laws in an in
telligent and vigorous manner, with a view of
properly protecting the morals of the commu-
nifty and the throwing of the proper safeguards
about the young men and women of the COM
munity. If this result is attained, the new off,
Gals must be vgilant in season and out of sea-
son, keeping in mind at all times the oath which
they have taken.
Kenosha expects much of this new law en-
forcement department, and it must not fall
short OF it's expectations. It's personal mat
ter between these officials and the people of the
whole county, They have given pledge of SER
vice, and the people will expect them to carry
out that pledge to the letter. If they do that,
they will retire from office with the cordial best
wishes of all the people