San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-06
THE GREAT CHARTER

I =" ne governor OF eNdS mas cSldDllShCI
a cantonmcnt of rangers in San Antonio
presumably as a fixture of police super
vision during his tenure of office. This
is, of course, wide departure from
home rule, and the supposed capacity OF
two hundred thousand residents, TO main
tain peace and order in their midst,
under the conditions which have been
maintained by American communities
since the earliest days of Colonial set
Element, down to date. This condition
has been observed since the great day
of Magma Charta in England, when a
king was compelled to turn control over
to the commoners. The action of the
governor of Texas, therefore, seems to
bark back to King John, and his martial
rule. Have we reilly gone back to those
days? if the governor can establish an
overloI dship in police matters, cannot he
do so, with like IMMUNITY, as affecting
the courts, and trial by jury? The ques-
ton becomes one of utmost seriousness
TO the citizen, if the authority of state
ruler can be extended not only over a
community thus singled out, but in like
order, over every community. One city
or town may be singled out, or they
can all be included, within the word of
the head of the state.
1t has been a recognized law OF self
government that sheriff can plead in
ability to enforce the law, and call upon
the state, through the governor, for
help, and the governor, in turn, can ap-
peal to the central government, in which
case the President can call upon the
entire fighting strength of the nation
to put down riot and instruction. The
!. pages of American history can be
scanned very closely, however, and moth
ing quite similar to the present situation
IN Texas can be disclosed AS far as
known, no one has called from Bexar
I county for state aid. but the aid is here,
I and Governor Neff seems to indicate
: that the state rangers are to be sta
toned in San Antonio for an indefinite
I stay, to act independently of the city or
3 county peace officers in searching out
! crime and in experimenting criminals.
s The present governor of Texas will
i probably find it a difficult thing to dis
Z cover any one Directing to the preser.
walton of the peace and morality If
4 Bexar county, or in any other county II
T the state. He may find, however, those
who doubt either the legality or actua
! efficiency of two police bodies. acting
under different heads, and with the statt
4 force taking up police duties, without tn,
.- request of resident officials or at the leas
4 of considerable body of citizens. Cal
\. the governor set up his own code o
4 thought against that of the establishe,
Y law not only of this community, bu
rs of every community in the republic
i These are questions which will rise Ii
u. again and again, and they are likely t
\. be settled as was the gathering a
s- Runnymede, centuries ago.
~ 1t can be argued for the governor tia
Z. his adjrtant general attempted to Civ
/ this ancient city very bad name, bi
X the indictment has not held. What tn
Is state official has accomplished, had bee
\ many times done by the regular city ar
3. county police, acting under the write
b and observed law. Nothing has bee
(. disclosed that. seems to warrant in ar
3 wav whatever the very serious. wol
which lie put out'about San Antonio.
r Apart from this, Governor Neff sougl
to have the Texas Legislature enact