The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1929-02-01
WILL ENFORCE TIE LAW
Governor Cooper, of Ohio. Pledges
Full Power of State Govern
ment to Enforce Laws

Honorable Meyers Young Cooper was
inaugurated Governor OF the state OK
Ohio Monday. January IA In his in
augural address Governor Cooper pledged
his administration to faithful enforce
ment of law and called upon the citizens
to pledge themselves to an observance OF
the law, and enphatieally declared that 1t
is not for men to say what laws they
shall observe and what they should obey.
The people have full confidence in Gov
ernor Coopers sincerity and ability to
carry out his pledge and are happy to
hear him say that the state government
will uphold every faithful and fearless
enforcing officer in the discharge Of his
duties That part of his address relating
to law enforcement follows:
while have an abiding faith in the
future of our state and our nation am
not unmindful of the necessity for uni
versal law observance and law enforce
ment In a republic, the will of the peo-
pie is expressed through the laws en-
acted by their accredited representatives.
Those who are called upon to administer
these laws are in like manner the Sc
lected representatives Of the people, and
since ours is government under the
law there must be respect for its COM
mands. otherwise the institution of gov
eminent is endangered and the rights OF
the people may no longer be regarded as
secure.
The necessity for universal law OBJ
SerVaace is forcibly brought to our atten-
ton through the organized criminal &C
tiVities recently developed in some of the
larger cities of our nation. There is
great authority vested in government
which can and does, when occasion war
rants enforce its provisions, even to the
taking of property, liberty and life. 1t
is not for men to say that they shall be
obedent only to such laws as those in
which they find common ground for
agreement, and that they shall disobey
those laws which are not TO their per-
sonal liking. If it is the law then it is
the obligation of all good citizens to be
obedient thereto for only in this attitude
will we be enabled to maintain adequate
protection for the people.
II call upon every agency of govern
ment within the borders of our state to
stand four-Square with me in uphoding
the oath of Office each of them. and 1,
have taken TO maintain law and order
and l call upon every citizen to obey the
law and thus they will assist the Cover
nor in maintaining the dignity integrity
and security OF government. The entire
force of government must end shall be
used to stamp out crime in the state of
Ohio, and pledge here and now that the
state government will uphold every faith
full and fearless enforcing officer in the
discharge of his duties
THE great seal of the state of Ohio
depicts the rising of the sun as it ap-
peared over the hills of Ross County
from point near the site of the original
State Capitol This is. indeed, prophetic
Our forefathers have thus indicated that
our course lies toward the rising and not
toward the setting of the SUM- Let us
confidently go forward i'll the faith that
better days are ahead and that in the
development of the divine and infinite
plan in the affairs of men, our state and
our people may play an important part"