The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-12-07
THE LEGISLATIVE MADHOUSE
Bismarck, NJ Oak.
December l, 1888.
Editor. Tribune:

Editor. Tribune:
An editorial in the December
issue of the Bismarck Tribune en-
titled why Call on Uncle SAM" is
worthy Of comment.
The writer of the editorial admits
a very general clamor for the ex-
tension Of federal law enforcement
agencies over all fields of crime pre-.
vention and detection"-that Presi-
dent Roosevelt has even been asked
ito declare martial law and rout out
the crooks" He also admits that
Uncle Sans men can do better job
of rounding up such crooks than local
police can"
In spite OF the very obvious need
for reform which these facts indicate
the Tribune commentator views with
alarm situation which may en-
danger the wholesome and ruggedly
individual "home rule" to which
Americans additionally have been
accustomed.
He then concludes, rather tritely,
that the need for federal interven-
ton will be removed and that our law
enforcement problem will, very largely,
be thing Of the past when we get
honest. decent and efficient local gov
eminent" This, Of course, is very
true and not hard to visualize il one
L; SO credulous as to assume the pos
sibility of such an idealistic state.
With all due credit to the ener-
getic, patriotic citizens who serve
their country and their fellow-citizens
nobly in local, state and national posi-
tons, one who surveys the situation
generally Is forced to the conclusion
that their influence is not predomin-
ant In our government Too often
such conscientious officials are forced
to take action at variance with their
principles because of corruption in
places of power above them. 1t is
easy to condemn such officials for lack
of courage-but consider the alterna-
tive which confronts them. If they
fail to fall in line with the dictates
'of the powers that be, their feeble
opposition will result in little more
than q tempest in teapot" and their
JVUO WALL AhCAy NC AlVlJ CAtCAt
and given to others less scrupulous.
To man who has spent the best
years Of his life preparing for and per-
fecting himelf in certain line Of
work, this is not question to be
considered lightly. Herein lies the
answer to great deal Of the criticism
directed against the much nlaligned
American cop
The root Of the trouble, as see it
seems to lie in the very fabric of what
we choose to call our democracy
Our so-called democracy i, in prac.
tice, little better than mob rule.
When, as in our present President
Roosevelt, we secure a leader who !:
not only distinguished American
gentleman hut sagacioys an d
far-sighted statesman as well, it is
very largely an accident Of circum-
stance and cannot by any stretch OF
the imagination be aScribed to the
time-honored system which bestows
its most munificent political largesse
upon party servants, campaign fund
contributors. and Social critics,
rather than upon individuals who
could qualify on basis of real merit.
A real democracy presupposes a
citAenry capable Of disagreement
This means an interested, intelligent,
and educated electorate-not an i'm
possible ideal-but nevertheless one
which We in the United States fall
sadly short Of. To be convinced OF
this, one need look no farther than
the North Dakota legislatures body
which should comprise the very best
elements of our states voting popula-
tion-but one finds it SO sorely per-
meated by ignorance. prejudice and
greed that he wonders how anything
constructive ever could result from its
mad-houSe procedures.
He must be optimistic who expects
anything greater than mediocrity
from legislative bodies which recruit
nincompoops in lieu Of statesmen. In
those instances when truly able men
are sent to our legislatures or to Con-
gless, they are not rarely clever crooks
motivated solely by self-interest.
Were it possible for the aristocratic
patriots who framed and adopted our
Constitution to view the shambles into
which their noble creation has fallen
they would turn over in their graves
many statements of July 4th flag
waving orators to the contrary not