A Drastic State Inquisition

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 20, 1913

A Drastic State Inquisition

NOTE.— In the bill referred to in the report given above, there is a section which is worthy of special attention. It reads as follows:—

“It shall be the duty of the prosecuting attorney, sheriff, constable, city or town marshal, or any and all public or peace officers in this State, to inform against and diligently prosecute any and all persons guilty of the violations of the provisions of this act, either upon credible information or upon reasonable cause to believe that there has been any such violation. Any said officer who shall refuse or wilfully neglect to inform against and prosecute said offenders against this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, and the court before which said officer shall be tried shall declare the office or appointment held by the said officer vacant, and said officer shall not be re-elected or appointed to fill said vacancy.”

It will be seen at once that this section, if enacted into law, would establish a State inquisition of the most drastic kind. Not only is an officer to be punished and disqualified for office if he neglects to inform against and prosecute offenders against this act when he has “credible information” upon which to base his action, but also if he has “reasonable cause to believe that there has been any such violation.” It is passing strange that in this twentieth century, with the lessons of the past before them, intelligent men professing to be ministers of the gospel would deliberately seek to secure the enactment of such a measure as this. It is startlingly suggestive of what may be expected when the advocates of Sunday legislation acquire sufficient influence so that legislators yield to their demands.