Southern Illinois Journal

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^'1 StaU Historical Society
THIRTY-SEVENTH YEAR.
FLORA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY, MARCH    8.  1907.
NUMBER 8
THE LID IS NOW ON
Strinaent Orders for Enforcement
of the Law Issued by the
Mayor.
OUR CRUSADE   BEARS
Fruit.—Better Coaditioa to  Prevail at
Least Until Alter Ihe
Electioa.
It is gratifylne indeed, to know that the efforts of tbe Journal toward tbe suppression of notorious evils in this oommunlty have so soon borne frnit. We learn that tbe lid has been put on, and screwed down tight, tbat both mkrshHls bave been orJered to sit on it or stand on it, or any wsy to keep it down. We lesrn thst fhe edict has been issued by tbe mayor, and tbat hereafter, at least until after the elec- 'tlon, tbe police of tbe city will he re- quired to devote more time to tbe en¬ forcement of tbe luw and tbe earning of tbeir salaries, and less to toasting their shins at the City Hall, or Indulg¬ ing in ribaldry and lewd jokes at "The Boar's Nest."
While tbe Journal is not committed to the doctrine of deathbed repentance nor eleventh hour conversions, yet we bave no inclinaticn to withhold credit where credit is due. And hence we welcome tbis spasm of virtue on the part of the city administration, and only regret that our crusade did not be¬ gin earlier. In fact, we understand tbat tbe mayor has always claimed he would enforce tbe law whenever there was any public clamor atmnt it. If so, then tbe Journal has certainly been derelict iu its duty in not earlier voic¬ ing the complaints which have been practically universal for two years. Aud we hasten to applaud tbe prenent commendable, IhouKh somewbHt tardy, attitude of the mayor toward the proper enforcement of tbe plain provision of the law. The fact that the mayor has been brought to this rixhteons frame of mind under strong pressure, may de tract somewhat from bin pt-iHunal glory. Uut tbe effect will be jnst tbe same and the good citizens of Flora, may, we trnst, fur the next two months at least, view witb complacency the novel situation of a reisonable execu¬ tion of tbe law. Iu thla self complac¬ ency and self congratulation tbe JoUR- HAL win join with some gusto.
We should be glad to be relieved of the fnrtber necessity of exposing conditions so revolting tbat tbey stink to high heaven. We shall continue to t>e l/onbled with doubts, however, as to the gennineness of tbis tardy awaken¬ ing of the uiHvor from his profound lethargy, and we will keep in reserve a lltwral snpply of ammunition for fur¬ ther use. The snpply is by no means exhausted. We are loaded .for bear, aod aiming at pretty big game. Bnt tbis old shot gun of onrs is liable to scatter dreadfully, and we advise the small fry to keep ont of range. Already we fear a few stray shots have done some execution. Otherwise why do the fellows get up on their bind legs and bowl! We trust tbey will keep up their noise. For we will know jast where to locate them when we get ready to fire in tbeir direction. We bave some prettv bot shot yet in our locker and not all of it is Intended for tbe mayor.
The Journal is ready to join bauds with those wbo believe in the suprem¬ acy and dignity of the law In a com¬ bined effort for the election of a miyor who will obligate himself to a rigid en¬ forcement .of the plain provisions of the law, not for two months, bnt for two whole years.
This may be a novelty In Flora and the mayor may be.called a freak. Bnt 'VO are willing to chance a shot at It ouce anyway, and if such a mayor can be found, we predict tbat at tbe end of bis term he can be elected Qovernor of tbe State.
Chriatiaa Charrh
All services were well attended last Snnday.
The offering for Foreign Missions last Bnnday was the largest in the history of the chnrch.
The average attendance at Prajrer Meeting since the revival has been fifty two.
The Snbject next Snnday night will be the "ConTenion