Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19

| A JUST CRITICISM OF CONGRESS.-NOth-
| ing more wearisome and disgusting than the
proceedings of our Congress is printed. 1t
is an everlasting record of long debates over
parliamentary bubbles, set speeches which
nobody sees, hears or pays any attention to,
and struggles of opposing seltishness, enliv-
ened now and then by disgraceful violence
of speech evoked by disputes which would
be unworthy of ten-year-Old boys. One
party is as bad as the other The Democrats
are responsible for the miserable record of
the present Congress, because they have a
majority in the more active body, but Re
publican majority did no better when it ex.
| listed. In the last twenty years Congress
has done nothing of real value to the public
except what it was forced to do by overpow-
ering weight of public opinion and facts and
| figures.
We believe the movement recently de-
veloped to prevent the printing in the Rec
or1l of any speeches not delivered on the
floor of the House is step exactly in the
wrong direction. There would be more
sense in requiring all speeches more than five
minutes long to be printed without being
spoken. If that requirement existed, the
few members who are in doubt on any ques-
ton could read the discussion at their leisure
and there would be time for the transaction
of real business. In these days of cheap
newspapers and books and quick printing,
adherence to the system of Legislative dis
cussion by word of mouth, that was proper a
thousand years ago. is ridiculous. All who
want to discuss any subject before Congress,
ought to be required to submit what they
have to say in print, as lawyers do their
briefs. 1t is the only remedy for the tire.
mendous waste of time and money caused
by the tendency to make speeches.-(iTpe''-
| rWe NeicS.
AFTER THE WHISKY SELLERs.-The
Town Council is after the illicit whisky
sellers in dead earnest, and last week scoop
ed down on two of those gentlemen. They
have been plying their avocation rather
| boldly of late, but the Council is on the war
path and is determined that if the traffic is
not broken up it will not be their fault.
The first offender of this kind before the
Council last week was colored man named
| Will Jordan. He was arraigned on We'd
nes(lay and the evidence of his guilt being
conclusive, was convicted and sentenced to
nav fine of twenty-five dollars or be con-
/ fined in the guardhouse ten days. The SEN
tence was afterwards cOmmuted to thirty
five days labor on the streets. Jordan is
now working out the sentence and we hope
his tate will learn him to hereafter have
more respect for the laws of the town in
which he lives.
/ The next day Mr.. J. a. Williford was ar
raigned before the Council, being also charg-
ed with illicit whisky selling. There were
three separate cases against him and he was
convicted in each, the evidence being posi-
tive as to his guilt. He was sentenced to
pay fine of twenty dollars in each case,
or be confined in the guardhouse for thirty
days. He has paid the fine in one case;
After the expiration Of ten days he Will
again be required to pay twenty-five dollars
and ten days thereafter the third lnstallment
must be forthcoming.
A hundred dollars in two days is doing
pretty we'll, and at this rate the town
treasury will soon be overfowing with cur
rcncy.-ROrk Hill HpynM, 12H.