Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-11-02
5 metropolitan Police.

towns and cities in this State. In
order that the people may fully
understand the position of Gov.
Tillman on this question, we re-
publish the following from the
Columbia Register, which resulted
from an interview with reporter
of that paper:
The. Governor did not express
himself as being in favor of
metropolitan police as principle,
but he'said it appeared to him to
be a necessity, for which the
authorities of certain cities and
towns are themselves to blame.
The situation is simply this: In
Charleston the people are ap-
parently in rebellion against State
authority, especially in connection
with the Dispensary law. The su-
thorities there in spite their agains
tthe ,Dispensaries even ign ore
their own ordinance against sell
ling whiskey without a license and
are aiding and abetting the blind
tigers. The Governor asked Mayor
Ficken to have Chief of Police
Martin enforce the law, which he
could have done far more efficiently
than any force of State oonstables
and without cost to the State. This
request Mayor Ficken declined to
comply with.
In Sumter the city authorizes
not only took no steps to enforce
the law but stood by and saw
crowd of men and boys assault the
States officials, and keep this up
for several hours without making
single arrest even for disorderly
conduct.
The Governors position is that
whore the local authorities not
only decline to enforce the law, but
permit and even encourage it's
violation, then it becomes neces-
sary to have officials who will en-
force the law, and over whom the
State will have control. He would
prefer the cities and towns en-
forcing the law and maintaining
peace and order if they would,
without State interference.
The Governors idea is to have q
system of metropolitan police op-
pointed and operated somewhat
after the manner in which the
system is operated in Augusta,
Ca, where the city has had
metropolitan police for the last
fifteen years.
The plan is to have the police
relieved from political obligations,
either State or local. This can be
done by the appointment of a
commissioner in q town composed
of good men, regardless of their
politics, who are in favor of the
Dlspensary law and in favor of
the enforcement of all laws. This
commission shall be entrusted
with the appointment of the police
and the police shall be amensble
to the commission for the proper
performance of all their duties,
whether in connection with the
Dispensary law or not. These
policemen can be removed any
time for refusal to do their duty,
or neglect or ineficiency. The
police so appointed are to be
treated and paid by the cities jus t
the same as if they were appoint
ed by the city councils.
The police so appointed would
not be under the influence of LEGAL
politicians AID would cease to be
a political machine, as they are
now made to be in many places.
They would cease to have go much
influence over elections, and their
only claim to hold their
positions would be the faithful
performance of their duties. By
this means the law would be en-.
forced, and peace and order pre-.
served and no harm done to any.
body.
The above is a general outline
of Governor Tillman's ideas on this
subject. The details of 1.-THE plan
for the appointment and control Of
the metropolitan police are matters
to be arranged by the Legislature
The metropolitan police system
was established in Augusta upon
petition of the citizens, upon the
grounds that the police of the city
constituted regular politica.
machine, and mainly for thai
reason they were inefficient. The