The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-10-31
THE MElrRoPoLITAN POLICE.
Governor Tillman Discusses the Pro-
posed New Systcm-He Thinks II is
Made Necessary by the Opposition
to the Dispcnsary.

Governor Tillman Discusses the Pro-
posed New Systcm-He Thinks II is
Made Necessary by the Opposition
to the Dispensary.
The views of Governor Tillman upon
the proposed metropolitan police sys-
tenn for certain towns and cities vii
prove of general interest o!ie State,
as dia"len9Td i, an '>Ourview with II re-
porter of the Columbia Register:
The Governor did not express him
self as being in favor Of metropolitan
police as principle, but he said it ap-
peared To him to be a, necessity,
for which tho authorities of certain
cities and towns are themselves to
blame.
The situation is simply this In
Charleston the people are apparently
in rebellion against State authority,
especially in connection with the Dis
pensary law. The city authorities
there in their spite against the
Disspensaries even ignore their own
ordinance against selling whiskey
abetting the blind tigers. The Gov
ernor 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 con-
stables and without cost to the State.
This request Mayor Fickcn declined to
comply with.
In Sumter the city authorities 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
I'll ~ovS-..~. 5 position is that
where the local authorities not only
decline to enforce the law, but permit
and even encourage its violation, then
it becomes necessary to have officials
who will enforce 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 a system
of metropolitan police appointed and
operated somewhat after the manner
in which tho 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 re-
! lieved from political obligations, either
State or local This can be done by
the appointment of Il commission in u
| town, composed of good men, regard
| less of their politics, who are in favor
of the Dispcnsary law and in favor
of enforcement of all laws. This
comission shall be entrusted with
and the police shall be amenable
| to the commission for the proper
performance of all their duties,
whether in connection with the Dis.
pensary law or not. These policemen
can be removed any time for refusal tC
do thcir duty. or neglect or inenici.
ency. The police so appointed are tc
be treated and paid by the cities Just
the same as if they were appointed by
the city councils.
The police appointed would not be
under the influence of local politi
clans and would cease to be political
machine, as they are now made to be
in many places They would cease tc
have so much influence over elections
and their only claim to hold theil
positions would Ee the faithful pei.
formance of their duties. BY this
means the law would be enforced. and
peace and order preserved and no harm
done to anybody
The above lisa general outline Of Gov
ernor Tillman's ideas on this subject
The details of the plan for the appoint
mcnt and control of the METROPOLITAN
police are matters to be arranged b,
the Legislature.
The metropolitan police system wa.
established in Augusta upon petition
of the citizens, upon the grounds that
the police Of the city constituted reg
ular political machine, and mainly TO,
that reason they were inefficient. The
new system, so far from overthrowine
local self-government, establishes i
upon firmcr basis than before, for b,
1T every one is made to obey the law.