The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-12-08

kind eoria; ming a trace Of alcohol. The So
called "soft drinks" which have become so
pumerous since the saloons were closed, and
"riee beer especially, which has entered
into consumption on the claim Of being non
intoxicating, have become the screen or
cloak tebind which liquors OF sll kinds are
beino eoid
Nov rs 10 the enforcement Of the law.
Thersare many omissions, oversigbis and
mistakes In the law AS it stands. II will be
much better to omit the enumeration OF
thee incorporate such changes as expe-
,rien( shown to be necessary in . Bill
thsn BEND the law by piecemeal. Such
Bin HI be presented to you, covering in
effect 1.-The chsnges which experience has
shovDYt6 be desirable. One feature TO
which wish TO direct your attention is that
under lhe present law the punishments are
too sevire and the methods Of securing pun
ishmept are of such n character that it will
be almbst impossible to convict Grand
juries Will not bring in true bills, aud petty
juries will not find verdics Of guilty for
offeoses which most men consider as not
meriting such severe punishment as that
now provided. 1t is best in my judgment,
to dispense, in the administration of this
law, as far as the offenss for selling is con-
cerned, with jurics altogether, il it can be
done, and impose the duty of trying often
ders upon o special officer--a Recorder or
Judicial Trial Justicc-to be designated in
each county, who when satisfactory proof
has been presented to him that the law has
been infringed, shall have the power the
same as q mayor to commit the offerder TO
the chain gang, or the Penitentiary for
thirty days, or fine him within the limit of
500. twill be necessary also, in case it
uhon ha nj n nj oh hy,
Imprisonment without trial by jury, though
| do not sSe how that can be, unless all our
municipal charters are unconstitutional,
that provi$on be made for change Of venue
before trte bill is found. l judge from
the reportslof the Chief Constable that al
most all tip people of Charleston arc in
league agaiust the law and determined to
overthrow il. The officers Of the Conrt, the
Sheriff and others, charged with drawing
the jury, and the Trial justices are known to
he fri".!!yy'::S 9: :::.!!GS.. acepers, vino are
defantly continuing the sale of liquor con-
trary to law,,and the Grand Jury has jus,
thrown out cases resting on positive evil
dence
Ono hundred and four licenses to sell
whiskey and sixty-cight Licenses to sell
malt liquor nave been issued by the Iutcr-
nal Revenue COLLECTOR since July to persons
thirty malt licenses have been issued in
other parts of The State, showing the de.
termination pf the whiskey men to continue
the traffic. r.
When tn1 first arrests were made in
Charleston BY the State Constables under
| injunction prScecdings, the Constables were
| treated in outrageous manner by the
mob; aud onSof the leading business mer
| of the city ofEhareston told me to my face
that if hC werA % the grand jury he would
not vote for9 ne bill against the most no
| torious often ,ehicco. 1t Is idle then &c
cxpent CONS on in that city, or true bills
to be found, matter how strong the testi
mony. In addition, the newspapers have
heaped every Hpssible abiss on the Consia
bles, calling thkm "spies," "sneaks," and
other opprobribus epith"ts with view o
| poisoning the public mind and discrcditinl
their evidence, although have used due
precaution and exor,ed myself to select rs
| Consables only men of good character, who
in their own Communities. have the r"snoc
OF their fellowtcitizens.
Desperate diteases require heroic rene
dies, and the General Assembly may aI we!
understand that the enforcement of this law
in some parts Of the State, and especially il
| Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartan
| burg, Beaufort and Sumter, will reGuir,
some snecial Legislation. /, is against th'
municipal ordinances to sell whiskey with
out license in every town in the State, bu
the P1ss in ~. Is 6e T osns 5 s%H "r S
aidcrs ard abcttdrs Of the men who break it
| AS soon as o Cont f'able arrives IN town he i
| spotted by them land reported to those VIII,
run the Illicit saloons.
Under the provision of the Dispenser,
IA half nf' ha 90 a.
DispcnsGries over AMI above the expense:
| goes into the lrOasury OF the municipality
where they are located. / soc no remedy
| for the condition of affairs existing in
Charleston and Columbia except to provide
| for II system Of
| METROPOLITAN POLICE,
. div""cinG The coUtv.A of The notice force ab
solutcly from politics and placing it in til,
| hands Of Commission, who shall appoint. Iii
| rect and remove such members of the fore,
rs will not enforce the law. ! asked the
Mayor of Charleston, with whom | had q
/ conference, " have Inc poico aid mo in re.
| pressing and up6oting the illicit sale OF
whiskcy, but he dsclincd on the ground that
that duty had bctn imposed on the Stat,
! Constablcs.
OF the $4,000 which have been spent for
Consiablcs during The four months since the
law went into effect, about one-half has gone
TO pay Z nstables who haye been in
Charleston making arrests and trying to
susprcss the Illicit salc of whiskcy. With
the two main cities OF the State oiiicercd toy
an efficient force of police in sympathy will
tho law, or, whether in sympathy or not
afr'id to lose their office ii they fail to do
their duty, the expense Of Coustables would
bc,reduced ut least onch'lf and the back bone
of opposition would be broken. In the
other places | have mentioned, and in fact
throughout the state, if the power i. given
the Governor 10 require The police of the
various municipalities to enforce the law,
and TO remove and replace them if they fail
to enforce it,, there would be still further
reduction in the expense of Constablrs
Either this should be done or it be left with
the State Board of Control to des ignate such
cities and towns as shall have none of the
income from the sale of liquors at the Dis.
pcnSar!cS. and let the revenues which nov