The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-12

am thoroughly satisfied, after an
active canvass CT the entire State, that
the dispcnsary law is now written on
the hearts Of the people. Fully IS per
cent. of our people uphold and respect
the law and it is my duty, and shall
be my pleasure. to sec that the remain
der do respect and obey it. There are
certain municipalities which have re-
fused to cooperate with the State au-
thoritieS in enforcing this law, but this
comes from the fact that they have re,
@ardcd themselves as sovereign powers
and actually in one instance have
openly dehcd the State. 1t may be i'm,
portant Just here to know what is a
municipal corporation and its relation
to the State government. Mr.. billiard
in his work on municipal corporations
thus defines It: a municipal corpora,
ton in it, strict and proper sense is
the body polite and corporate, consti,
tutcd by tho incorporation of the inha,
bitants of a city or town for the pur,
poses of local government thereof.
Municipal corporations, as they exist
il this country. are bodies polite and
corporate of the general character
above described, established oy law,
partly as an agency of the State, to as
sits in civil government ofthe country
but chiefly to regulate and administer
the local or internal affairs ofthe city
town or district which is incorporat,
ed"
The principle Of local self.govern;
mcnt is peculiar to our republic and
is the very foundation of our constitu.
ton. State and national; but it must
not be contcnded that, in forming sub
ordinate powers and agents, the State
releases entirely to such subordinateS
the right to say what laws shall be en-
forced within their limits and what
shall not be. They would in such cases
no longer be the agents of the State tc
assist in civil government of the coun'
try, but absolute enemies Of the State:
The usefulness. " says this learned
author. "of ourmmicipal corporations
has been impaired by evils that are
either inherent in them or that have
frequently accompanied their work.
ings. Some of these may be briefly in
dicated:
l. Men. the best fitted by their in,
telligence. business experience, capacl-
t. and moral character for local gov
ernors or counsellors, are not always
feared. and it might be added. are not
generally chosen. This IS especially Sc
of populouS cities.
3. Those chosen are too apt to merge
their individual conscience, If they
have any, in their corporate capacity.
Under the shield Of their corporate
character, men but too often do acts
which they would never do as individ
uals. The influences brought to bear
upon the elections for mayors and al,
derman have heretofore been most cor.
lupt and degrading. In fact the decent
property holding andintelligent voter
is avoided, as without influence, while
the barkeepers, paupers and ignorant
negroes are catered to. They control
elections and thereby secure pledges
to use the successful candidates to see
that Sunday laws and liquor laws are
not enforced. Policemen are warned
MOTTO interfere with these favorites- OF
the municipal government, under the
severe penalty of losing their official
heads. The ecentexposures In the me-
tropolis of the nation of such practices
are sufficient to open the eyes of our
LEGISLATORS of what is tranSpiring IN
our cities. For example: One of ou1
cities elected three years ago what was
termed reform administration. As
soon as It's officers were installed they
revived certain ordinances calculated
to enforce stricter observance OF
the Sabbath. and such was the result.
Yeti am informed that such great
stress was brought to bear upon the
city fathers by old offenders, Sabbath
breakers of all classes. and ward poll
ticians, that the ORDINANCES were re
pealed.
| Is this the agency of the State con
templated by city charter? Is the
State to stand aside and say that we
are paralyzed because, forsooth, oul
agents arc corrupt! Shall the sub
ordinate power dictate to and rule 1t:
creator? What encouragement is giver
the honest law-abiding citizens of the
country who risk their lives to enforce
the law when law breakers in the cite:
90 unpunished by the failure of police
to arrest. and of city grand iuries ever
to find true bills? This has been the
greatest factor to create sentiment
if any there be, of country agalns1
town. You are the doctors. The rem
edv is sin. pic. and YOU must apply 1t
if law and order are to apply II
South Carolina.
The power to enforce the law mus
be taken from the hands of the mum
cipal politicians and placed beyond
their control. 1t must be placed strong
e:ough to guarantee equal justice tt
the rich and poor. the high and low.
| You viii be met by the CRY of inter
ference with local self-government. l
is false and a mere prctenSe to hood
wink honest Legislators. No lawyer
of ability will deny the proposition
tha police officer is not simply
municipal officer, but he is an ollice1
Of the State. Therefore his first ale
glance is to the laws of the State an(
he should be appointed by the author
lities Of the State. if necessary.
In speaking ofthe relations of mum
icipal corporations to the State the Su
premc Court of Louisiana in the cas-
of Police Jury rs. Shreveport uses thl
language: The government of polic'
jury ofcounties formed one of the sub
divisions of The internal administration
of the State and is absolutely unde
the control Of the Legislature.- Thl
same doctrine is affirmed by nearl.
ever State in the Union where no ex
press constitutional provision exists
lIr. Dillon observes in this connection
respecting the authority ofthe Leglsla
,lue over municipal otlicesand officers
1t is important to bear in mind tn
distinction between State officers. tina
IS, officers whose duties concern tn
State at large or the general public. al