The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-26
THROUGH THE SENATE.
THE METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL
PASSES THE UPPER HOUSE.

Senators Watson. Norris and Finley, Three
True Reformers, and Senator Buist,
Barnwell and Sloan, Three Liberal Con-
servatives, Advise Against 1t.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Dec. 1S.-There
were a number of strong and stirring
speeches made in the Senate Chamber
Yesterday, called forth by the metri-
politan police bill. That measure was
amended so as to slightly modify its
centralizing tendencies, but a majority
of the Senators showed that they fav-
or passage of the measure, and at
once.
The first amendment to the bill was
made upon motion of Senator Finley.
In its original shape the bill gave po-
lice boards power to appoint ''as many
policemen as may be deemed neces-
sary by the board, not exceeding one
for every 500 inhabitants. Mr.. Finley
secured it's amendment 80 that it reads
that the police boards shall have pow
er to appoint "as many policemen as
may be deemed necessary by the
board, not exceeding one for every
1 900 inhabitants, and who shall have
been residents for at least six months
prior to their appointment"
Mr.. Kirkland followed with an
amendment which requires that the
police commissioners appointed by
the Governor ''sshall have been quail
fed electors and freeholders" Of the
| city for which they are appointed at
least a year prior to that appointment.
The time originally specified was one
year.
Mr.. Wilson had the bill amended so
as to give the Governor power over
the police of any city of more than
], 900 inhabitants. but Mr.. Efrd later
had inserted in lieu of that limit a
clause giving the Governor power
over the police Of any incorporated
| city or town now under police regula-
tons.
Mr.. Finley had added to Section 2
| provision ''that no city or town. shall
| be liable in damages for any Of the
| acts of any of the marshals or police
men or officials appointed under the
provisions of this act"
Then Mr.. Wilson secured incorpo-
ration in the bill of a section provid-
ing that wherever the word city is
used in it, it shall be construed to
mean city or town.
So far things had gone on without
| O. ruff1e, but Mr. Kirkland now started
a breeze by moving to amend the bill
by stricking out of Section 1.-The words
whenever the Governor shall deem
| it advisable or necessary for the better
and more perfect government of any
city or Incorporated town under police
regulations in this State he, the Gov
ernor, shall appoint board OF police
commissioners, to consist of three mem!
bers, for such city," andinsert in lieu
| thereof the following: For the better
and more perfect government OF the
| cities and townsin this State, the Gov
| ernor is authorized and empowered
| in times of emergency, or upon
upon the written petition of one
seventh of the freehold voters of any
town in this State, setting fourth that
the municipal authorities thereof are
| not making proper efforts for the en-
forcemement of the law therein, and
| asking for the application of the pro-
| visions of this Act thereto, to appoint
a board of police commissioners, to
| consist of three membeIs, for such
city or town."
In q few words Mr.. Kirkland show
ed the value of his proposed amend
ment, whose object was not to leave 1t
| entirely to the Govenor to say when
| he should take charge of the police Of
a city, but to require some motion
from the city itself.
Mr.. Wilson said that Mr.. Kirkland's
| amendment was just another way of
moving to strike out the enacting
words of the bill. The amendment
would take out of the Governors
hands the power of determining as to
| the necessity of metropolitan police
for any town or city and put in the
hands of that town or city. 1t was
| ridiculous to expect one-seventh of the
men in any city or town to take upon
themselves the odium of asking for
| metropolitan polices. He moved to
table Mr.. Kirklands amendment,
which was done by a vote of 20 to Is,
as follows.
Yeas-Barton, Brice, Brown, Byrd,
Dennis, Derham, Douglass, DuBose,
Efrd, Fuller, Jordan, Mauldin, May
| field, cCalla, Mcdaniel, O'Dell, San
ders, Stribling, Williams and Wilson.
Nays-Barnwell, Buist, Finley, Har-
| rison, Kirkland, Miller, Moses, Norris,
Ragin, Sloan, Stackhouse, Turner,
Verdier, Walker and. Watson.
Mr.. Efird moved to amend the bill
by giving the power of appointing
police board composed of the Govern
| or, the Secretary of State, and the Com
ptroller General, instead of leaving it
in the Governors hands.
Mr.. Finley moved as substitute an
/ amendment making the board consist
of the Governor, the Lieutenant Gov
| ernor, the Attorney General and the
State Treasurer and restricting their
rower of appointing police boards to
leases of willful neglect to enforce
| the laws on the part Of the municipal
authorities..o of any incorporated city or
town."
Mr.. Finley then spoke briefly in ad-
vocacy of his proposed subititute. The
Senators ought to look to the future.
Heb included in his board such Of
| ficials as to render it hardly probable
| that those four gentlemen would ever
agree to any wrong. The law should
be freed from all charge of that CEN
| tralizatfon which Is 50 foreign to our