The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-12
who converts his house into a barroom

and rambling hell, to evade the law
and seduce our youths is far worse.
lam thoroughly satisfied, after an
active canvass Of the entire State, that
the dispensary law Is now written on
the hearts of tho people. Fully IS per
cont. of our people uphold and respect
the law and 1t Is my duty, and shall
be my pleasure, to see that the remain
der do respect and obey it. There are
I certain municipalities which have re-
fused to cooperate with the State au-
thorities In enforcing this law, but this
comes from tho fact that they have re-
| earded themselves as sovereign powers
| and actually in one instance have
openly defied the State. 1t may be i'm
portant just here to know what is a
municipal corporation and its relation
to theState government. Mr.. billiard
| In his work on municipal corporations
thus defines 1t: "Amunicipa1 corpora
ton In It's strict and proper sense is
| tho body polite and corporate, consti-
tuted BY the incorporation of the inha-
bitants Of city or town for the pur-
poses Of local government thereof.
| Municipal corporations, as they exist
in this country, are bodies polite and
corporate Of the general character
| above described, established by law.
partly as an agency Of the State, to as
sits In civil government of the country;
but chiefly to regulate and administer
the local or internal affairs of the city;
town or district which Is incorporat-
ed"
The principle of local sef-govern-
mont Is PECULIAR to our republic and
is tho very foundation of our constitu-
ton, State and national; but it must
not be contended 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 to
essist IN civil government of the coun-
try, but absolute enemies of the State.
''The usefulness" says this learned
author, "of our municipal 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:
1. Mon, the best fitted by their in
telligence, business experience, capaci-
ty and moral character for local gov
ernors or councillors, are not always
feared, and it might be added, are not
chosen. This is especially so
Ed 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
rupt and degrading. In fact the decent
property holding and intelligent 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
not to interfere with these favorites of
the municipal government, under the
severe penalty Of losing their official
heads. The recent exposures in the me-
tropoGs Of the nation of such practices
are suflcienA 10 open the eyes of our
legislators OF what is transpiring in
our cities. For example: One of our
cities elected three years ago what was
termed a reform administration. AS
soon as its officers were installed they
revived certain ordinances calculated
to enforce q 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 tho ordinances were re-
pealed.
Is this the agency of the State con-
templsted by city chartera Is the
State to stand aside and say that we
are paralysed because, forsooth, our
agents arc corrupt Shall the sub
ordinate power dictate to and rule its
ereatori What encouragement is given
the honest law-abiding citizens Of the
country who risk their lives to enforce
the law when law-breakers in the cities
20 uupunished by the failure of police
to arrest, and of city grand juries even
to find true billsi This has been the
greatest factor to create sentiment,
IF any there be, Of country against
town. You are the doctors. The rem
edy is simple, and you must apply it,
if law and order are to apply In
South Carolina.
The power to enforce the law must
be taken from the hands of the muni
cipal politicians and placed beyond
their control. 1t must be placed strong
enough to guarantee equal justice to
the rich and poor, the high and low.
You will be met by the cry of inter-
ference with local self-government. It
is false and mere pretense to hood
wink honest Legislators. No lawyer
of ability will deny the proposition
that a police officer is not simply
municipal officer, but he is an officer
of the State. Therefore his first allie
glance is to the laws of the State and
he should be appointed by the author
tiles of the State, if necessary.
In speaking of the relations of mum
icipal corporations to the State the Su
preme Court of Louisiana in tho case
of Police Jury VS.. Shreveport uses this
language: 1.-THE government of police
jury of ofcounties formed one of the sub