The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-12
The General Assembly.
THE METROPOLITAN POLICE LAW.
-Governor Evans Defended in tho House
by n Large Majority.

-Govornor Evans Defended in the House
by n Largo Majority.
Tho amendment to the metropolitan
police law was the special order for
Wednesday night, and u strong debate
took place, in which the course OF
Governor Evans was defended and the
measure was sustained by large
majority.
Mr.. Gadsdcn, of Charleston. moved
to strike out tho euacting words and
nj made ID a speech in favor of it, He
MIR. Speaker. The amendment
which L have just proposed to tho bill
has for its purpose the repeal Of the
act passed by tho Legislature at its
last session and commonly known rs
the metropolitan police act. [ eau
not hope, Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen,
to induce this House to reverse it's
action four years ago, but / do hope
Tor such an expression Of tho opinion
of tho House on this measure as will
indicate it's disapproval of the manner
in which the act has been put in opera
tion, but oven If l should fail in this
l should still conceive it my duty to
tho citizens OF Charleston, to myself
rs one OF their representatives and to
the people OF the State at large. to
record this solemn protest against the
operations OF a law 80 alien to our
system Of government; SO violativc
Of our prcconceivcd ideas of Justice
ana SO subyersivo OF our common
liberties.
Whom this measure was under dis
cussi0n in this House last winter, |,
among others, pointed out what | con
ceived to be it's unj justice and the
1earlul power Tor oppression it would
vost in the Governor Of the State, and
1T was stated, on all sides, that no ono
supposed it would ever be called into
operation; that as long as bona tide
effort was bCing made by municipal
authorities to enforce tho dspensary
police Of such municipality being taken
from their control will venture the
statement th"t not one member OF the
House supposed that this bill, so harsh
in It's features, would be put into
operation unless made necessary bv
some open resistance to tho dispensary
law.
At the time Of the passage OF this
act and up TO the last of December,
1895, the city government OF Charles.
ton was under tho management Of
Mayor tlcken and Reform Board Of
Aldermen; on the first OF January.
1896, Mayor Smyth was installed and
before he had been given an opportun-
lty to Show his intentions as to the
enforcement OF the law, before even
his police furco had been rcorganiZcd
to put him in position to carry out his
views, tho State Board imposed tho
metropolitan puilce system upon US.
No reason has ever been assigned by
the Governor or alleged by his support
ers for this summary action, except
hot l,@ 81 IL
fused to pass an ordinance to enforce
the dispensary law. On December II, ,
1884, the city council Of Charleston,
at special meeting, called for that
purpose passed an ordinance entitled
an ordinance to provide for the en-
forcement OF tho dispcnsary law and
topunish otlenscs against tho same.
After consideration, it was doomed
advisable to amend the same so as not
to mako the punishment cumulative,
and also to cure certain technical de-
fects which had been overlooked in
tho hurry Of it's passagc-on January
%, 1895, this Act was amended by
striking out Section 2, which was con-
sidercd to be ultra wires; in other
material respects, the ordinance was
unchanged, both the original and
amended ordinances provided for the
appointment Of two additional police
men for the very purpose OF reporting
violations OF tho Dispensary law. OF
all of these facts the Governor was
fully advised prior to the reading OF
his Dispensary message IN this House
and they appear on the minutes Of
enforced in Charleston have tho city
authorities made an honest effort to
assist tho State? | am informed that
Chief Constable Holly seized with the
assistance Of the Charleston police
$4,000 gallons OF liquor in his district
within the last eleven mOnths-almost
all Of it in Charleston-worth at low
estimate 10000. Docs this look like
refusal to enforce the law? Remem-
ber these seizures were made by tho
police upon reports by State Consta-
bles. The law has been enforced as
we'll as it is possible to enforce it. AS
stated by the Senator from Edgelold,
the other day, there arc twenty places
in South Carolina whore tho law is no
better enforced. Why is Charleston
singled out as the exception ? Simply
to crafty personal ambition and to
vent personal feelings. For the first
timo in tho history of tho State tho
high Office Of Governor Of this State
has been used for personal aggran-
dizement, for the purpose of Great
ing personal following. No law
which has ever bcen placed upon the
statute books of any civilized State
has brought as it's logical results SO
many evils upon a people as the Dis
pensary law. Its poisonous breath has
permeated ovory department of our
social life, has degraded our public
sentiment, has vitiatcd public taste,
and polluted oven the fountain Of
liberty. 1t has raised up In our midst
q class Of paid spies and has allowed
them to invade the private residences
OF our ciLizons without warrant. In
its name, free born citizens Of South
Carolina have been tried, convicted
and sentenced to the State Peniton-
tiary, without a trial by ju yof their
countrymcn, and lastly, it has brought
upon the proudcst people on the face
OF the earth an indignity, an insult,
which will ranklo and bear fruit long
aftor these now in sound Of my voice
shall havo boon gathered to thcil
fathers.
In addition to the evils of the dis,
pensary law just pointed out, ne
thoughtful citizen can fail to apprc
t,&, 1, .4s - = l.