The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-12

favor for tho intention Of their posi-
lions; q nucleus OF personal followers
and retainers is implanted in every
county around which tho supporters OF
the incumbent of tho of1ice of chief
executive will rally to aid. This one
man pOwor, this concentration of the
prerogatives Of the many in the hands
of one to be used for purposes of per-
sos;al advancement is the most serious
monaco to republican form Of gov
ernment. A Governor once firmly en-
trenched in office can defy the will of
the people and rest secure in tho sup
port OF this army OF retainers already
this evil has been recognized by this
board OF commissioners by the Legis-
lature and tho election Of the commits
siouers by the people. Not content
with this, the metropolitan police Act
delivers into his hands the organized
police force of every city and town in
this State true, it provides that such
law shall only be imposed when the
dispensary law is not enforced, but
what | wish to impress upon you is the
fact that the temptation TO put this
power into operation is too great to be
resisted by, man of ambition, work
| ing for political advancement. This
wish is father to the thought and tho
desire for increased political patron
age to be dispensed to his faithful
| followers creates the conviction tn at
tho condition exists which alone justi-
ties it's imposition. 1 repeat-it is time
for thoughtful men all over this Stats,
| irrespective fparty'affiliations, to con-
| slider the tendency OF these laws re-
Gently enacted-their full purpose and
effect is just becoming apparent; !;
puahed to their logical result, they
create ono mans power in South
Carolina; they make 1t impossible for
the will Of the people to be- expressed
IN tho choice OF thoir public men. 1t
ls an immense army independent of the
| people, regardless Of their wishes, de-
pendent for their positions, not upon
the service they render tho people,
but upon the favor Of one man and that
man tho Governor of the State. Com
pared with this system, the State
House ring. which was popularity sup
| posed to exist heretofore, is too insig-
nlhcant to permit reference. This is
indeed ring in it's most obnoxious
phase, whose members are bound
lrrevocably together by pecuniary con-
slderation, and all undcr the absolute
control of the Governor, who should be
dependent upon the people alone for
the enjoyment Of his Office.
Ihere is no spot On this continent
| which has borne more in the cause of
freedom and liberty than Charleston
tor over two hundred years. She has
| been the home Of the prosecuted and
oppressed. The Huguenots fleeing
| from tho fair shores of Franco found a
welcome there, and tho colonists of
| New England, restive under the re-
strictions Of their personal liberties,
sought tho freedom of our laws. Her
sons have made the name of South
Carolina illustriOus and have Whenever
called upon laid down their livos in the
cause Of liberty and self-governmcnt.
She has survived the caiamities of
war, fire, cyclone, earthquake and
financial panic and has continued to
contribute her quota to the prosperity
and happiness Of the State, and yet,
after this illustriOus history, through
| the personal agency Of an accident in
political life, for the cXigencies of per-
sonal and partisan strife-this grea t
| injustice has been put upon hor. I can
not believe, Mr.. Speaker and gentle
mon, that you approve of such action.
can not believe you will impose upon
US an indignity you would not place
upon yourselves. After tho grand
awakening OF public sentiment by the
constitutional convention, when, after
many years, South Carolinians met
again as brothers ; when past differ
ences Were Obliterated and forgotten
and now purpose recorded to unite
in ono common effort-for the advance
ment OF our loved State after we had
succeeded in preserving this State for
tho whito man forever, it was rude
awakening from the security into
which the State had been lulled to
lind that thoro were in our State three
mon so blind to the events which wero
occurring, so deaf to tho improved and
ennobled public sentiment, SO wanting
in appreciation of the influences which
were at work as to be capable Of this
injustice. L will not detain you longer,
gentlemen, in criticising the features
OF this Act. l pointed out last year
that in every other State in this Union
where metropolitan police system
was In operation, the mayor appointed
the commissioners. Under this Act
no representative Of the Taxpayers is
given voice in the expenditure of
their money; the financial officers of
the city are not allowed to vouch the
accounts and expenditures of the
board. Ihey mayor Is given no au-
thorlty whatever over the police of the
city-but do not propose to offer anv
amendments to this bill our people
desire to have no part in it whatever.
| We are not responsible for it's enaction
and we will not share the responsibility
for its operation.
One more word. We are about to
part tho closing hours of this Legis-
lature arc fast approaching. | have
not intcnded to c"iticise the action of
this body in the exercise of thoif iuag-
mont. | am satisfied it was honestly
done. Whatever of bitterness we feel
arises from the putting the Act into
operation with which you gentlemen
have nothing to do. We can only
hope that tho great common people of
South Carolina-tho source of ali
power; the consideration of our consti-
tutionnl liberties" sec that O. suc-
cccding Legislature will right tho in
justice which has been done us.
Mr.. Watson said ho had listened
quietly to the gentlemen and he found
u prediction that we who represent the
farmers are to be relegated to the
fields again, and that those who have
ruled and dominated South Carolina
and laid their whitening hand on the
poor farmer, will again come to these
halls and we will have to plow on. He