The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-22
MAYOR AND THE GOVERNOR
MAYOR SMYTII'S STATENIENT.
lie DiA Not Understand that Unani-
nous Consent Was Required for
RnmNynl OF NJ nI rAla4litn., IlAl;4...

He DiA Not Understand that Unani-
nous Conscnt Was Required for
Removal OF metropolitan Police.
Mayor Smyth, OF Charleston, has
published the correspondence with
Governor lEilcrbe in regard to tho re-
movhl of the metropolitan police. and
IN his statement to the city council he
throws tho responsibility upon the
Governor for the failure OF the recent
negotiations. The following is Il sum
mary OF the matter submitted to the
council with its action thereon
Mayor Smyth's defense WAS that the
situation had assumed such shuuc that
he Thought he should speak for him
self that he did not understand that
Governor rAlcrbc required n unani-
| m0usly signed agreement. If he did,
he says that he would never have
brought the paper out Of Columbia
On the contrary, Mayor Smyth is Ger,
ialn that Governor ElIcrhc's Stipulu
tons did not provide for unanimous
action on the part Of council.
| Mayor Smyth stated that when he
arrived at the capital ON Governor III.
erbc'S invitation and the Governor
began the now famous conference with
the remark that the metropolitan ; IS
| tenn had been desired by the city coun-
Gil, he Immediately corrected him and
The lirst agreement drawn up, which
started out with this assertion, was
cancelled. Both agreements were OBJ
Jcctionablo, Mayor Smyth said, but he
finally agreed to the second It's he knew
that the people Of Charleston desired
to be relieved Of the systcm and he
therefore assumed the humiliation in
clucnt to the acccDtance.
Mayor Smyth said that the mere
lact that he wired the Governor that
Il aldermen bad signed and he WAS
waiting his proclamation was evidences
sufficient that he knew nothing Of any
desired unanimous action.
The Mayor stated that the Governor
knew, or should have known, that he
(Mayor Smyth) with the chic( OF police
were the proper parties to enforce the
law and that council WAS not invested
with executive powers. Further, that
| thrcc-fourthS Of council favored The
removal, and were willing and capable
to enact any ordinances necessary to
enforce properly the dispcnsary law
and bring its viOlators to Justice. BY
his action. the Governor admits his
Injustice, Mayor Smyth said, and the
deadlock is on as IL result Of cOndi iLions
unnecessarily mpOscd-cOnditiOns
which the Governor should have
known could not be carried out in con
sequence OF Marshal Martins openly
declared friends, six in number on the
aldcrmanic board.
Col Il Davis moved that the entire
correspondence be spread on the min
utcs, which motion was duly seconded
and passed.
a sensation was sprung just as tho
motion was carried by Alderman Mat
thics, one OF the regular faction, but
one Of the seven who refused to sign
the agreement. Matthics was q for
mcr wholesale Liquor dealer. He dc.
clarcd that hc had long been awaiting
this oprortunity to explain his posi-.
ton. He Indignantly denied that he
was IL friend OF Martin. lIc said that he
vas oppcGcd TO the dispcnsary law and
the metropolitan police system, bu,
thnt he had refused to accedc to Gov
crnor l|llcrbc's unj just demands. IN
strong German accents he tragicalIy
declared Lhat Charleston had suffered
the humiliation OF a metropolitan 90
lice syatcm for some time, but She
could endure it for q few years longer:
the day Of reckoning would come. He
said that he refused to sign the agree
mcnt because he considered the sign
ing 0! it an additional disgrace upon
the city.