The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-23
SheritfS and Others
Must Give Support.

The Governor Will not Toler-
ate any "Wlnking at Vic.
lation of the Dlspen.
sary Law
Gov. Mcsweeney has written the
following letter to each sheriff and
magistrate in the State, asking for
cooperation in the proper enforce.
ment of the dispensary law:
Dear Sir 1t should not be neces
sary to call the attention of officers
to the Importance of enforcing any
law. 1t should be the purpose Of
every iaw officer to do his duty. 1t
is the plain and sworn duty of every
officer commissioned by the State to
uphold the constitution and the laws
of the State. It is no more the duty
Of the governor than it is of every
other officer Of the state to see that
the law is properly enforced and
administered In the performance
of this duty the law officers should
have the support, encouragement,
and aid of every good and law abid.
ing citizen.
Those officers, whose duty it is
to enforce and administer the law
have no business to question the
wisdom of the law making in placing
any law upon the statute books
Their business is TO see that the law
Is enforced, so long as it remains on
the statute books As governor it
shall be my constant purpose to see
that the law is administered and en-
forced wisely and judiciously and in
this purpose l seek the aid of every
citizen of the State So far as / am
able there shall be no discrimination
in favor Of any law.
There seems, however, to have pre-
vailed in this State since the adoption
of the dispensary law sentiment
that it was an exception, and mas
much as certain State constables
have been provided for with view
to its better enforcement, therefore,
other law officers were not charged
with the apprehension and prosecu
tion of violators of this law This
is mistaken view, as l understand
it, and | shall expect every magis
trate and constable and sheriff and
every other officer to aid in the en-
forcement of the dispensary law just
as he would the statute agains. bur
glary or murder. And not only so
but l call upon every good citizen to
frown down the violation of the
dispensary law just as be would the
violation of the law against stealing
or murder and to aid the officers in
bringing to justice those who violate
it. The coDstables are simply to aid
in it's enforcement We may differ
as to the wisdom of the law, but that
should make no difference when it
comes to the prosecution of v;olators
of it. / feel that if properly enforced
it is the best solution of the liquor
question that has yet been devised,
and | desire to have the aid Of all
officers and citizens in an honest and
earnest effort to enforce it wisely
and judiciously.
have reduced the ccnstabulary
force and hope to be able to reduce
it still further but this reduction can
only be made and remain permanent
by the cooperation and aid of the
law officers of the State io enforcing
the dispensary law as other laws are
enforced
This communication is addressed
especially to magistrates and consta-
bies and sberiffs upon whom | call
to aid me in the enforcement Of the
law. If l have evidence that any
magistrate or constable is winkipg
at the violation of the dispeusary law
and is not making proper efforts TO
bring to justice these who violate
it shall at once ask for his resigna-
ton hope this will not be neces
sary.
/ f,mly believe that if the Law is
wisely and judiclously administered
and violators of it are promptly sp
pretended and punished through the
proper legal channels provided Tor
the trial of criminals that healthy
public sentiment will prevail in its
favor, and violators of the law
will be looked upon se other
criminals, aud there will be no more
reason to have special officers to
enforce it than it is to have
special officers to enforce the
law against stealing Howev-
Io& - ha romomhered that