The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-09-12

a number of old Anti papers have
been taking cracks" at Charleston
since tho primary, because she voted
Tor McSweeney, who says he has ad-
ministered the dispensary law as well
or better than others. The old Anti
papers are very wrong in this, because
Charleston has the same right to vote
according to her tastes and convictions
as any other county. Now it was de-
veloped in the campaign that the old
bar-room system still prevails in Char
lesion and that hundreds of saloons are
running openly, and it is fact. This,
of course, is in spite OF the earnest,
seif-sacriiicing efforts of Governor Nc
sweeney to enforce the law. The re-
suits OF the primary disclose that Char
lesion is sick and tired OF the blind
tiger regime and will cooperate with
Governor McSweeney in his crusade
against it. Charleston elected as her
chief peace officer for four years, the
former chief of the metropolitan po-
lice, who was moreover largely instru-
mental in having that system imposed
on Charleston. We infer from this that
Charleston's delegation in the general
assembly will ask for the re-enactment
OF the metropolitan police, and then,
that she will welcome the appointment
OF one of Sheriff Martins lieutenants to
the headship of the system. McSweeney
atlirms most solemnly that he Is bent on
the enforcement of the dispensary law
in Charleston, Charleston endorsed Nc
Sweeney by an overwhelming vote and
this in connection with the election of
Martin to the shrievalty necessarily
means that Charleston asks again for
the metropolitan police system as the
only means of enabling McSweeney to
save her from the blind tigers.
Some years ago the Charleston news
papers and politicians "took on" at
great rate about the metropolitan DO
lice, loss of home rule, ETC., and some
OF us in the up-cOuntry were so simple
as not to see that Charleston's lamenta-
tions were all ake-believe, so we pro-
ceeded to make monkeys of ourselves
in these parts by expressing sympathy
and indignation at the outrages perpe-
trated on the old city. Perhaps we shall
know better next time. Now that Char
lesion seems to wish the metropolitan
police we trust that she may have
1T and we think she was entirely right
in voting as she chose in the primaries.
The fervent patriotism and high prin-
clplc of Charleston voters have been so
often illustrated in the past ten years
that their motives are beyond suspic-
ion, and the ridicule heaped upon Char
lesion by that old Anti Haskellite
sheet, the Columbia State, is most re-
prehensible.
Now that the census returns are
being made public 1t is good time for
country editors to show to the country
how 1t happens that Charleston hasn't
population OF 100000 or so. This
would be one-siXth OF the entire State.
Well now, travel from that lively town,
Alston, on the Broad River, straight
forward by Kingstree to Charleston,
view the landscape Of Richland over
and take squint at the pine barren
as you approach Branchville and then
the observer will have some food for
his philosophizing. Ask first why all
this Goshen has not blossomed as the
rose. 1t Is exceedingly tiresome to
read OF the want OF growth in the
other community. Three quarters of
q century back and South Carolina
had nine members Of congress, when it
took three negroes to count two. Thus
the State has lost comparatively more
than three hundred thousand in popu-
lation. Let us grow by building up
our own households and not through
our neighbors.
**x
The Chinese puzzle is still puzzling.
The Powers are divided upon the ques-
tion OF the allied troops withdrawing.