The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-16

court docket at least once, many of
them more than once, for the four
terms of court beginning Jan. 1899.
Against these SO law breakers there
were during thefour terms Of court, 1872
complaints and indictments, SO of these
were nol-prossed, II were assigned to
the special docket and Is continues for
sentence, which means to all intents and
purposes, that ll3 Of these complaints
aud Indictments were brushed aside.
This leaves SO cases against the 80 men
during the four terms of court, or an
average of somewhat less than two
counts against each individual for that
length Of time.
The average total fine imposed upon
these 80 men under these 50 cases dur
ing these four terms of court was 1924,
and every one Of the 80, with one ex-
ception, he is in Jail, is in business to-
day, aud SO far as we can learn has
never been out Of business for day dur
ing the time covered by these calcula-
tions, it would seem therefore that the
policy of the court and Of the officers, is
not one Of repression; not one of en-
forcement of law; but simply one where
by certain amount Of revenue may be
secured to the county. That this policy
is general throughout the State is
proved BY the fact that in some counties
no raids are made either by the local Of
fcers, but that every year the liquor
dealers are rounded up and made to pay
fue, which in one county to which my
attention has been directed, amounts
on the average to $3.50 a year. This
method is surely more economics! than
the one which is persued in Androscog-
gin county, and seems to secure the
desired end without friction. That it
should be without friction, it is we'll to
note, may not be wholly to the credit
either to the officials, the courts OF the
temperance peol lie. but is surely no re-
fection upon the liquor sellers.
My attention has been repeatedly call.
ed to the fact that lccal officers, after
making raids and securing in some
cases large quantities of liquor, have
found the grand jury under some cir
cumstances unwilling to grant an in
dictment; and the case, after passing
through the municipal court, has been
dropped and the liquors returned.
Equally suggestive is the fact that
business men, men Of influence in the
county politically, socially and in some
I am lead to believe, religiously, stand
in the way Ct the laws enforcement;
stand in the way even Of the attempts
which are made to enforce it. ane not
infrequently by personal solicitation
seek to turn the officers from the plain
path of their official duties-because,
observation-disclosures with certain
liquor dealers would be detrimental to
business.
Can we blame the officers for regard
ing such advice as an indication OF
prevailing sentiment sufficiently strong
to warrant them in regulating their Of
fetal conduct by it?
And is it not in accordance with the
dictates ofa similar sentiment that the
courts consent to persue what can be
regarded as nothing more than an easy
routine which blessed the liquor deal
ers while it curses the law?
1t is this addition of a little legal
sugar to Names Illegal vhiskey that
IS bringing our grand old State into
contempt abroad and into civil paralysis
at hone, from which rescue is posi-
bic only as quiekeued public consci-
erce and enlightened zeal cleanse this
law in its enforcement, or, in the name
OF outraged decency and a forgotten
God, wipe it of the statute books.
1t will be impossible for me to give
you in detail the result Of the commit
tees investigations. 1t would require
hours Of your time to 90 50. A few
cases, as typical Of a great many which
We have classified | do wish to present
both as giving you some idea Of the
kind of work your committee has been
doing, the trustworthyness of its deduc-
tions; and as revealing more complete
ly the methods Of the court.
Then followed number Of cases of
Lewiston liquor dealers showing how
many cases had been brought against
them and how they are disposed Of:
None of them differed in any essential
particulars. The report is signed by
Rev. G. A. Knickerbocker for the COM
mittee.