Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-02-16

1uulduS WAS lHCIedSeu u 91,UUU, anu the
agent was allowed a commission Of
per cent. instead Of for disbursement
Representative Cooper's bill to regu-
late the carrying, manufacturing and
sale Of firearms, was reached and Sen
ator Graydon offered an amendment
which relieved the bill Of its very dras-
tic features when it left the house
whereby the carrying Of a shotgun fol
innocent purposes would be unlawful
The Graydon amendment made it plain
that only pistols were intended to be
legislated against. Mr.. Graydon SAID
that $50 people were killed last year by
pistols, and a law prohibiting firearms
will save not only human lives, but
thousands Of dollars.
Genator Aldrich thought this was the
best bill introduced this session. A
few years back public sentiment cen.
tered on whisky and pistols as being
the prime cause Of crimes. The whis,
ky law is a good one, but the enforce.
ment Of the concealed weapon law is 6
farce. There Is no greater evil in the
state today than this almost universe
practice of carrying concealed weapons
It Is demoralizing and degrading. Tht
habit of carrying concealed pistols viii
make a coward Of any man as certain
as two and two make four. All thu
courage he may have had is centered IL
the five chambers of his pistol, anC
when he gets in trouble, If he hasn
got it with him, he will run like tur
key. It is getting so that every boy II
the land thinks he must have pistol
otherwise he Is not fully dressed.
Senator Henderson said he would q
as far as anyone to prevent the carry
ing Of concealed weapons, but he dit
not think it wise or proper for this sen
ate to pass a law which Is clearly un
constitutional. It provides that on
cannot carry pistol, concealed or 9th
erwise. The constitution Of the STATE
allows us to carry arms for our owl
protection. 1t Is a prohibition Of th'
right Of every freeman to carry arms
and as such he cannot vote for the bill
Senator Ilderton favored the bill, fo
as long as pistols are sold in Soutl
Carolina somebody is going to get kill
ed, and the best way to prevent tina
is to prevent the sale.
Senator Mower said the bill as 1
stands is clearly unconstitutional. Al
to the concealed weapons, this bill car
ries almost the identical provisions o
the present act. There must be some
thing else back of this reform If the &C
Is to be enforced.
Senator Herndon said the only resul
Of the passage Of this law would b.
that pistols would be carried. just a.
they are now, regardless of the law.
Senator Mayfield offered an amend
ment which would license the carrying
of concealed weapons for one year, th'
license fee to be $50. He said that III
offered this amendment so that the bill
would not come within the inhibition
of the constitution. If a man thinks III
ought to go armed let him pay a IL
cense, but every man will know that III
is licensed. Negroes will not take ou
license and one-half of the popula
ton will thus. be eliminated. There l:
little trouble along this line among
white people.
Senator Henderson could not see how
a license law will protect anyone. An
other feature tnat cannot be enforced
Is that Of preventing the importation o.
arms.
Senator Graydon held that the con
stitutional provision as to bearing o.
arms applied to the militia, and there
Is no prohibition against preventing 6
man carrying concealed weapons. Of
otherwise. upon the highways.
Senator Stanland said that offer
honest men had to carry concealed
weapons as a protection against thu
lawless. but existing conditions art
such that something must he done
The law against carving concealed
weapons should he enforced. He dii
not want TO be resnonsihIe nv his vote
to cause the shedding Of blood or the
loss Of precious life.
BY a vote Of 21 to 16 the senate reflIs
ed to strike out the ena citing words ot
the bill.
Senator MayfleId's amendment pro.
viding a license then came up and the
author defended 1t on the ground thai
it would prevent the indiscriminate
carrying of concealed weapons.
Senator Hough didn't believe in II.
censing a wrong practice.
Senator Mayfeld then withdrew his
amendment, as he said Senator Gray
don had an amendment which he
thought would suit better.
Senator Applet offered an amend
ment striking out the size Of the pisto
to be sold and insert in its place a de.
scription to the effect, Usually used
for the infiction of personal injury
This was killed.
Senator Graydon offered an amend
ment, the effect Of which is that nc
person shall carry a pistol, concealed
or unconcealed, except on his own
premises, the, length Of which is less
than 20 inches or the weight less than
three pounds.
Senator Brown moved to indefinitely
postpone the bill, which was defeated
by a vote Of Is to 12.
The Graydon amendment was then
adopted by vote Of 16 to 10.
Senator Ilderton wanted an amend
ment inserted that the bill shall apply
only where other pistols are carried
without just cause or excuse.
Senator Gruber, speaking on the sub
ject, said he thought the present law