The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-02-21
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

gives some Oh inc mnSt important dis
cussions upon pending measures:
a UNIQUE BILL AGAINST pIsT0 Is
Mr.. Cooper's bill to regulate the car
rying, manufacturing and sale Of fire
arms usually used for the iDilictlon o
personal injury, and 20 make Vloia
ton Of the same a misdemcahor, wa
then taken up. The bill is very drastic
in its provisions, and the committee
report on it was unfavOrable.
senator Graydon offered an amend
ment making the bill apply only te
pistols, and advocated the bill with his
amendment at some length.
Senator Aldrlch thought it The best
bill that has been introduced at this
session. Public opinion has crystalizcd
on two points, he SAID, that whiskcy
and pistols are responsible for most OF
the crime. The penalty for carrying
concealed weapons is entirely too low.
lie knew of no evil in tho State more
to be deplored than the almost univer-
sal custom of carrying concealed wea-
pons. 1t is most demoralzing and
degrading thing. The penalty cannot
be made too severe. The habit of Car
rying a concealed weapon will make q
coward of any man. All the courage
he ever had will be sunk in the barrel
of his pistol, and If he ever gets into a
row without his pistol he will run as
sure as he lives. A pistol is q dis
graceful thing, and no man ought to
be allowed to carry one whether con-
Cealed or not. If man needs q fire
arm at all he needs gun and not a
pistol.
Senator Henderson said he was as
much oppused to carrying concealed
weapons as anybody, but he Thought
this proposed law would be uuconsti-
tutional, as it forbids the right given
by the constitution of carrying arms,
and this bill will prohibit us from car
rying pistols, concealed or not. The
bill, he thought, would be unconstitu-
tional, and for that reason he could not
vote for it,
Mr.. Ilderton suggested an amend
mcnt that man could not carry wea-
pons " without just cause or excuse"
lie thought the wisost thing to do
would be to stop the Importation and
sale Of pistols. He thought the bill
under discussion should pass.
Senator Mower analyzed the bill. In
the first place 1t absolutely forbids Il
citizen carrying pistol, whether con-
cealed or not, and provision of that
kind is entirely unconstitutional. 1t
also provides that there shall not be
sold in this State fire ara. of less
than certain size and weight. He
seriously doubted if the passage of laws
on this subject will accomplish much
Good "a I.,
thing besides laws.
Senator llcrndOn SAID he did not be-
lieve the law would do any good, that
it would be violated just as the pres
ent law against concealed weapons is
violated.
Senator Maybe offered an amend
ment that person desiring to carry a
concealed weapon might obtain an an
nual license from the clerk of court at
an annual cost of $50, and spoke in
fuvOr OF his amendment. If a man
thinks he ought TO 60 armed he ought
tO be allowed TO do SO. aild The puoDic
ought to know it. SO lei him take out
license, and let everybody know that
he has taken out such license
Senator Henderson said this amend
ment would still not make the law
constitutional. The taking out of a
license would not protect anybody.
He moved to strike out the enactino
words Of the bill.
Senator Graydon contcnded that this
bill would be constitutional, as the Ian.
guage Of the constitution as to the
right OF the people to bear arms re-
ferred only TO the militia.
Senator Stanland thought this a most.
important measure, and that some law
of this kind should be passed. lie spoke
Of the conditions in the lower counties,
and said protection of some kind was
sOrely needed.
The vote to strike out the cnactino
words resulted as follows
Aycs-Barnwell, Bowen, Brantlcy,
Brown, Dennis, Glenn, Gruber, Hen
derson, Hydrick, Moore, Mower,
Sharpe. Talbird ard Walkcr-1G.
Noes-Aldrich, Appclt, Blakeney,
Bricc, Caughman, Dean, Douglas, :,
Gaines, Graydon, llough, Ilderton
Livingston, Manning, Marshall, May
field, McDcrmott, Sarratt, Stackhouse,
Stanland, Sullivan and Williams-21
The Senate refused to strike out the
enactlnB words.
Senator Applet offered an amend.
ment that man might be allowed to
carry concealed weapon upon paying
an annual fec Of $50. a license TO be is
sued by the clerk. of the count.
Senator lIough opposed this license
feature. If we are going to prohibit
the carrying of concealed weapons let
us prohibit outright. If man wants
TO carry weapon for defense let him
carry it open and abovcboard.
Senator 1lderton also opposed i, and
thought it would discriminate against
the poor man, who might be unable to
pay the lie ,nse, whatever it miyht be,
He thought his amendment as TO uiusi
cause or excuse" would cover the
ground.
Senator Maylicld withdrew his
amendment
Senator G,aydon offered an amend
ment to simply make it unlawful 70,
man to carry fire arm less than &C