The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-09
| STATE CONSTABLES
Must Let Politics Alone and AZ
tend 20 Business,
SAYS GOV. McsWEENEY.
Some Reports Brig Forth an Of.
ficlal Statement. The Cover
nor and Senators Tillman
and MclauFin.
and McLauFin.

anu WCLdOglH'
There seems to be some talk about
the using Of the constsbulsry force for
political purposes, as will be seen by
the following letter received by the
governor Friday from Chief Constable
W. ". Sellers, who writes from Flor
ence:
Dear Sir: Mr.. George s. McCravy
spent last night here and in talking to
him he took occasion to say that any
State constable Who openly worked
against Senator McLaurin would be
turned If the force by you. He gave
as reason that you were opposed to
Senator TiIlnsn. He also stassd thst
he hsd informed other constsbles to
the sane effect AID they thanked him
fer the Information. Personally I have
no interest in the matter bus have al
ways been opposed to Senator McLau-
rim. l have no reason to believe that
the statement made by Mr.. McCrs7y
was authorized by you, bus l thought it
proper to inform sou Of the report as
stated to me- by Mr.. McCravy."
The receipt Of this letter resulted in
the following statement being given
the press ss the governors Office Fri
day.
Ordinarily Gov. MaSWeeney>does not
psy any attention to such communics-
tiona, but Mr. Sellers has been on the
constabulary force fer number Of
years and is regarded as safe and
conservative man and CD that account
Gov. ,MoSgeeney is anxious to nip the
matter in the bud and put q rest to
the statements therein contained be.
fore they shall secure more general
and public circulation. In tie frgt
place he regards it as very peculisr that
a United States govern nelt officer who
las stated that be oges his appoint.
Rent largely to Sentor McLsurin should
be credited with making statements to
the injury Of State c&icer. The whole
matter, if correctly reported, Gov. Ms
Sweeney states is absolutely without
foundation, SIS he had never directed,
advised or suggests d that it would meet
with his approval for a State constable
to support or work for Senator Nc
Lsurin CT any one else or even if be
had the right 30 co SO he would not
have taken such course.
Gov. MeSEeeney further stated that
he would not allow sn7 msn 30 remain
on the constabulary fcrcs vino devoted
his time to osnyassing or working for
any candidate, and that this had been
his policy since be had been in oGce,
and even during his race for governor
he had it distinctly understood that
such Of the constsbles as we're opposed
to him had that right and be made 10
suggestion or effort that their failure
to support him net with disspproval.
It has been the course Of his Office to
advise the eonstsbles that they were to
leave active politics alone and that
they we're expected to devote their time
to the work for which they we're en-
ployed and not to politics. rs went on
to say that he considered this talk Of
his connection with Senator MoLaurin
as purely uncalled for and without any
foundation, and that he could not in-
sgine Why such statements should be
mado because they were incorrect. The
fact Of the matter was he had never
dreamed OF the constables having any
thing to do with the senatorial contest.
The reference in the letter that Gov.
McSReeney was opposed to Senstor
Tillmsn has no foundation and is in
correct. Gov. MoSgeeney stated that
be had always been an sdmirer and
advocate Of Senator Tillnan and had
voted for him for governor and United
States senator, and that while on some
matters he differs With Senator Till
man that he had never lost confidence
in him nor Vas there any reason why
he should be opposed to him. BE has
never had any correspondence or inter-
views with Senator. McLaurin upon po
litical matters and not line has psss-
ed between them relsti7e to State or na-
tional politics, and as fsr as he was coz
cerned he would not permit any State
constable to openly work for any candi-
date as it ia their business to work for
the enforcement # the dispensary la7
and if they had go little to do that they
could devote their time to politics with
which they had no coccern they would
be replaced By other men who could de-
vote mere time to the snfo, o,cament Of
the dispersary Law and less to political
contests in which they ought to be con-
csroed SIS citizens aud rot as partisa2s.
Gov. MoSaeeney went on to say thss il
at any time it was reported to hin that
members Of the ccastabulsry force we're
working fer any particular candidate
ard thereby negIs osirg their work for
7aieh they were psid that such course
would be regarded By him as sufficient
cause fer rem5vsi.
All Kinds of Cranks.
Recently wien Cow O'Dell, Of New
York, reached Albany sf,er an absence
OF Few da3s be Hss surprised to find
OF bis desk two letters requesting him
to commit to life Imprisonment the