The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1902-02-07
THE PISTOL LAW.

big change in Pistols. The law
says that after the first OF July 1t
shall be unlawful to sell any pistol
in this State less than % inches long
aud weighing less than three pounds.
1t will be unlawful to carry that
size concealed, just as it is unlawful
now to carry any size concealed. The
dealers, however, will probably be
more careful to obey the law than
the pistol-toters, or they may very
readily get into trouble; for it will be
possible for anybody to prosecute for
violation of the law.
Should the dealers comply with
the law, the rising generation may
find it somewhat difficult matter
to get guns Of suitable size for their
everyday wear. Most Of the young
men, already grown, are supplied with
the smaller and more portable size;
but the thousands OF young fellows
who are just coming to the pistol-tot-
ing age of II to 20 will not find it 80
easy.
1t is said that most negro men,
especially the younger generation OF
them, carry their pistols to the fields
with them aud to churches and wher-
ever else they go, considering them
necessary articles of fapparel. To them
the new law will prove a hardship,
unless they can find some method Of
evading it's provisions. Perhaps,
though, there will be sort of blind
tiger arrangement whereby the young
bloods of both colors can supply
themselves with any size mapkiller
they want. ."-Newberry Observer.
of South Carolinans pay any atten-
tion to the law" This implies doubt
of their doing so. Is these doubts ex-
pressed by the various newspapers,
regarding the enforcement of our laws,
not in measure, responsible for
their non-enforcement and for the
apparent contempt that some people
have for the laws which do not
happen to suit their notion? 1t
strikes US that it is. The violator is
ever ready to say, 'why the law is
unpopular, even the newspapers don't
think it will be enforced or heeded,"
thus the idea Of resistance is implant-
ed in the mind of those affected, and
confusion and trouble is the natural
result. Would it not be better for
the newspapers generally, instead of
giving publicity to these suggestive
ideas which give the violator of the
law reasonable grounds to believe
that resistance upon his part was
no more than was expected by the
best element Of our citizen, taking it
for granted that the newspapers are
supposed to represent the better ele-
ment; we say would it not be better
for these same newspapers to bend
their energies to the task Of impress
ing upon the mind of every reader of
their papers. That when an act be-
comes a law, there can be no possible
excuse for it's violation, and when it
is violated, the punishment should
follow?
We take the ground that when
measure is up for discussion is the
time to fight it if it is considered det-
rimental to the interest of those op-
posing it, and we concede the
right to use every legitimate
means for it's defeat, while the
fight is open, but when the fight has
been lost, no earthly good can be
accomplished by suggesting that the
law is unpopular, and it is not ex-
pected that it will be obeyed or en-
forced. But such suggestions in public
print are calculated to cause much
trouble.
In regard to the merchants, they
are generally composed of law
abiding element, and we doubt that
any of them will have the hardihood
to attempt continuation OF the sale
OF pistols after the time fixed by law
for them to stop the sale. We hope
not at least.
This is not meant as an attack
upon The Observer especially, for it's
remarks; for we believe that the Ed
itor of The Oberver is as earnestly in
favor of stamping out this contempt
ible and dangerous practice OF pistol
toting as we are, but we have read
comments from other editors that
would lead one to believe that they
were set against the law and conf
IDENTIFY looked for 1t to be violated. Let
all obey the law and keep out Of
trouble. Let the pistol tigers have
care.