Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-12-02
STATE LEAGUE FOR LAW AND ORDER
Proposes 10 Check Crime by Striking at the
Cause--Address 10 the People.
[The State, November 25th. |

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~ Cause--Addrsss 10 the People.
1.-THE State, November 25th.]
The Executive Committee of the
Temperance Law and Order League,
which was organized fair week, met
in the city last night and prepared
an address to be issued to the people
of South Carolina. Constitution
and bylaws were also adopted. 1t
was decided to put a man in the field
at once. The necessary expenses
must be met by voluntary contribu-
,tions. All who are interested in the
welfare of the State are urged to
send contributions to the treasurer of
the league, Howell Morreli, OF Hor-
rell, Richland county.
After the adjournment of the COM
mittee meeting, the chairman, Capt.
j. w. Hamel, editor of the Kershaw
Era, stated that the members are
very much in earnest; they have
met with much encouragement and
expect to succeed. 1t must come
about slowly, just as the present
state of lethargy has come over the
State gradually, but the league ex-
poets to see the day when the people
will see the cause of crime.
THE ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.
Following is the address which
was issued last night:
To the People of South Carolina:
We Executive Committee of the
State To Law and Order
League, in The ua.. =" of the duty
imposed on III IN, woy 'ess to
their fellow citizens a few con. "ra-
tions and conclusions as to IL In-
plorable condition of lawlessness
existing in the State, a condition
we'll calculated to humiliate us in
our own eyes and degrade US in the
estimation of the civilized world.
1t is sufficient to call attention to
the fact that 180 homicides are re-
ported in the daily papers as COM
mitted in this State for the nine
months ending September 80 of the
current year, to show that terrible
state of lawlessness exists, and to
justify the most earnest and strenu-
Gus efforts on the part of law-respect-
ing citizens to correct it.
Besides this record of bloodguilti-
ness, crimes of all lesser grades,
which result from lawless spirit, are
on the increase, while efforts to
repress them by the ordinary pro-
cesses of law seem to be singularly
ineffective.
1t is scarcely necessary to recite
the catalogue of these crimes against
morality and good order. They are
known and read of all men. The
laws of God and man are violated
with impunity as witnessed by the
desecration of the Sabbath, the pro.
fanation of the sanctuary of God by
scenes of drunkenness, disorder and
bloodshed, the violations of the
criminal law, and the shameful vio-
lation of the dispensary law in all it's
restrictive and prohibitive provisions.
Under these conditions it becomes
a proper enquiry for thoughtful men,
what is the cause of this disordered
condition of society, and to seek to
discover a remedy therefor.
The most painful feature of the
situation is to be found in the gene
raj Indifference on the part of the
better element to assume their part
in the enforcement of law, and their
refusal or neglect to support those
appointed agents who are charged
with its enforcement.
We believe it the duty of good
citizens of all classes, and especially
of Christians, to aid in the enforce
ment of all laws which have been
placed on the statute books by their
sanction, and that their neglect or
refusal to discharge their duty in
this respect is the chief encourage
ment and support to lawlessness.
We commend his Excellency, Gov.
Hayward, for bis sincere effort to en-
force the dispensary law, and declare
it to be one Of the purposes of our
organization TO render ali available
aid and encouragement to him and
his officers in their laudable endea-
yor.
In word, we would call upon our
fellow citizens to come promptly and
boldly to the rescue of our State
from the perilous position in which
we have been placed by suffering
small minority of law breakers to
imperil every true interest Of he
people by their criminal conduct.
For this purpose we would urge
upon the people in every county and
community to unite with US in organ
lied effort by forming themselves
into leagues for the purposes set
forth in the simple form of organiza-
tion which is herewith submitted.
j. w. Hamel, Chairman,
Howell Morrell, Secretary.