Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1903-09-23
A COUNTY POLICE FORCE.
Enforcement OF Laws Against vagrenis WilI
Drive Them to the Country.

tt- Ufit0 tHeH u mo Uuuntfys ssz. ~.
The Manufacturers Record is of
the opinion that all Southern States
ought to have stricter yagrancy laws,
but adds that to make them most
effective they must be supplemented
by law providing for ain adequate
police protection in the country dis
tricts. As yagrants are driven from
the cities they must go to the coun-
try, and while great many of them
will go to work on tho farms num-
bers of them will remain shiftless,
idle and menace TO the commune
ties in which they exist. The Manu-
facturers' Record suggests the or
ganization of police patrol some
what upon the lines of the old patrol
before the war, but modified to suit
changed conditions.
This question ought to be con-
sidered by our Legislature in connec-
tion with vagrancy, says the CO.
lumbia Record. 1t is undoubtedly a
fact that life in the rural districts is
not as safe as it ought to be, and for
the protection of women especially
some system of rural police ought to
be established. Many residents of
the country go TO live in towns be-
cause they feel this ever present
danger, but with more adequate pro-
lection they would remain, and 80
much valuable land would not be
abandoned to worthless nego tenants.
Of course we do not mean to say
that this is the chief reason why so
so many farmers are going to the
towns, but it is one consideration and
an important one in many cases.
The cost of such system need not
necessarily be large, but even if it
requires the levy of small extra
YAK III WOulu SSSul tuhO Ghoco WIZ
have it to pay would do 80 willingly.
1t would relieve them of costly
burden and dangerous element and
enable them to pursue their business
in peace and with security that they
do not now enjoy. 1t is matter
that demands serious consideration
and it seems to us the cost would be
very insignificant in comparison with
the benefits.
In connection with the wide dis
cussion upon lynching, mob law and
violence generally, the Atlanta Con-
stitution prints an interview with
Ex-Governor w. j. Northen that is
interesting and profitable. He is
primarily responsible for the intro
duction of the anti-lynching legisla-
tion in Georgia during his term of
office, and he holds that the races
are more in harmony than at any
time since the war. He was asked
to auggest remedy for vagrancy and
mob laYiS and replied as follows:
81 baieve the people in the rural
districts are as much entitled to po-
lice protection as the people in the
cities. l do not make the suggestion
because of the presence of the ne.
groes any more than / would make
the suggestion to the cities because
of their absence, but on general con-
ditions that demand protection
Every county in this State and in
every State, North or South, should
have police force efficient and
active. The sheriff should be chief
of such county police, and see that
they are vigilant. This will moi
only largely eliminate the little re.
naming spirit there is still among
our people to deal summary ven.
geance upon outlaws, but it would
furnish such protection as to prevent
crimes of all kinds in the rural sec.
tions. 1t is well to say, as you have
doubtless observed, but that there
has been not only less occasion TO,
mob violence because of assaults
but that the people have more gene.
rally refrained from violence and
awaited action by the courts. The
relations between the races are not
80 antagonistic as formerly, but fal
more cooperative. To believe this
you have only to recall the condi-
tions that existed soon after the wal
when the Ku Klux were believed tc