The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-01-11
f)ispEysARY AND CRIME.
Governor Heyward's Message to
South Carolina Legislature:
He Calls Attention to Bloody
Record and Deplores Weak
ness of the Court.

ness OF the court.
Columbia s. c., Jan. 9.-In his
annual message to the South Caro-
lima Legislature, which convened
here today, Governor Hayward
called special attention TO the cpl
demIc Of lawlessness and the com
parstively small number of convic
tions by the courts. He likewise
referred to the alleged rotten condi.
tions which surround the dispensary
and its management. Since the last
session about q score of countie.
have voted out the system and the
proper handling of the liquor mon
oply will be one Of the most impor.
tant matters before the body.
Concerning the dispensary, Gov.
Hayward said:
"The only cloud which throws a
shadow over the State Is the unsat-
isfactory condition Of the dispsn-
sary. Great dissatisfaction has been
manifested by the peop'e In many
quarters. 1t exists. / believe because
of loss of confidence resulting from
abuses In connection with its opera
ton. No one can deny that the pres
ent atmosphere surrounding the dis
pensary Is grave reflection upon
South Carolina, for 1t is State in.
stitution, aud any odium which at
taches to Its operation necessarily
attaches to the State. Since your last
session large number Of counties
have voted out dispensaries, but /
must say that the vote abolishing
them I take to be rebuke to the
mode of operation rather than 4 re-
pudiation of the system Itself"
On the record Of crime, he said:
"YOu are only too familiar with
the record Of past years. You know
how South Carolina, together with
other of our sister States, has had
reproach heaped upon her on &C.
count of the dastardly deeds Of reck-
less, lawless and irresponsible men.
I have just stated that no convic-
tions have been secured, yet, In spite
Of this fact, the realization that the
arm of the law would be invoked =;
that a determined attempt at least
would be made to prevent its ruth
less and barbaric dissertation that
criminals would be prosecuted for
their crimes; that the coroner's in
quest and the usual verdict would not
be the end but only the beginning
these have produced their effect, and
as q result better conditions have
prevailed. Those who would take
the law into their own hands have
been made to think the masses of
our people, who are at heart law
abiding, have found hope and en-
couragement, and the sworn officers
of the law have had their grave re-
sponsibilities brought more closely
home to them. For more than a
year South Carolina was not dis
graced by lynching, no case occur
ring which could properly oe so
classed.
Had I been able to report to you,
as had sincerely hoped to do, that
our State, since your last session at
least, had been spared the shame of
another lynching-that for this pc.
riod no human life had been law
lessly aud barbarously taken by an
armed mob-I would have been
deeply gratitied at such convincing
evidence of the increased respect
shown for law and order. While we
have every reason for encourage
ment, the recent killing Of two de-
fenceless negroes by an armed mob
is for every reason to be deplored
and condemned. Such outrages are
not only fragrant and inexcusable,
but they inevitably lead to the dis
regard of all law, the cheapening of
human life and the undermining Of
our very civilization. The lawless
element must be made to realize the
sanctity of human life; they must
be taught the fearful consequences
that follow the blind passions and
prejudices of mobs " hich take the
law into their own hands; human
life must have every right guaran-
teed by our Constitution, and law
less and reckless violators must be
prosecuted without fear or favor to
the utmost limit of the law"