Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-10-22


just enough We have but little fault
t. find with its argument-no more
than we shall presently mention; but
we object to its conclusion, viz:
For our own part, we think that
South Carolina has enough to be
thankful for in that the cancer has
gone and whether one or more rascals
escape deserved stripes is not a mat
ter to lose sleep over"
Now, we have no criticism to offer
Of Mr.. Fraser Lyon. There Is no de-
nying the fact that he did a great
work in helping to probe the dispen-
sary rottenness, and there is no doubt
either of the fact that he is without
power to prosecute the grafters on his
own initiative. But If 1t Is all to end
there, what has been the use Of it?
l, was one of the ancient Greeks
who first likened laws to cobwebs which
caught the small flies and allowed
spiders and wasps to go through, and
it has been true of laws ever since;
but is this creditable to the civiliza-
ton of today?
It is a matter of common report
throughout the state Of South Caro-
lima that during the dispensary inves-
tigation in Columbia, one Of the par
ties then being investigated staggered
about the court room with his pocket
full of pistols, and let 1t be known that
If the committee went any closer af-
ter him he would do some killing. 1t
is commonly reported that not only
was the committee blurred, but the
whole state was bluffed into letting
this fellow run roughshod over the
law. We have no criticism to make Of
the committee in this matter. We
cannot see that 1t was called upon,
or that any member of 1t was called
upon to kill such ruffian, or to be
killed by such a ruffian; but what
about the majesty of the law under
the circumstances?
We do not agree that now, that the
source Of the corruption has been
checked, the state has no further cause
Of concern There are scores Of men
in South Carolina who got rich as the
result OF dispensary corruption. and
who continue to enjoy their ill-gotten
gains in their respective communities,
breeding contempt for law and order
and honesty, and who will hold the
majesty of the law under the shadow
of reproach so long as they remain un-
whipt of justice.
it is an old. old practice on the part OF
unwilling officials to bluff off individual
protesters against unlawful practices,
by telling them, you furnish the evil
dence and l will see that warrant
issues, and that prosecution follows" !"
We all understand how the law does
not provide for or require the swearing
out of warrants by sheriffs, magis-
trates, solicitors, ETC.; but we under
stand also that when popular clamor
demands, these officials generally find
a way to get to the front of the pro-
cession with a reputation Of having
done their duty.
II South Carolina desires to make
progress in civic righteousness, she
must prosecute and punish her crimi-
nails Every man should feel that to
the extent he undertakes to condone
any crime to just that extent he be-
comes particeps criminis, and he
should realize that If he would have
his state make real progress in the
direction of security to life and prop
erty and self-respect, he must see
that all notorious offenders against the
laws receive adequate legal punish
ment.
We repeat what we have said be-
fore; that unless there are some pros
ecutions and convictions as the out
come of the dispensary Investigations,
the practical benefit derived amounts
to nothing. Unless the state Of South
Carolina Furnishes those who have
been guilty Of the crimes that have
been committed, each individual citizen
Of the state becomes a sharer in those
crimes.
We would not be understood as
holding or even suggesting that pres
ent conditions are not infinitely pref
erable to the conditions that existed
under the state dispensary regime;
but we insist that the party that is
now in the ascendency cannot have a
clear conscience in the enjoyment of
the fruits of power until it has ex-
hausted every reasonable effort, to
vindicate outraged law, justice and
morality.