The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-02-01
BUTLER FOR |. RURAL POLICE.
Also Relieves Government Should
Help Build Roads - observation s
of Mounted Police in Cuba.

/ Courier: Permit me, through your pa
per, to commend iii the most cordial
way the excellent inaugural address
of Governor Ansel. 1t bristles all
through with practical, conservative
common sense. etEl
There are three propositions in
his address-the abolition Of the state
&dlspensary and substitution Of local
county option the organization and
establishment Of a rural guard. and
the recommendation touching public
highways. All three Of these recon-
naendations are especially timely and
wise. In saying this L do not mean
to nnderrate the Importance Of other
portions of the inaugural. IF Cover
Ansel's administration end in the
abolition Of the state dispensary and
thereby put an end to the demorali-
zation and corruption which has at
tended it from the very beginning Of
its establishment, he will deserve and
receive the unqualified thanks Of ev-
cry man and woman who have felt
Inundated and disgusted at having
their state eagnged in the business of
selling whiskey.
Mounted Police.
During my service in Cuba, 1893
'99, I had all opportunity to observe
the advantages Of the rural guard.
"Rurales," as they were called. Of
course the conditions there were diff
Ferent from the conditions in this
country, but the effect would be the
same in our rural districts. In Cuba
the rurals were part of the Spanish
military establishment and were sell
ected from among the best soldiers
they might be termed the elite-of
the Spanish army. They were we'll
mounted and armed and moved night
and day in their respective beats.
Nothing would contribute more to a
sense of security in the country in
this state than well-organized, we'll
equipped mounted police. Nothing
would tend so much to suppress law
lessness and bring the guilty to a
prompt accounting before proper off,
GERS Of the law, and nothing in my
judgment would tend more effectual-
ly to prevent lawlessness and crime.
Take our case in Merriwether Town
ship--a large township in the extreme
western part Of Edgefield county,
bordering on the Savannah river, cut
in two by Big Stevens creek, large
affluent Of the Savannah.
Township Without Protection.
There is but one law officer in the
entire township, a magistrate, and he
located from ten to twelve miles from
many Of us, and frequently i!naccessi-
BILE. What is the resultq A crime is
committed, serious or petty, under
our eyes. Nobody has the right OF
power to make all arrest without a
warrant, or being properly deputized,
consequently the criminal escapes
punishment, OF what is in itself law
lessness, people take the law into
their own hands.
Now, by way of illustration, if we
had two or four mounted policemen
for this township, one or two on duty
at night, and one OF two III the day
time, moving constantly through diff
ferent parts of their beats, you can
imagine what deterrent it would be
to criminals, and what a sense of Sc
curity it would give to all the inhabl-
tants. The policeman should be ap-
pointed by the magistrate of each
rural magisterial district Oh his Off
cial responsibility without recommen-
dation from anybody, except such as
he chooses to consult. He, the po-
liceman, should be invested with all
the powers of a policeman in muni-
cipality and held to a strict accounta-
bility in the performance of his duty.
He should be required to furnish his
own mount and equipment and main
tain his mount at his own expense, the
county, township OF state paying a
stipulated price monthly for hire of
the horse. In addition to this he
should be paid q fair salary for his
services.
People Wiling to Pay for Police.
OF course, all this requires money,
and it would devolve upon the legis-
lative department to provide the
ways and means, either by appropria-
ton out Of the state treasury, or by
calling on each county or township
TO raise the necessary funds by taxa
.4;n,, OF mn aa1r II, raassino that the