Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-04-19

difficulties seem TO arise out of Il very
common disposition to confuse liberty
with license. Judge DeNOre gives
very satisfactory illustration Of the
difference. i'm his explanation of the
theory of the vagrancy law to the ef-
feet that this law would compel peo-
pie who are unwilling To work for
themselves or their families To work
for the public.
1t is not to be denied that from
some cause or other. certainly not
through lack of law: but more proba-
bly, through neglect of law. there has
grown up all through this country
large and increasing vagrant class
which. creating practically nothing it
self. constitutes heavy burden on
honest industry. and a serious menace
to the general welfare.
That there are many good people
who have no idea as to the extent of
vagrancy all throughout this section,
we have no doubt: but at the same
time we feel most reasonably well IN
formed individuals. including ma
iority of the members of the grand
Jury to which Judge DeVOre was talk
ing. can easily shut their eyes and
identify scores and scores of people
who fully answer the description CT
those whom under the law. Judge De-
Wore has pointed out as vagrants.
1t is with a great deal Of pleasure
and satisfaction that we are able to
say that there is not much poverty or
distress in this country. When we say
poverty and distress, of course we
mean those conditions in the form of
AFFECTION that they have to assume
before they attract general attention.
The condition of the country is really
prosperous as compared with what
most of us have known: but still II
is not nearly as prosperous as it easily
might be. or as it would be If there
was a general wedding out of the very
Kind of vagrancy to which Judge De-
Vore has directed public attention.
There are scores and scores of hon
est. hard working high-minded farm
ers who find it next to impossible to
get as much labor as they can utilize
with profit TO themselves and to the
laborers. There are scores and scores
of respectable. well-to-do families
who are unable to get help sufficient
to do necessary work about their
for which help they are
worth. and which help they can utii-
ize to their own profit as we'll as to
the profit of those they would en-
ploy. As a matter Of fact there is
crying need for laborers everywhere,
and the progress and prosperity of the
country is suffering sorely because
that need is not supplied.
1t is a common thing to hear people
say that the labor is not here. AT
times we have been inclined to think
the same thing: but we really know
better. 1t is here, and we all know it
is here. just where Judge DeVore has
located it. in a large vagrant class
that is supported by gambling and IN
the pursuit of other outlawed occu-
pations. That it is difficult to get at
these people is hardly to be denied.
In many cases they are able to make
a show Of honest and legitimate call
ings. and the case of the fellow who
in
he may loaf the balance Of the time.
is a hard nut to crack: but still there
is plenty Of law to correct the whole
trouble and that trouble would be
corrected, if only the law could be
strictly enforced.
While there is no doubt Of the fact
that Judge DeVore mas struck the
key to the situation-or rather located
the real source of most that is wrong
with the body polite, it is just as we'll
for the public to look at the matter
and comprehensively and
admit that il must not expect every
thing of these eighteen men who have
been drawn from them by lot to su-
pervise the well being of the county.
That the grand jurors are high class
men will have to be admitted. They
are really above the average of stand
ing and intelligence and taken as a
whole ara the equal of any eighteen
men who are likely to be drawn out
of box made up of twelve or fifteen
hundred York county names.
But it is not reasonable to expect
these eighteen men to accomplish
alone all the tremendous reform that
is suggested in the proposition under
That they will do all
they can we have no doubt; but they
can do little else than make a good
start and they cannot do that unless
they have the assistance and support
of all good citizens who not only desire
the enforcement of the laws of the
land. but who are willing to make
sacrifices to secure the enforcement
of those laws,