The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-22


% In 1850 and the True soutkron in
1sss Ths watchman and Southron
sow has the combined circulation and
ho>eDcs CT both OF the old papers.
asN n manifestly the best advertising
u1stSum In Sumter.
- The Sumter Plan" of city govern
nent Is destined to attract as much
attention and become as famous as
ahe Galveston OF DesMoines plans.
And this has an advertising value that
~ hard to estimate.
The three men who constitute the
city council Of Sumter for the next
six years will become known from one
end OF America to the other-favor-
ably IL the demonstration that business
methods can be successfully applied
to the government Of a town OF TO-
400 population. otherwise IL the sys-
esm should not measure up to ex-
1eetations. The plan Is theoretically
correct and the system Is designed for
sniciency-it all depends upon the
men In control.
We regret that lack of space and
the press OF other news matters
makes IL impossible to print in full
the testimony taken In Charleston by
the legislative investigating commit
tee In the matter Of the graft and
blind tiger charges made by Mayor
Grace. The testimony of a number
OF Mind tiger dealers establishes be-
ycnd doubt that they have been pay
ms stated sums each month for pro-
tectian and that so long as they paid
regularly they were not raided. ex-
csptfas a matter Of form. their places
were not searched and their stocks
Sf Equor were not seized. One blind
nsor swore tha. he paid some ~ toe
rncnthiy instailments ot rr-ft diccct-
~ 20 Constable St"tnart bat The ma
prity swofe tha, IA, sG&.t money was
Regularly collected by the wholesale
nquor dealers. who framed up the
Epff protection with the authorities.
rvO, OF the constables swore that they
wsresuvt permitted to seife the liquor
Of. the. wholesalers. even when they
aw 1t being hauled through the
streets o,ssy after lay. Conditions are
certainly In a mess and the fact that
bind tissrism Is rampant in Char
lesion has been established by the
sworn testimony of the tigers them
selves also the fact that Mayor Grace
ossS orsn tognizant OF the fact since
long before his election; and also that
Gov. Blease knew what was going on
and that he was on intimate terms
ers. who furnished the tigers with
liquor. collected the graft money and
arranged for their protection and that
ne sustained the grating constable
ease aga,nst Charleston. the con-
stables. Wholesale liquor dealers.
tgers, police. himself and Gov. Blease.
We are not acquainted with the de-
sails 81 the petition Of the Bank Of
Sumter that city Council grant the
bank the right To- uss several inches
Of the sidcwalk-city property--in
the erection Of the new bank build
ing. said several inches Ia he used
permanently by the bank. but. on
he face Of the matter. II H. our opin-
Ion that the majority OF council In
granting the request has established
q very dangerous precedent. 1t Is an
alienation Of city property for pri-
vate use, and the next request may
DC for several feet. instead Of inches.
and the reasons In support Of the
next request may be as strong and
veil founded as those given In sup
port of the request of the Bank OF
Sumter.
Gov. Blcase had one Jealous friend
AZ the Bishopville meeting. Police
man darwick. who vaultcd ON the
stand and laid his hand ON Judge
Jones arm. but was Informed by
Chairman Baker that his services
sere not needed or wanted. Is the
same R. VI. Barwick. who killed ne
xro at PincwOod some years ago. was
sried and convicted and subseuucnt-