Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-06-18
Graee and BleaSo,


interest that attaches we are repro
ducing an editorial article by Mayor
Grace of Charleston from his paper
Common Sense, and if we were able
we would like to offer such comments
as would assist in a comprehensive
consideration of the whole matter; but
as a matter of truth we will have to
confess that we are very much In the
dark ourselves.
While we insist that we have no par
tisan interest in the quarrel between
Mayor Grace and Governor Blease, the
first question that presented itself al
ter a reading Of the attack was some-
what in this shape: Well, even If 1t be
a fact that Governor Blease is getting
graft out of Charleston, what Is the
motive behind Mayors Grace's attempt
at exposure, and why has the mayor
restrained himself until this time and
why is he becoming so aggressive now?
AS to what the exact truth Is we
can only guess; but basing our spec
ulation upon the common knowledge OF
existing conditions in Charleston, TAX
en- in connection with some things that
Mayor Grace does not say In his arti-
Gle, we are beginning to suspect the
source of the trouble between Mayor
Grace and Governor Blease.
Be it remembered that the governor
is the highest executive in the state
and that the mayor of Charleston Is
the next highest. Back in the old
days, Charleston people considered the
governor an unnecessary figurehead
who did not concern them except as
an honored guest at social functions.
The mayor and council ran local gov
ernment practically without let or him
drance, and they were not disposed to
change their ways even upon the in
auguration of the dispensary law. 1t
will be remembered that notwith-
standing the legal abolition Of saloons
the liquor business was continued as
of old, and even grand juries would
not return true bills for violation of
the liquor law. The illicit liquor deal
ers with the entire sympathy of the
local authorities, including the police,
led Governor Tillman and his cOnsta-
bles merry chase and it was not un-
til the Inauguration Of the metropoli-
tan police system by Governor John
Gary Evans that the municipal au-
thorities began to take notice. In the
course of time, however, this system
brought the Charleston folks to their
senses, and they were glad to come up
with a promise to be good if only con-
troll of the police force should be re-
stored.
1t would be too much to say that the
conditions of that old agreement un-
der which the metropolitan police law
was changed was fully complied with;
but it Is a fact, nevertheless, that the
city executive and the state executive
got closer and closer together until at
last there was very little conflict as to
which jurisdiction different kinds of
game belonged to.
How it is now, we do not know; but
for a long time it was so that con-
stables did not interfere with the til
gers at all, but confined their efforts
mainly to seizing contraband in trans
portation. The police did not bother
the tigers except periodically when
they collected fines which amounted in
reality to license tax, and If we are
not mistaken that is the system in
operation at the present time.
Under the existing laws, there are
three classes of police officers operat-
ing in Charleston county. l. The city
police, under the direct authority
the mayor and who report to him
alone. 2.-The rural police, who re-
port to the sheriff of the county and,
3. The liquor constables who report to
the governor All of these policemen
are supposed to have full power and
authority for the suppression of vio-
lations of the liquor traffic." and to ex-
ercise the same unless otherwise in
structed
In his article Mayor Grace charges
that the governor is receiving graft
exemption money from tigers through
his constables and insnuates that
Sheriff Martin is receiving graft or ex-
emption money from tigers through
the rural police, but there is of course
no intimation that anybody is receir-
ing graft or exemption money from
hundreds of tigers through the city
police.
AS was said in the beginning we
nave no partisan interest in this
ter. If anybody Is grating we hope
the fact will be fully established, and
this applies to all as well as one.
- The senate Sati1rda,r