The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-06-14
Wants to License Pistol Carrying.
Goshen Hill, S. C.


To the Voters of Union County:
The time has come, the age is here
and everything is ripe for change in
some of the laws in this State, too
numerous to mention. The time has
come when we want to send from this
county set of Representatives that
are representative business men (no
allusion to present delegation). We
don't want representative lawyer, a
representative doctor or a represent
ative professional man just because
he is a professional man. But we
want a representative self-made bust
ness man to represent Union county
in the legislature. We want fewer
laws and better enforcement of laws;
and to get this, my dear voters, vote
for self-made representative business
men who will go to the legislature and
make laws from a business stand
point, and not a political standpoint,
and when you do that we will have
fewer laws, better laws and laws bet
ter enforced. There is one law on the
statute books that l beg to call your
attention to, that 1 look upon as a
farce and a mock of civilization. This
law referred to is the concealed
weapon law of this State. This law
was mostly enacted by the lawyers of
the legislature; why? Because it
creates litigation; which gives money
to the lawyers of this State.
That one law principally runs the
courts. That law takes from many
a man his life. 1t takes freedom from
target for the concealed weapon
law to shoot at This law robs the
women and children of their loved
ones; it makes many sad homes, many
vacant chairs and fills many graves
1t costs the taxpayers of this State
dollars upon dollars just by being
broken by people principally that are
not taxpayers only to small extent.
Now l want to suggest a remedy
for this cause land beg of you voters
of this county to come to a cross and
support a delegation for the legisla-
ture that will try and get the remedy
suggested passed as law. The reme-
dy want is as follows:
First to repeal the present concealed
weapon law, and all that pertains to
same.
Second, enact weapon law, or a
pistol law, giving any man a right to
carry pistol by paying license to
do SO, yearly license tax. And
don't have any provisions in this bill
either, generating sheriffs, deputies,
police or any other officers.
Let this law apply to everybody
alike. Make the license $4,000 year;
$1,000 of said license to go to public
schools; $1,000 to good roads. By
having a law of this kind, we will cut
out that class of people from carrying
pistols not for a protection but for
carrying same to violate the law; and
who run the courts at the expense
of the taxpayers who, a majority,
never see a pistol only in the pos
session of other people. You take
this county and Newberry county, as
I am familiar with them, and you in
vestiate the crime of both and you
will see that the courts are principally
run by negro pistol "toters", who
pay $1.0O poll, at the expense of the
white taxpayers. I for one, want
this cut out, and will promise my
assistance to remedy this evil.
To the candidates for the Legisla-
ture:
How do you stand along this line3
Come out and express yourselves right
here as to this law being changed. I
don't want to put you all in an embar-
RAISING position on the stump when
the campaign opens, but we voters are
going to fight for tfe enas tnent Of
this law, and want to know just how
you stand before we send you to the
Legislature.
have another law I want remedied
in this county. I will let you hear
from me again before the campaign
opens. Respectfully,
B. S. Hardy.