The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-14

throughout the entire State that they
weje State detectives. al their useful
ness was very much impaired-so
much so that both have rendered their
designations and quit the service. or
course, when it became generally
known that these two men were in this
business the violators of the law were
then on the watch for them. thought
then and think now that l was eXcep-
tionally fortunate in getting two such
men 10 do this work. But the comp
troller general set his judgment up
against mine, whose duty it was to
exercise judgment in these matters,
and in open, bold defiance or the law
refused to pay the claims of these
/ men, and refused to pay other claims
for similar service, which claims
should have been paid in his Office.
Why the comptroller general should
have taken such course am at loss
to understand; for I certainly feel that
it was his duty to help me enforce the
law, instead of standing between the
violators of the law and myself, when
| was trying to do my duty. say that
am at a loss to account for his course
i should have modified this ~ say
ing, except upon the theory that he
nas allowed the politicel differences
between us to influence the discharge
Of his public duties, knowing that ne
had at his back partisan attorney
general, who was my pronounced and
bitter personal and political enemy
(and who, by the way, the people of
South Carolina have repudiated and
retired to private life). Setting him
self up as a constitutional lawyer,
backed by the States attorney general,
whose assistance also I should have
had, the comptroller general refused
| to pay these just claims incurred IN
the effort to enforce the law. OF
course, 1 have been charged with and
blamed for non-enforcement of the
law. But I want you to understand
the situation, so that you may know
if the county supervisors and commis
sioners had paid my eonstables, and
the comptroller general had paid my :
detectives, I would have had matters
in very much better shape.
These differences and clashes, gen.
tlemen, have been very unpleasant to
me, for 1 have tried to 90 my duty,
and 1 regret that so much illegal sale
of whiskey is being carried on
throughout our State. I am glad to
say, however, that when I explained
these matters to the people upon the
rostrum they did not blame me, but
endorsed me by re-ele Jig me so,er-S
nor, while some Of those who have op-
posed me were defeated, and others
would have been if good men had piac-
ed themselves in the race and given
the people an opportunity to retire to
private life those who have stood be-
tween blind tigers and the enforce
ment of the law.
If you will pass law giving ME
the right to appoint five men, scattered
in different parts of the State, who
shall receive the $4,000 now appro-
priated for enforcement of law, can
use these men by sending them wher-
ever complaints are made and main
tain much more rigid enforcement of
the law than we have today. How
ever, I want to ask you, if you make
any provision for the appointment Of
constables or State detectives, or if
you provide any appropriation, as
you have been doing, for payment Of
the expense incurred in enforcement
Of the law, that you insert a proviso
making it clearly mandatory that the
comptroller general shall issue his
warrant payable to such parties and
upon such claims as the governor
shall approve, letting him understand
! that he has neither the right tor the
discretion to turn down claims which
are approved by me along this line,
and thus annoy and hinder me, as he
has done during the past 12 months.
Concealed Weapon Law.
1 respectfully recommend that you
repeal the law against carrying wea-
pons, or that you amend it by author
izing the clerk of court Of each county
to license persons making application
! t6 him and I10op pavnoopt of :, foa of