The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-04-24
What's the Matter With Bamberg:

Columbia, S. c., April II, 1913.
The Bamberg Herald, Bamberg, S. c..
Dear Herald: Viewed from a dis
tance, there seems to be something
radically wrong in Bamberg. | have
been much interested in the nomina-
tions for your councilmen and noticed
| them, one after another-men who
are the very blood and sinew of your
town-decline to serve. There must
be a cause. What is it? Knowing
the men whose names have been
brought forward as do | can not be-
lieve their reluctance is due in any
measure to selfshness, nor is it due
to the lack of patriotism. In the
past these same men have given of
their time and services unselflshly,
but now that the town needs them
more that at any period within my
memory their reluctance to serve
amounts almost to Indifference. |
wonder if it has occurred to you that
the situation is serious one and
whether you have formed an opinion
as to it's cause.
If one who first saw the light with
in the confines of your town and who
still feels an interest in it's welfare
might be so bold as to hazard a sur
mise, this would be the burden of it:
the lack of individual interest among
the citizenship of your town who nev-
er offer for public Office. You must
have team work if you expect your
town to progress along any line and
particularly in its municipal affairs,
and unless every officer has the hear
| ty cooperation of every law-abidlng
citizen you need never expect con-
tinued sacrifice on the part of those
who have in times past shouldered
the burden of your city's government.
| You have seen it, so have |, when a
man permits himself to be placed in a
position to serve his town, no sooner
has he taken the oath of office than
every visible support is withdrawn
and he is left alone to fight his battle
singlehanded, and when he fails in
the accomplishment of miracles in his
administration he receives the jeers
instead of the plaudits of the people.
There are in your town many good
people who earnestly desire the put
ting down of crime, particularly in the
forms of illicit sale of intoxicating
liquors and pistol toting-the two
of which run neck and neck in their
race for supremacy there and the
two things most responsible for the
numerous homicides of the past
who would sooner suffer the loss of
right arm than openly participate
in either crime, yet the crime they
commit in standing quietly by and
withholding their support which
properly belongs to those in charge
of the administration of the laws of
your town is no less than that of the
booze seller or the gun man.
This, my dear sir, is one cause of
the indifference displayed by the men
of your town in public affairs. Can
any man of Bamberg afford to do his
duty fully, conscientiously? That
question confronts every man who
Offers for the public's service, and he
need go no further back than the
present to get his answer. No. His
daily bread in many instances de-
pends upon the good will of his neigh
bors. Can he afford to offend them
by melting out justice to offenders?
Here is an illustrations: John Smith
is in the service of Mr.. Moneybags,
his services are valuable because he
produces money for his employer,
he violates the law and is taken into
the tolls and is punished. Does Mr..
Money DdSS upllOlu lue OlllCSl o1o
commend him for his vigilance? 1t
is safe to say no. He is rather criti-
cised for over-zealousness and the
just punishment imposed upon the
offender is but a persecution, in the
eyes of Mr.. Moneybags. 1t is not
right; nor is it just. Justice is that
which we wish for our fe1toWmen
but we will have none of it ourselves,
otherwise more of us would be in the
tolls. These are the things which
confront your people and it is no
wonder that they hesitate before
entering the lists. If you would
have town to be proud of let every
man who believes in the right become
an integral part of the machine as
sembled for the purpose of stamping
out lawlessness and all pull together.
WILLIAM G. PATRICK.