The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-11
PLANS ADOPTED BY THE SUMTER
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO
DO AWAY WITH DEADLY
WEAPON.
to President, Heads of
Departments at Washington and
Governors Of States and Commercial
Bodies Throughout the United
States. To be Submitted to Peace
Conference by Dr. Baker.

o6o were InurSudy morning received
by President Taft, President-elect
Wilson, heads Of all of the depart
ments of the government at Wash
ington, governors of all States and
commercial bodies in all of the Unit
ed States Of America
The pistol has long been known far
and wide as deadly weapon and it
is to prevent the shedding of blood
that the resolutions have been so
widely advertised and steps taken to
urge upon the members Of congress
their enactment into a law.
The resolutions provide for the pro-
hibition of the manufacture of pis-
tolls save by the government and
that it shall be unlawful for any per-
son to have or carry a pistol except
men in the United States army
and navy and certain peace officers
during their terms Of office.
The resolutions do not take up the
harm done by the pistol, taking this
as an admitted fact by the public gem
orally, but go straight to what is
deemed remedy for the pistol carry
ing evil. Ten thousand copies Of the
resolution have been printd in circu-
lar form by the Chamber Of Com
merce and will be distributed among
the members of all law making bodies
In the country. They will also be
sent to commercial organizations
throughout the country for them to
adopt, If they see fit to do SO, and
for them to urge upon members of
their State General Assembly and
Congress to take up and enact into
law. The resolutions were brought
s'fso"re TIE asspGter, Chamber. of Com
merce at a meeting several weeks ago
by DR.. S. c. Baker, president of the
body, and were unanimously adopt
d. Since then it has been the wish
of the Chamber of Commerce to have
them disseminated throughout the
country 50 tnal Olner organizations
having influence throughout
the country will take them up and act
on them.
DR.. S. G. Baker, president of the
Sumter Chamber Of Commerce. left
Tuesday evening for st. Augustine,
Florida, where he will tonight intro
duce the resolutions at a preliminary
peace conference preparatory to the
Universal Peace Congress to be held
telegraph the Sumter Chamber of
Commerce the action of this body as
soon as it is made known. Wednesday
DR.. Baker introduced his resolutions
at the annual meeting of the Jack
sonville Chamber of Commerce. The
following telegram was received
Thursday morning in reference to the
matter:
Jacksonville, Fla. Jan. s, 1913.
G. A. Waterman, Secretary Chamber
of Commerce, Sumter, S. c..
Attended the annual meeting and
luncheon of the Jacksonville Board of
Trade. 1t is a fine body of men and
fun of enthusiasm. l got our pistol
resolution before them and their
board of governors will act upon them
later. 1 go to St. Augustine tonight
tSigned) 5. G. Baker"
The resolutions are as follows:
Whereas, 1t is the province OF gov
ernment to safeguard human life, Sc
cure happiness to its people and pro-
mote their prosperity;
Whereas, homicides in certain sec
tions of our country have assumed
alarming proportions, have been
sources of needless grief and sorrow,
and are acting as a serious deterrent
to desirable immigration, to natural
development and to material advance
ment;
Whereas said homcides have been
brought about almost exclusively by
the use of the pistol, an easily conceal
ed weapon;
Whereas the pistol is manufactured
for the sole purpose Of taking human
life or inflicting serious bodily injury,
thereby destroying human happiness
and jeopardzing both moral and ma
tcrial advancement;
Whereas besides thousands Of pri-
vate individuals who have met un-
timely deaths through the agency of
the pistol, three presidents have been
assassinated and the life Of an emf
ncnt citizen attempted while he was
II candidate for the high Office Of
president OF the United states, these
three assassinations and the attempt