The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-24

costs, We will let you out. The ne
gro goes out OF your farm right over
to another man, borroWs the money
to pay this mortgage, and binds him
self up under contract to work for
that other man next year. And the
magistrate, in open violation OF the
law, uses the criminal part OF his
court as a collecting agency, puts
part of the money in his pocket, and
is threatening to ruin the labor of this
country.
The Man Higher Up.
Now, gentlemen of the general as
sembly, We fuss about law and order.
Why, l saw men up here last summer
hollering, Law and Oredr," yelling
for Law and Order" and "We must
redeem South Carolina" and l saw
some of those same men down here at
the State Fair drinking liquor and
mixing it with coca cola, and betting
on horse racing. Who is going to re-
deem them? Redeem South Carolina!
She is ruined! Shut up the Charleston
horse races and slipping down here
under stand drinking liquor and coca
cola, and slipping up to a fellow back
ed up against the fence with little
box in his hand, and slipping out
tickets to bet On the horse races! Do
you call that not gambling? Oh, gen
tlemen, let US also get to those higher
up. Here is a section of your statutes
tnat IS being daily violated-and
would like to ask if anybody in this
house is violating it-of course do
not expect an answer:
'It shall be unlawful for any person
to assume the duties of any public Of
fee until he has taken the oath pro-
vided by the constitution, and been
regularly commissioned by the COVER
nor. The term public officers" shall
be construed to mean all officers Of
the State that have heretofore been
commissiond, the trustees of the va
rious colleges of the State, members
of various State boards, and other per-
sons whose duties are defined by
law"
Are there any men serving in Office
in South Carolina today as trustees
of colleges, or on other boards, who
are not serving under commission?
If so, gentlemen, they are violating
that section of your statutes-section
535-and it is the duty of the attor-
ney general tA prosecute them. There
is mo punishment provided in that
section, but the general statutes pro-
vide that where no punishment is pro-
vided, the judge shall impose such
punishment as he sees fit. Now, gen
tlemen, if you want to go lower down
to sustain the law, let the man higher
up sustain it.
The Primary System.
Much has been said about primary
elections. do not propose to discuss
this question very far. When the pri-
mary started last summer I offered a
reward of one hundred dollars each
for the first five convictions Of men
violating the election laws-that is,
betting On the elections, or trying to
use money, whiskey or, intimidation
in the elections. Notwithstanding all
these charges of fraud from the State
executive committee, Notwithstanding
this committees running to Spartan
burg and Greenville and other places,
not a single man has come and said,
'FI want one of those $100 rewards" !"
No, gentlemen, and we'll they may not
come. That is enough. 1 did what
could to prevent violations of the cleo
ton laws and for a fair election I
stand on record in this house and in
your senate pleading for a free and
fair election. I stand on record as
member of the State Board of Canvas
sers of South Carolina as being the
only man voting for a resolution de-
manding it. There sits in this as
sesnblage today a distinguished ex-
attorney general of South Carolina,
who was a member OF that board, and
who would have voted with me, but
illness called him to his home. MY
actions were so fine on that occasion
that even my distinguished friends,
the Cuban mixed-breeds, paid me a
compliment. And yet they holler
fraud in the primary. wish you
would appoint committee to investi-
gate that fraud, and let me come be-
foro # on0 1et me- send Won some wit