The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-05-21
= following is letter sent by
anning to Mayor Grace last Sat

B'My Dear Sir: In regard to the sup
preston of the sale of liquor in Char
yleston since January 19. last, you are,
entitled to whatever credit there is;
likewise you are responsible if the law
has not been enforced in tie city, as
you have had entire charge Of the sit
uation there up to this time, l nave
had no officers in Charleston who have
taken any part in the enforcement OF
the law. You have mad full rein.
"On an examination of the situation,
however, / am not satisfied with the
progress that is being made, nor have
the violators of the law been impressed
with the fact that they must abandon
their illicit business. They seem to
have no fear of results and produce
more liquor for sale Immediately after
the raiding squad has departed.
'I think it best, therefore, without
in any way interfering with or stop
ping your work or relieving you Of the
responsibility of enforcing the law
within your city to put other agencies
at work as well. l am now calling On
the sheriff and charging MIN also with
the enforcement of the law within the
city limits as we'll as in the county
beyond the city limits.
'It would make this undertaking
far more effective if you as mayor and
the sheriff could cooperate in Uais
work.
ts'I am, very truly yours,
(Signed) Richard I. Manning,
Governor"
The Mayors Reply.
Mayor Grace on Tuesday wrote the
following reply to the governors latest
letter on the liquor situation:
t'May 1S, 1915.
''Hon. Richard I. Manning, Governor,
Columbia, S. C.
'1My Dear Sir: I beg to acknowl-
edge receipt of your letter of May 10,
which came to me by special delivery
on tie night of May II.
'I thank you for saying that ] am
entitled to whatever credit there is
for the Suppression of the sale Of
liquor in Charleston since January 19
last but at the same time, wishing to
render credit where credit is due, I
beg to say that I have been greatly
stimulated in this matter by you, and
the lines which I have followed are in
great measure due to your initiative.
These particular lines must again
insist are not precisely the ones which
I would follow if left entirely to my
own devices; nor do believe, If they
are carried out to an extent beyond
w:icn I have been reluctant to go, even
at your suggestion, that is to say, WITH
relentlessness of raiding which
nigh indeed terrorize law-breakers,
that such reign of terror would be
the best thing for our community.
would personally prefer middle
course, again l will say not as mat
ter of condonement of law breaking,
but for the achievement of reasonable
results, results aighly comparable with
the results attained in every other sea-
port city even where theoretically
there is absolute prohibition; such,
for instance, as Savannah. will not
again anumerate the plan chich we
had agreed upon, but which, for some
reason, after ten days from your full
notice of their public announcement,
made in accordance with your wishes,
you rescinded. Having honestly chang
ed your mind, am sure you acted only
upon such conscientious motives as
thrill one when he comes to the con-
clusion that he has agreed to some
thing which in its essence means the
doing of wrong, state of heart which
in it's troubles drives one back until
he puts aside all question of mere
practical results, all question OF sor-
did politics until he returns to the
mountain top Of pure and unadul-
terated righteousness.
Object to "spies."
"You say that you have no officers
in Charleston VITO have taken any
part in the enforcement of the law
This statement, even in the absence
of rumors, is pregnant of the sug-
gestion that you have indeed had Of
GERS here, but they were merely not
charged with the enforcement Of the
law And if they are here as spies,
then I wish to say that 1 do not care
to have the Office of the mayoralty of
Charleston, in its relations with the
Office of the governor of the State,
spied upon. I would rather have you
send constables to Charleston, having