The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-20
MAYOR TO SHUT down LID,
WILL ON MARCH 1 REVIVE RULES
FORMERLY IN FORCE IN
CHARLESTON.
Grace Takes Action Which He Con.
siders Best for Bringing Conditions
Within or Near to Pale of the Law.

Charleston, Feb. 1G.-Mayor John
+. Grace today made public his pro-
gram of municipal law enforcement in
response to a communication from
GOV. Manning, in which the executive
chief Of South Carolina calls the at
tention Of CharlestOns mayor to con-
ditions existing here in alleged VIOLA
ton OF the Law. Accompanying the
program offered by Mayor Grace is
statement to the effect that he believes
II to be a reasonable program. al
though not strictly in accord with the
wishes Of the governor.
Mayor Grace's statement follows:
GOV. Manning has called nv at
tention very sharply to alleged viola
tions Of law in this city, and has
stated that unles drastic step, are
taken at once to stop these violations.
Charleston must be prepared for a
rather strenuous program. l agree
that the law is not fully respected in
many particulars in this community
But Charleston is no worse than any
ether city upon which Odious laws
nave been imposed by those either
misunderstanding or not caring about
cosmopolitan habits and conditions.
Therefore l have made earnest efforts
TO bring the legislature around to q
proper conception Of our problems.
hoping that sensible laws might be
passed which all good citizens can Join
IN obeying and seeing obeyed. I'm
fortunately while we have made q
great impression and much progress
with the legislature now sitting, we
have again failed to get relief. But
the future is full of hope. In the
meantime, and especially now under
the mandates Of Gov. Manning, I feel
It my duty to republish the following
rules, which the police department
Will more vigorously follow, begin
ming March /:
!, Closing of blind tigers at II
kf3ecA&Rd on Sundays. I. 49,. 5.
". The Punishment Of slot ma
chimes and all forms of mechanical
gambling.
.. The closing of turf exchanges
and the prevention of hand books in
that connection.
a. The suppression Of lotteries.
%. The shutting off Of Illuminated
signs which lead to places of Iawless-
ness.
"6. The absolute prevention of H.
quor selling to boys (and especially
those in school uniforms) and to men
when they reach a certain stage of
intoXication.
y. The measurable restriction OF
houses of i'll fame and assignation.
1T will be recalled that these are
practically the rules twice heretoforo
promulgated and sporadically enforc-
ed until by the intervention of COM
pelling influences they were rendered
more or less nugatory. 1 understand
now that it is Gov. Manning's inten-
ton TO prevent henceforth q rcpeti-
ton of those Influences.
Gov Manning is by no means salts
hed with nor docs he accept the rules
above laid down rs a full compliance
with his ideas Of law enforcement
But l have assured him that under
all the circumstances in Charleston if
can carry them out, it will be as
Tar, for the present, as it is humanlv
practicable to go.
"Of course he would like to 500 tho
enforcement in Charleston Of every
law on the statute books. SO would ].
That is Very high ideal, but. like
every Othcr ideal, altogether unattaiu-
able; especially when some OF our
statute law is in downright opposition
10 an almost universal sentiment. |
pelleVe that the minds and hearts Of
~ per cent. Of cur people will Instant
~ accept the foregoing program as
reasonable and therefore enforceable.
which will be a far better condition
to achieve than by any more. extreme
efforts to plunge the whole commun-
ity into state of turmoil ana hone
less Outlawry."