The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-05-22

thrill one when he comes to the con-
clusion that he has agreed to some
thing which in it's essence means the
doing of wrong, state Of heart which
in its 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.
"You say that you have no officers
In Charleston who 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
ficers here. but they were merely not
charged with the enforcement Of the
law And If they are here as spies
then wish to say that do not care
to have the office Of the mayoralty
of Charleston, and it's relations with
the office of the governor Of the State,
spied upon. I would rather have you
send constables to Charleston, hav-
Ing the power of the enforcement Of
the law, than to send spies here for
the purpose Of advising you whether
or not 1 am keeping any agreement
which / have made with you.
you say you are not satisfied with
the progress that is being made and
that violators Of the law have not been
impressed with the fact that they
must abandon their illicit business /
have endeavOred to explain to you that
even in the darkest hours Of constab-
ularly travail, through which our poor
old city has been forced to pass, there
never was a time when all of these
violators were so impressed. That
You can drive some OF them out Of
business. 1 myself have demonstrated.
but have shown you that the kind
that are willing to go are, as q rule,
such fugitive characters as have no
foot-hold in the business.
But the same appetites in the peo-
pie, the same demand. if not indeed
an increased demand. for drink re-
mains. and instantly a new crop of
tigers springs up. or the old crop of
seasoned. hardened venturesome, 1
might say desperate, ones remains,
having stood through every assault.
The more the community becomes de-
moralized by even an army OF con-
stables, only the more will you drive
the liquor business down to lower
and more menacing level. But that
you will ever accomplish, by violence,
prol ibition in the city Of Charleston,
esl ~cially by imported violence, is i'm
possible.
You say to me that you have put
this matter In the hands Of the sheriff,
charging him with the enforcement
of the law within the city limits as
well as in the county beyond the city
limits. or course, that is as you
should do if you think judging by re-
suits outside the city that he can ac-
complish any better results in the city
Of Charleston than 1 have accomplish
cd. Section $40 Of the criminal code
reads as follows:
1T shall be the duty of the shcriffs
and their deputies. magistrates, con-
stables, rural police. city and town Of
fcials to enforce the provisions of
this chapter Therefore, you have
simply asked the sheriff to do what he
is Jointly responsible with me for do
ing. OF course. 1 can only assist him
within the limits of the city of Char
lesion. Within the city limits now.
without his assistance considering the
congestion Of our population and the
character o. uraban life. l venture
to say and would be glad to leave it
to vote Of this community. that con-
ditions are now far and away better
than the awful conditions which have
never ceased to exist Just beyond the
city boundary. The same section OF
the Law continues III they fail to do
so (meaning the above officers en-
forcing the law, 1T is hereby made
the duty Of the governor to enforce
the same, and he is hereby authorized
to appoint such deputies, constables
and detectives as may be necessary.
AT the last session OF the legisla-
ture bill was introduced by Senator
Siniler and passed through the senate.
carrying out the principles of your
platform, by leaving to these local