The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-02
llW TO SUPPRESS VICE.
rROPERTY OWNERS HELD RE-
. sFONsIBLE IN ABATEMENT
". LAW.
New Injunction and Abatement Law
rpsscd by Last Legislature Strikes
- Roots OF Comnercializcd Vice.

Quires property to conduct ita busi-
ness- Criminal law Furnishes the in
dividual offender only--and the bus
iness continues. But the Injunction
and abatement law. passed by the
general assembly of South Carolina
at its recent session and signed by
Gov. Manning on February 10Th.
strikes at the very roots OF CONNER
cIaiiscd vice by holding the owner of
the property responsible for the uses
TO which his property Is put. and
penalties him for permitting 1t to be
used for prostitution.
Although houses OF prostitution
have long been considered nuisances
under our laws. no permanently eff
fective method OF suppressirg them
has been In force until the enact
rnent OF the injunction and abatemen'
law A dlsordsrly resort might be
rafded and its inmates brought be-
fore the police court; but the busi-
nsss Of prostitution went on In the
house the next night just the same
and the owner OF the premises con-
tinued to receive swollen rentals from
the profits OF the vicious business.
Perhaps-but not likely-he was
ignorant OF where the profits came
from. As long as the rents came in
regularly. he took them in and
asked no questions. He didn't need
to know; II made no difference to
, him.
But the new law makes II a mat
ter Of vital Importance to the prop
erty owner to know whether or not
his premises are being used for i'm
moral purposes. He is made respon-
siblo for prostitution on his premises.
and is severely punished IL he fails
to accept his responsibility. The fact
that ne doesn't know is no excuse; II
ID his business to know. ''whosoever
snail own any building
erection or place used for the pur-
pose Of lewdness. assignation or pros
titntion In the State of South Caro-
lima is guilty OF a nuisance" Not only
must the property owner select his
tenants with care. but under the law
he 10 responsible for the use which
they make OF his property.
With equal directness the new law
strikes at that second stronghold of
conmsrciaiixed prostitution. the toll
erance or negligence OF public on
cials. II Is no longer necessary to
walt for the lax Official to act. The
private citizen can act himself.
Hitherto the citizen has been un-
able to apply for an injunction against
a disorderly house unless his own
property was being injured by the
operation of the resort. Unless he
could prove that he had suffered
special damages as an individual in
addition to the general damages
which he suffered In common with
every other citizen In the community.
he had no right to enjoin the con-
tinuance OF the nuisance. And often
II was no easy matter to prove this
additional injury to his own property.
Furthermore. there was the heavy
cost Of instituting legal proceedings,
With the delays. evasions and other
time-killins devices possible under
the criminal laws. The result was
that no ready means of redress ex-
isted In cities where the officials
were not disposed to act.
But the injunction and abatement
law sweeps away these difficulties.
Any private citizen. as well as a pub.
Ito oficiai, may institute abatement
proceedings against n house OF pros
u'o''on without having to prove in
dividual property damage TO himself.
Upon proof OF the existence OF n
nuisance-and the general reputation
OF the place is declared competent as
s''aence-a permanent injunction is
issued against It's continuance. the
hxtnres and furniture are removed
from the building and sold. and tho
premises are closed for one year un-
less the owner gives bond TO insure
the lawful use of his property in the
future.
Thus the Injunction and abateme,,
law has an educational value in tbo,
IL places the responsibility upon tho
owner Of the property. Tn states
where the law has been in operation
for some time II has been found that
property owners begin to help rather
than to hinder the elimination Of
prostitution. They feel the work,rss