The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-06-27
Asks for Conference With Soil
tors in Columbia on
July Is.
JAIL POPULATION TOO BIG
Plan to Be Effected Whereby
State and County Authorities
Will Cooperate in Law En-
fOrcement.

Columbia, S. c., June 26.-In or
der to perfect a plan for mutual CO.
operation in the enforcement of the
law in South Carolina. complaints of
the violation of which are coming to
him from various parts of the state,
Governor Cooper has addressed a
letter to the sheriffs of the state
calling them together with the four
teen solicitors and foremen Of the va
rious county grand circuits, to meet
with him in the hall OF the house of
representatives here July Is, at
noon. The text of the governors let
ter follows:
Complaints have come to me
from various sections of the state in
dicating that the prohibition law is
being more or less generally violated.
1t appears too, that the Jail popula-
ton of the state is increasing, and
that the homicide record is distress
ingly large.
I'm view Of the facts stated. and
of the additional fact that after July
l, we shall have new situation in
regard to prohibition. I am asking all
the sheriffs, the solicitors, and all
the foremen of grand juries in South
Carolina to meet with me in the hall
of the house of representatives, CO.
lumbia, at noon on the 18th day of
law enforcement.
"As citizen and as a chief ex-
ecutive, l am intensely interested in
the upholding of law. Hence, / am
calling upon you, as the chief ex-
ecutive officer in your county, to
meet with me so that we may effect
some plan for mutual co-operation. I
am convinced that it is necessary for
us to arouse public opinion in order
that we may have the most effective
possible enforcement of our laws, for
as you well know, laws and their en-
forcement are but expressions of the
public's will. 1t seems to me that a
meeting of the sheriffs, the foremen
of the grand juries, the solicitors
and certain others directly interest
ed. will result in much good. We can,
by working together, create n pub
lie sentiment that will hold up the
law breaker as an enemy to society.
1t is also necessary for the state and
county authorities, and for the au
thorities Of the several counties, to
co operate. Isolated effort, while
laudable, is not so effective as a gen
eral effort. Should we all have a
common purpose, then each can in
culcate in his community a whole
some sentiment that will result in
absolute vindication of the laws.
81 hope you will be able to attend
foremen OF your grand jury of the
meeting, and urge him, and any 9th
ers you care to designate to be pres
ent. The states welfare depends
upon the security and happiness of
its individual citizens. and the secu-
rity and happiness of its citizens de-
pends upon the enforcement OF law
Your task is not an easy one, but you
can make II much easier, and make
the results of your efforts far more
satisfactory, If you can effect a gen.
eral demand among your constitu-
ents for the eradication of the men
who strike at the very roots of our
social system by defying the laws VIC
have made.
II shall be glad to have any sug-
gestions you care to make, either
in writing before the conference or
verbally in the meeting"