The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-06-05

road his fond hope must travel, but
fails to use the ordinary care OF a
parent who Will thank God fsilIs son
turns out to be plain,1honest man.
what .isjti1e result? A spoiled child
whose Wish is law. whose Woro IS
truth regardless, whose brothers and
sisters, mother and father must give
way to. for they have no rights en-
cent as the spoiled one sees fit to
lorant or permit. In the end we have
Zone who is not fit to be hanged, ex-
cept as a riddance Of menace to So
cie+v Thus council, having fathered
tbe municipal ownership of the light
ing plant and its management. evi-.
aently is determined not to listen to
any lust complaint, as they have clos
t ed their ears: they will not see. as
fbev have shut their eyes; but I re-.
! fuse to be silenced and if the public.
whose rights, are at stake. will join
| their voices in protest with mine, we
will compel them to unstuff their ears
and open their eyes for they are only
human like ourselves, and it isfsimpiy
mater of endurance and persver-
anee sas To who will eventually win.
eternal vigilance IS the price Of lib-
a:ty: silence means slavery.
I che: :enge council to summon the
persons named in my letter, even
though they have to resort to sub
poRea to get their atteT1dance. If
they do this. 7 have no fear of my
contentious being unproven, or will
ingly shall serve as the butt of pub
| lie ridicule. They. have nothing to
lose. but everything to. gain; for. at
least, they shall partly restore them
selves in the public confidence. where
as, # they fail. they will not only lose
public confidence but convict their pet
baby Of the crimes .cEarged-the baby
whom the majority Of council claims
to believe innocent. II the grand
jury were only to read the warrant
sworn out on information and accept
the statements Of the defendant as
true. refusing to summon witnesses
whom they We're informed could give
material evidence Gas council did in
this instance4. how many cases would
cur distinguished Mayer have had the
privilege Of defending in the upper
court? I hear you say, 'sNone,"" and J
agree with you. The public would
then be spared the expense Of build
ing and maintaining jails, but would,
that be a good policy? II one of
three judges trying a case, knowing
that the witnesses had to testify uf-
der oath and that the name: Of a re-
spectacle citizen was suggested as one
who. should be summoned. said Wit
2ess having at one time; been in the
employ of the defendant and after
ward having resigned and started an
other Business. if this one of the three
Judges should say, as Mr.. McCallum
IS credited with saying in the extract
from the minutes as given below.
would you, not say the judge had
practically said that he would not be-
sieve that witness under oath or that
he, the judge, did not want the truth
20 come out? WouId-you not also be
justified in saying that is what Alder
man McCaIlum Implied after you
have read the following certified ex-
tract from the. minutes of the meet
ing of The so called. complete investi-=
igationS
Extract From Minutes:
5. Mr.. NcCALLIJM: So far as Mr.
Moses is concerned. / am wiling to -
saw he is willing to come up and
knock the plant and management
and everybody conr ected with it.
y am satisfied he will come up and
knock it in every way he can.
don't see where it will get us any
where.
(The forging constitutes cor
rect transcript Of the notes OF eN-
tracts of the proceedings before
Il the City Council on May 25th, as
reported by me then. (Signed)
L. E. Wood. stenosrapher
You will notice that the part refer
ring to Mr. Moses was omitted from
the minutes as published. Evident.
,,v someon realized that he had gone.
too far and purged it from the copy
furnished to the paper. I know many
citizens besides myself who VIII ac-7
oept any statement that Mr.. Moses as
serts to be true without requiring him
to swear to it.
Do you not think, after reading the
above, that the city would be benefit.
ed by another resignation?
+ regret that am forced to call the
above to the public's notice, but the
public as well as I were given such,
Ia raw deal in the so-called complete
investigation" that I feel that justice
requires me to use any legitimate
means of compelling proper hearing.
The statement is part Of the record
and was heard by those present at the
very, partial hearing.
In conclusion. wish to say that
nothing herein contained is prompted
by malice or desire for revenge. nor
is it writteen in heat or passion. I
started this letter two nights after the
hearing, writing a little each night. I
have tried to make it as. mild As it is
possible with my limited qnalifica-
tons, and 1 wish no one to take Der
sonal offense The only l. motive
prompting ne is fight for what be-
lieve to be the vital principle Of "a
\ L.. ~