The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-09-29

| wiohS we need hrst a proper con-
ceptlon in the minds of the people.
We must have men who will testify
jury that will convict and a Judge
who will pass sentence.
The grand jury must have evidence
and must decide on the evidence. The
petit juries usually do their duty,
but they must have testimony. Guilt
must be proven by testimony. The
Magistrate must have evidence be-
fore he can bind case over to court.
There must be someone to come in
and testify before the courts can be
set In operation. 1t goes back to the
people. If you people haven't got
moral courage enough to testify to
what you know to be true before the
Magistrate, before the grand Jury
and In court how do you expect the
law to be enforced?
Why even after an officer has gone
to great pains, much labor and even
risk of life, spending a whole night in
the woods getting evidence against
criminals, some people attempt to
have the case thrown out of court.
They bring influence to bear upon
the officers, the prosecuting attor-
ney, the jury and even after convic-
ton come to the judge, bringing the
women and children in the endcavor
to get a light sentence and have that
suspended,
l have in mind the case of a man
who had sold liquor for ten years,
debranding the youth of the communi-
ty and causing untold misery. He
was convicted and a delegation CT
leading citizens waited on tho Judge
and plead Cor him. He was a good
citizen they said and this was the
hrst time he hal o~cn caught. They
requested light fine that they might
pay for him. They wanted to neutra-
lie that conviction. They were lead
ing citizens. Do you think there is
any hope for that communityo God
pity any community where the lead
ing men want that kind of law en-
fo-cement,
You wont have any better govern
ment than you want.
Every solicitor is frequently dis
gusted at the end of trial to hear
some say "Why, could have told you
SO and So" Well why didn't you?
The fault is not with the law, the
courts or the jury, but the people.
There is no need to get fanatical
about the crime wave. We are res
ponsible for what we have now. 1t is
the product of Our own conduct and
ideals.
We permit the conditions to exist
that produce crime. Often the par
ents or neishbors are so much to
blame for the crime of a certain
youth that they and not the youth
ought to receive the sentence. We
reap what we sow. If you bring up
your family in an atmosphere of vice
and crime what can you expect? We
are all under the operation of the
moral law.
idleness and the desire for stimu-
lants are two leading characteristics
OF the criminal, The maker of illicit
liquor is seldom a man of industry.
And about rs per cent. of all crime
is traceable to liquor. The history OF
our race is strewn with broken bodies,
with sorrow, grief, desolation, des-
troyed talents and ruined minds: the
jails, the penitenutiaries are filled
with direlects and all tlaceable di-
rectly to this damnable stuff.
What about your boy? Do you
want him I'd be subject to the temp
tation? Do you want him to grow up
in this environment thinking it is all
right to make, sell and drink liquor
The men who make and sell this
stuff are the greatest enemies we
have In the State.
We must suppess this lawless crowd
who care nothing for society or gov
ernment, for your son or daughter,
but only rejoice in the financial gain
of their occupation.
1t is no more law-but men we
need,
. Occasionally men will whisper
evidence in the ear of solicitor and
then say, "But don't use my namep
l do not believe that every citizen
should constitute himself detective,
but he should have the courage to
come into court and testify to what
he knows about the wrong doors.
Now there is not much hope of i'm
proving q mans character after he
is settled. The best the law and the
courts can do for him is to keep him
down by punishment. Our hope is in
the younger generation. 1t is for the
young men and women, whose char
acters are yet uniformed that / plead.
you, Mr.. Foreman and men of the