Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-06-23
Law and Order.

When the circuit judges and the
newspapers run out of anything else
to talk about they generally give at
tention to the so-called "crime wave,
and the necessity for more strict en-
forcement of law.
There is a lot of law and order talk
going out at the present time, the said
talk being promised mainly on the as
sumption that the so-called CRIME
wave is running with such unusual
violence as to be a menace to the pres
eat and future well-being of society.
The commoncst explanation or the
so-callcd crime wave is that it is in
the nature of a kind Of back wash OF
the generalization that necessarily de-
veloped out Of and by reason of the
war.
One of the questions that arises in
connection with the whole subject is,
are we really honest about 1t, or are
we just talking to have something 10
talk about?
So far as The Yorkville Enquirer is.
concerned, it does not believe that the
so-called crime wave is running any
higher at the present time than 1t has,
run at other tines before the war, nor
does it believe tii;,t there is any more
laxity in enforcing the law than there
has always been.
But that there IS too much laXity In
enforcing the law everybody knows.
There are some who are not willing to
make free admission; but all the same
they know 1t.
And If we would be really honest
with ourselves in seeking for the rea-
son why the law is not enforced as 1t
should be. we would have to confess
that it is because we have not as much
regard for the law as we ought to
have, especially in its application to
ourselves.
II is common to see men who will
take almost any risk that will enable
them to enjoy especial privileges that
are not sanctioned by law, and as
rule it is these very people who are
usually most impatient when they see
those special and unwarranted privi-
leges exercised by other people.
Then again in South Carolina, the
law is rather too much within the con-
troll of the lawyers. The aim of the
lawyer is to prevail for his client rath-
or than to vindicate his client, and on
this account many guilty defendant
goes free where he should be punished.
And because it is wrong, the public
can never be reconciled to a system
which, to all intents and purposes
make Justice a matter of barter ana
sale-a personal prerequisite.
Regardless of all that may be said OF
crime waves being in the nature Oh
backwash from war decentralization
and other such buncombe, thoughtful
people will not be deceived. The only
remedy for disopedlence to law is pun
ishment. That was the remedy that
the Almighty prescribed in the case Of
Adam, and it has been the accepted
remedy all down the ages till now.
Neglect to mete out proper punish
ment for disregard of law has always
brought confusion to those guilty OF
such neglect, whether it be in the Gas
of a parent neglecting his or her duty
to the children, or government neg
lecting it's duty toward its citizens, and
from all the experiences Of the past
there is no reason to look for any
change of this law, in the future.
If country would enjoy security TO
life, liberty and property with peace
and prosperity that always follows
lsuch a condition, it must not only nave
a code of wholesome laws, but 1t must
enforce those laws against all violators
with unquestionable integrity and in
justice and mercy.