The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-13
Let us Have Prohibition in South
s. Carolina.

The time has at Inst arrived when the
great question of prohibition can be dis
scnssed with impunity, and without any
danger of the government. Prior to '76
the better element of the State having
no influence with the government of the
State, considered it useless to agitate the
question. After, the great struggle of 76,
when the people got into power, we were
then afraid to agitate the question lest it
might result in asplit in the party and
the overthrow of the new government.
Year after year the Democratic majority
has increased and strengthened, until to-
day, when it is safe to say that any ques:
ton can be agitated without detriment
or danger to the government, and no
better time will come=fera q final settle.
ment Of the question of prohibition for
South Carolina. We do not propose 10.
enter into discussion Of the subject at
this time, but will say that henceforth
our paper will be found q strenuous
advocate of prohibition, and that moth
ing will be left undone that can In any
way induce the Legislators of the Pee
Dee section, at.least, to raise the question
and fight for prohibition at the next
session of the Legislature. To the editors
of newspapers in the various counties OF
the State, who; control, to a great extent,
public opinion in your section, we ask
your cooperation in the work, referring
You to our own county, Marlboro, where
we have had prohibition for a number OF
years, as an evidence of the. great results
therefrom. Several years ago at almost
every cross. road in the county, a whiskey
den was established, and our entire
county was constantly in a state of up
roar and confusion. Farms were neglect
ed, homes; wives and children were
neglected, business Of every kind ives
neglected, to say nothing of the fights,
murders, thefts, &C., &C., that were COM
mitted. So great was the evil that even
Republican, County Commissioners de.
cided to stop its sale, and accordingly
did SO. Since the sale of whiskey was
stopped our county has risen far above
her sister counties in point of agriculture,
and more sober, steady, industrious
people than ours, inhabit no county. A
great many will say that if man wants
swhiskey he will buy it tanyhow. He will
send for It to the nearest town where it
sis sold. While a few will do this, those
on whom the clutches of the monster are
already irremediable fixed, yet in the
majority Of Instances, rather than 60 to
the trouble Of ordering they prefer to do
without it. There are score of men in
Marlboro County to.day-good men, and
in many instances members ofthe church,
who owe their very honor to prohibition
in their. county. In other words there
are men who wish to live sober. honor
able lives, and would do so as long as
whiskey is kept out of their way, but
why in former years, having allowed the
habit.to grow upon them, are powerless
even vet. to resist its influence when
brought in contact with it. There are
others who advance the theory that it
will take money from the State that
should be kept here. For Heavens sake,
can there be man so dead in apprecia-
ton of human life and honor as to think
for moment that the small amount of
money sent from the State for whiskey
could In any degree counterbalance the
! lives and morals of our boys and young
men which are annually sacrificed under
the deadly influence of the evil placed at
their very doors? We cannot think so.
Let our representatives begin to ponder
this great and important question, resting
assured that the man who introduces and
successfully passes the bill will immor-
talize himself not with the shallow glory
of the ordinary statesman or politician,
but with eternal laurels, composed of the
thanks aud praise of weeping and des'
pairing mothers, wives, sisters. and the
suffering children of our country.-Marl'
Joro Chronicle.