The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-03-19
RR1sFoRCR TIE PETITIONS.
The Temperance Movement is Here Il
Stay Until 1t Ends In Victory.

The Temperanca Movement II Here to
, STAY Until 1t Ends In Victory.
, Mr.. EDITOR: Your many readers
throughout the County have been greatly
pleased at your management of the dis
cussion on the prohibition question, with
its especial connection with tho meeting
of our last Legislature, and the actions
! of our Representatives in reference to it.
The article of Messrs. Towers and Smith,
exonerating you from all blame 4and
censure, was all very well, and certainly
sets the matter complained of at rest
but the readers of your paper know full
we'll that you have performed your whole
duty in the premises, and that in it's dis.
cussion you had done nothing more than
your duty as q journalist. From every
| friend of the cause you will receive the
plaudit of "well DONE"
| The reasons assigned for opposition to
the petition, and failure to push it
through, are rather amusing to an out
slider than otherwise. One Representa-
tive says, in the same article in which he
discusses the proper translation and in
terpretason of the Psalms of David,
after speaking of the petitions and their
circulation and signing, that "such an
expression of opinion would not warrant
q Representative man to favor the Bill"
So the petitions we're all right, so far as
their make up and signing was concerned,
but happened to be just little too weak
to warrant this particular Representative
man to favor the measure. This is GER
sainly cool and complimentary to the
twelve hundred and nine petitioners. AS
much as to say, you petitioners ask.to br
allowed BY Law to regulate your own
local affairs, but am a Representative
man, and your prayer is beneath my
notice, and will not even justify me in
fsvoring the Bill. Now, Mr.. Eiitor,
the brazen effrontery of such talk taste, 8
the conviction upon the mind that such
a Representative is the "Representatire
nan" of his own contracted ideas, and
that if he bas any ssupporters in this
matter they exist only in his disordered
imagination.
Again it is said, that in the judgment
of ono of our Representatives, the repeal
of the Local Option Law would be
unwise and inexpedient. Twelve hun.
dred and niue petitioners think not. They
believe if allowed to regulate the matter
for themselves by the votes of the people
they can materially improve that law.
This Representative thinks not, and
therefore ignores the petition. This
sumo Representative, when correspan-
dent criticises his migratory life in search
of Office, says that the correspondent
.certainly did not understand what was
due from one man to another" Aud ]
was inclined to agree and sympathize
with him, but when he serenely sets up
mis- judgment in opposition to the COM
bined judgment Of twelve hundred and
! nine petitioners, and then acts upon his
own, it is certainly clear that he has NO
cJnception of what is due from one man
TO another, or from Representative to
the people whom he represents. The
Local Option Law is not the matter
under discussion, but if it was, much
might be said against it. Under it's
operations the revenue realized from the
sale of whiskey comes principally of of
the people of the country, and goes
entirely to build up interpretations. To
this is added annually very cousidera-
ole amount in the way of fues from the
people of the country, in consequence OF
the use of whiskey. If the people OF
tue country, therefore, bear the burden,
Why not allow them to have saloons at
any and every place in the County they
see proper? To the objection that there
could be no police regulations in the
country to preserve the peace, it may be
we'll answered that men 60 to Anderson
aud become intoxicated, and start fol
home we'll armed with jugs and bottles o.
whiskey to keep up and augment The
intoxication, and though the police may
spot and watch them, yet they manage
to pass the limits of the city, and ther
upon every highway our wives and daugh
ters are subjected to the unmanliness
indeceucy and insults of the intoxicated
both white aud colored. 1t could not bt
much worse if sold every where. But tt
discuss this is not my purpose, and
therefore ask pardon for the DEPRESSION
So far as the Democracy of Anderson
County becoming split and disrupted
upon this question is concerned is, to my
mind, one of the most improbable con
clusi0ns imaginary. The principle whicf
unites and cements us together political
ly is too pure, too full Of devotion Il
home aud country, and the motives
which prompt aud actuate the people tt
: hold and act together are too importan
and grand to admit Of severing by this O
; any similar local question. Neither ar
} the people to be deferred from regulating
their own local affairs BY the vhims ant
croakings of politicians to desist les
they split the party.
This question of prohibition the peo
pie of the. County are going to decide TO
themselves. 1t is one of the coming
events. 1t is like the current of nigh
ty river, grandly moving onward, ant
though fora short time its progress ma!
be impeded. it 10 all the while gathering