The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-08-10
PROHIBITIONS PLEA.
Address Issued by State Chairman Ohilds

L 1hVx4xoAA4V4NS ~ - A<AAs
Address Issued by State Chairman Childs.
The State Prohibition Executive Com.
mittee would present 8 few facts and
proposition for the consideration of the
voters of South Carolina, IS justifying
the appeal which We make to them to
support the present movement to secure
the prohibition of the liquor traffic in
our State.
That this traffic as now fostered BY gov.
ernments, protected by laws, entrenched
by custom and long usage, is the produc.
ing cause of at least rs par cent. of all
the pauperism, vice and crime which
aflict the State; that it is the nucleus Of
all impurity, anarchy and moral and
spiritual death, and that it imposes enor.
nous avoidable burdens upon individuals,
families and the State, admits of no con.
troversy, as the proofs are unfortunately
too familiar to the observation and expe.
sience of every man, woman and child
among us.
That the traffic is producing these dire.
full results at this time, all over South
Carolina, is attested undeniably by the
largely increased criminal business Of our
Courts, the filling of our jails with Grim
inals, our penitentiary with convicts, and
our asylum with lunatics, the degradation
and ruin of many of our brightest young
men, and the general condition of unrest
and decentralization which liz everywhere
apparent. In word, it is the agency
most potential in its influence in oppos-
ing the intellectual, social, material, f.
nancial, educational and moral interests
of our people, and opposes an almost in.
surmountable barrier to the salvation oi
human souls. This condition of things il
neither natural nor desirable, and existl
in spite of the denunciation of Gods i'm,
mutable word against it, and the efforts
of the good and true to reform it.
All efforts to regulate or restrain the
traffic, or mitigate its evils by Law, have
proven abortive, because under the de-
moralizing influences, inherent in the
traffic, the liquor seller utterly disregardi
or violates every provisions which is in.
tended to restrain, and the authorities
tolerate or condone the violation, because
of their share in the profits, which in the
shape of q license fee, comes in to awell
the revenue of the County and munich
pal treasures. Under these same inHuen'
ces, too, the people have become tolerant
of its evils because of the false impress
sion made upon them that the revenue
derived from it relieves Them, to that e1'
tent, from the burdens oil taxation. Thu!
it is that the legalized liquor traffic In
South Carolina is to-day conducted In
utter disregard of every restraining pro
vision of law and of every right of the
class for whose interest and protection
these provisions were framed.
II these statements we're true of any
other business or class of men among us
their mere announcement would be suffi
cient to arouse such storm of righteous
indignation as would only be satisfied BY
the final and complete removal of th'
evil complained oi.
This being apparent as to the nature
and results of the liquor traffic, who is re
sible for it's continuance
We answer as the deliberate and sol
emn conviction on our consciences
You ! the free white voters of the State
whose sovereign DEGREES at the ballot boz
no human power dare gainsay-you art
responsible for the continuance of these
evils. Oh, our fellow citizens, bear will
US if, il the deep interests of our consci
ousness of the terrible woes which, by thi
system, ne impose upon our helpless
wives and children, ne press the matte
upon you in terms which seem to be Sc
we're.
Examine for yourselves and see ifwha
We assert is not the truth, and regard q
not as enemies because We tell you tn
truth.
The present prohibition movement j
made under circumstances and condition
which seem to Us to give promise of sue
cess, if the voters who are, or ought t
be, in sympathy with the effort, will tax
advantage of the opportunity which
affords.
There has never been before so heart
and general response to the call whic
is being made for the friends of prohibi
ton to rally to its support. There is
more thorough organization Throughout
the State than at any former period, an
the powerful aid which comes from tn
pulpit, the press and the organized TEN
perance bodies is assured to our move
ment with all the vigor and zes
which so noble work for God and hu
manity is calculated to inspire in sue
auxiliaries.
Not the least of the conditions whic
favor our SUCCESS at this time is the fat
that we have been accorded the right, q
Democratic voters, to test the sense of th
voters and the candidates for the Legisls
ture on the question at The first Demo
cratic election, with sll the rights an
protection which the party machinery a'
Cures for free ballot and fair coun
The wisdom and importance Of this al
rangement appears in the fact that tn
test will be made free from complicatio
with any personal or factional issues o
which the voters may differ, and ths
those who would be disposed to fave
prohibitive legislation for the whole Sta'
a, more effective than license or loc'
prohibition can vote in this instance ire