The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-02
"WET OR DRY2"
Tho Question to be Decided by tho People
at the Primary.

~ hAo
COLUMBIA, $. g., May l8.-Mr. S. A.
Nettles, chairman of Clarendon County
Democratic Executive Committee, and
member of the State Convention, ap-
peared before the State Democratic
Executive Committee in the interest of
the prohibition movement In this
State, and made the following state.
ment'
Gentlemen of the State Executive Com
mittee. The prohibition question is one
that has assumed proportions Of no lit
tie Importance, and is one that will In
some form thrust itself upon the Demo-
cratic party. A convention has already
been called by the prohibitiOnistS for
the latter part of this month, and |
come to you tonight, in the interest of
both the prOhibitiOnistS and the Demo-
cratic party, to set simple plan where
by | believe the desires of the prohibit
tionists will be gratiiied, and at the
same time the integrity of the Dem o.
cratic party will be fully maintained.
You are aware, of course of the strength
shown the last two sessions of the
Legislature for the prohibition cause,
|
the lower house by a majority vote Of
sixteen, and two years before falling
to pass by only six votes. This is evi
dence sufficient to you that the subj"ct
is not one to be despised.
today. In the interest of the integri-
ty of the Democratic party, sought an
interview with Rev. II. F.. ChreiIZberg
and Hon. l.. ID. Childs, two Of the
leading prohibitionits Of the State, and
having explained my plan to them, they
expressed a perfect Willingness as far
as their influence went to bind their
convictions to the plan proposed by
me, stating frankly that it was not men
but measures they were after. My plan
Is simply that the State Executive Com
mittee shall instruct the several Coun.
ty executive committees to have places
!: AT the first primary election at the Tot
Ing place of each Democratic club b5
the side of the regular ballot box
second box in which the Democrats OF
the State, those who are responsible fol-
the laws and the government of the
, State, may freely express their desires
by voting for prohibition or no pro
hibition.
This plpn eliminates as nearly as any
| can conceive of any objectionable
feature OF carrying lrhibition into the
: party, and simply allows the people
while they are voting for their State
and County officers, to express their
preference tor prohibition or whiskey
the only part the Democratic party be-
ing responsible for Is to count and
tabulate the votes cast.
L pledge for the prohibitionists, il
you grant this request, that they will
use no catechisms on the candidates in
the primaries further than that they
hn
pledge themselves to abide the result
III their vote in the Legislature. If the
prohloltlonlsts carry the State they
Will expect and demand of the Legisla.
ture to pass a prohibition law similar
to the Chllds bill, and if they fail they
Will drop the question for thepresent.
l therefore ask of you, in behalf of
the prohlbitionists that if when they
assemble in the convention. they ask Of
you this privilege Of having the ques.
tlon voted on i'll separate box AT the
llrst primary election, that yon give me
authority to say to them for YOU that
their request Is granted.
The question was then discussed by
several members of the committee.
a1ter which 1T was adopted, only two
members of the committee opposing
the motion.
MIR. Nettles, who by the way is also
editor of the Manning Times, has been
deeply interested in temperance all his
life, and appears 10 feel considerably
elated over his successful effort before
the committee. He says that Senator
lrby, Majory MeetZe and in fact almost
every member Of the COMMITTEES he
spoke with heartily approved this So
iution or The prhibltlon bugbear. Sena.
Tor lrDy especially expressed his pleas
nre at the Plan. and it is also approved
OF by Governor Tillman, the Governor
thinking that the people themselves
should decide this question.