The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-01
Sheppard on State Politics.

EDaEF1ELD, s. C., Oct. 16.-An o.
server reporter to-day saw Ex-Governor
John g. Sheppard at Edgeield and had
some talk with him on the features of
the present administration at Columbia.
.'Do you think, Governor, that Cover
nor Tillman will execute his plan Of cre-
ating metropolitan police in Charleston
and other cities Of the State?" inquired
the reporter.
"I don't believe he can do it. doubt
II he would dare attempt 1t, If the Legls-
lature would authorize it. He will pile
on one straw too much before long If he
continues his methods. The Legislature,
however, will surely not follow Tillman
to the ends he would carry the people OF
the State If allowed"
"What will be the result Of Judge
Hudson's decisions as to the constitu-
tionality Of the dispensary law? ?"
"They will probably be reversed by
the State Supreme Court"
"Will there be any way Of getting the
question before the Supreme Court OF the
United States, and what would be the
result of that?"
"I think it may get there, and lift does
think the United States Supreme Court
would sustain Judge Hudson's decision"
w uaI WILL 10 tuo oQtCoAo VI WIG Nio-
pensary experiment, Governor" in
"It is bound to fall" answered Cover
nor Sheppard. "The law might have
been made good one If 1t had been
executed as many members of the Legis-
lature intended it should be when 1t was
passed. It is already past the support OF
any honest prohibitionist by being turned
and strained into revenue measure, and
is not being In any way operated as q
prohibition bill. Tillman promised a
reduction in taxes. He has not made
any reduction, but has number Of ex-
pensiye spies all over the State. By
expense and energy there has been some
appearance Of headway, but neither the
expense nor time heretofore spent on 1t
can be indefinitely continued. Then the
whole thing must fall to pieces, and it
undoubtedly will do so and be an ignom-
inious failure. In this town Of Edgefeld
several reputable citizens signed an
application for Mr.. Davis as dispenser, if
there was to be dlspensary at all and
these signatures were construed to be q
petition for dispensary, instead Of
simply recommendations OF man for
dispenser. In Laurens am told that
about one.eighth of an acre Of land was
divided amongst sixty-one people to
make them freeholders, in order to get
the necessary signatures to establish a
dispensary.
'The dispensary act was passed as a
temperance measure but the execution
of 1t is falsifying the spirit of the bill as
honest temperance people intended IT..
The prohibitionists In this State are an
intelligent lot of men and they will not
tolerate a complete perveraion OF their
moral influences for the purpose of rais-
ing money to relieve the administration
of very embarrassing situation about
it's promises to reduce taxes, and this
failure to reduce taxes become tribute
to the ability and honesty Of the past
administrations of the State govern
10 ment."
~ intend to print the substance of this
conversation in the Charlotte Observer"
said the reporter"
s.I think it is best for me not to appear
in print" said Governor Sheppard, land
I prefer that you would not do 1t for the
reason that in the past have said what
ever have had to say of Tillman's man
agement of public affairs in the presence
of the people and face to face with Till
man. on the platform and think it would
be most decent and decorous to pursue
the same course in the future. I prefer
to wait till a proper occasion should
require me to speak out and then I would
prefer to do it on the stump and again in
the presence of the people and the repre-
sentatives of those whose views l OPP
pose. ,,,
"Might not the dispensary bill be mod
| ifed to be good measure? Many people
say the dispenseries are better than bar
rooms" said the reporter.
"I am in favor of good law to control
the liquor business, and have some
ideas on the subject which I may formu-
late into plan for presentation to the
people az some future time, but am
unalterahly opposed to the States going
into the liquor business in any shape or
form. don't believe in the principle OF
the thing, and still less can I tolerate
such business under the guise of a
moral measure. when in fact 1t is finan-
cial measure which Is being forced upon
communities whether the dispensaries
are wanted or not and when the impell-
| ing force in the matter is the necessity
the administration Is under to raise reve.
nue. and not the cause of temperance or
the good conduct of the people" e."-Char-
Io}to m oo,.,,or