The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-04
MR.. TRAxLER's POSITION.
Letter to the Prosecuting Committee
A Circular for Support-Thinks His
Calling Noble One, Etc.
THE State, Sept. 26th |

Inc state, :SepC. ZoLnJ
The csse of State Liquor Commis-
sioner Traxler in his church at Tim
monsville is becoming interesting. Mr..
Trailer went home on Sunday to ap-
pear at the meeting Of the congrega-
ton of his church, that day being ap-
pointed for the hearing of his case,
and ask for further time, as he did not
have his defense ready. He returned
to the city yesterday and gave to the
press some information on the subject.
The church postponed the trial to the
last Sunday in next month Here is
the letter that~Mr. Traxler addressed
to the committee Of the church pre-
ferring the charges against him:
Columbia, S. c., Sept. q, 1898.
DR.. J. F. Culpepper, Mr.. S. F. Cole,
Mr.. R. F. Hill, Committee.
Dear Brethren-I have not been un-
mindful of the state of the case be-
tween my church and myself as to my
official position as State Dispenser, but
protracted sickness in my family has
made it impossible for me, up to the
present time, to give such attention to
the matter as its gravity and import
ance would require.
know that you, as a committee, and
the church as body, are desirous OF
acting in the case with full justice to,
wards me, and with due regard to
our mutual relation as brethren, and,
therefore, I feel it the more incumbent
to state fully and fairly my views upon
subject. 1t is a rule of our church, in
common with all other Baptist chur-
ches, to allow to its members perfect
liberty of conscience, within the
bounds of the moral law of things pro-
hibited or enjoined in the New Testa-
ment. There is no intimation of an
idea that I have been guilty of any
improper conduct in the administra-
ton of my office, and the sole ques-
tiop for the consideration of the
church is whether the fact of my
holding the official position which I do
hold is a violation of my>duty to the
church. I believe that you will all
give me credit for having accepted the
office in the first instance from con-
scientious motives. It is well known
that I have ever been opposed to the
free sale and use of Intoxicating liquor,
and it is also well krown that my busi-
ness is such that the salary offered was
not of itself sufficient to induce me to
accept the position, I did acceptit be-
cause I believed, and still believe, that
q proper administration Of the office
would result in good Ito the cause Of
temperance rather than otherwise. i
believe that fair consideration OF the
act of the Legislature itself will satisfy
you that the purpose Of the act was to
restrict the sale of intoxicants and to
restrain their improper use. The pur-
pose of the act can only be ascertained
by the terms Of the act itself, and not
in any wise by the constructions that
may have been put upon it by its op-
ponents, or by the newspapers Of the
State. I have conferred with some Of
the prominent brethren Of the State
who are politically opposed to me, and
who consider the at itself unwise, and
yet they say to me that from my polit-
ical standpoint, that the only view to
be be taken of the act is that it was In
tended to have>rhe effect which I have
abave mentioned. This being so, I do
not think that you can conclude that
the mere acceptance aad retention Of
my Office of itself places me in a posi-
tion that would bring discredit to the
cause which ] profess.
To satisfy my own mind and con-
science upon the subject, T hays ad-
dressed letters of inquiry to about one
hundred, of our prominent ministerial
and lay brethren in this and other
States, but I was not able to do so un-
til within the last few days, and have
not yet had time to receive my replies.
I trust that the matter will be post
pond for sufficient length Of time to
allow both myself and you brethren, as
committee, to get all the light upon
the subject which these replies may
give to us. OF. course I fully under
stand the perfect independence Of our
church, and that we are not dictated to
or in anywise controlled by the opin-
ions of any individual or any other
church, but I am satisfied that you, as
we'll as I, desire to act with perfect
fairness and full judgment in the mat
ter. Yours fraternally,
: D. n. TRAILER.
The following is the letter which Mr..
Traxler refers to in the above commu-
nication. It has been sent to various
prominent men in several portions of
the State, asking for their opinions in
regard to his case:
Columbia, S. C., Sept, 1898.
Dear Sir and Brother: Charges have
been preferred against me in my church
(Timmonsville Baptist church) for oc-
cupying the position of State. Com
missioner. My position has been de-
fined in the papers several times, which
you have no doubt read. I still feel
conscientious after prayerful >conside-
ration of the matter that I do myself
nor church no criminal wrong, 4 but
benefit humanity more and more
every day, and if the law is carried
out, which can only be done by the
support of our best people it is the
next best thing7..to prohibition. I
shall make a defense when my trial is
called and solicit your views on the