The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-06-13
THE plsRESsARY SYSTEM.
A Woman 81 Responsible for the Sug-
gestiOn-Graphic Account ffom The
Governors Nephew.

---
A Woman - Responsible for the Sug-
gestiOn-Graphic Account from the
G~oyernor's Nephew. :
Capt. James al. Tillman, a nephew of
the Governor, furnishes the New York
Sun with a detailed account of the
origin and progress of the dispensary
system in South Carolina, from which
we make the following extract:
Necessity is the mother of all great
measures, and there is a bit of romance
connected with the enactment of the
dispensary system by the Palmetto
State.
1t was purely an accident, for which
q woman is responsible.
Last summer a prohibition wave
swept over this State, and in the Demo-
cratic primary polled u majority of
about 10000. The line, however, was
not sharply drawn, as the main issue OF
the campaign was "Tillman and Anti
Tillman." The State Democratic com
mittee, which is controlled by tho Ti..-
man faction, fearing a clash vita tue
ProhibitioniSts, passed q resolution
permitting the white ribbon ~olclucnt
to have a box at all the election pre-
cincts in which ballots were to be cast,
so that the popular sentiment ON the
prohibition question might be ascer-
tanned. The whiskey men made no or
ganized fight-in fact, no fight at all
further than to poll an indifferent vote
while the prohibition men and
women, preachers and lecturers, made
an active canvass, ven visiting school
houses and discussing it from the pull
pit. The result OF the election was, us
has already been stated, an overwhelm-
ing victory for the Prohibitionists. En-
boldened by their partial success in
obtaining q majority of the votes cast,
which Is far from a majority of the
voting population of the State, the pro-
hibition leaders introduced at the last
sitting of the General Assembly q pro-
hibition bill.
1t was during the debate on this pro-
posed measure, which lasted for SOW
eral days and nights, and was at
times stormy and personal, that the
woman, ever ubiquitous woman, ap
peared on the scene. The galleries
were crowded with friends and foes OF
the bill under consideration. Every
body vas anxious and expectant. Gov
ernor Tillman, who is avowedly oppos
ed to prohibition, but did not wish to
assume the responsibility of defeating
tho bill by his veto, had sent II message
to both bodies telling them that he
would sign any measure which they in
oiOii "ioo JUG ihSIio uilS III pass. Inc
Prohibitionists loudly cheered this
new development, and it looked for a
time rs II South Carolina was doomed
to prohibition-in name at least. Dur,
ing this excitement Governor Tillman
was seated in the gallery of the House
in company with a number of ladies,
and among the number was a bright
Georgia woman from the classic city OF
Athens. While everything was in
confusion in the hally below and nc.
cusations and rejoinders were being
hurled across the aisle, she turned tC
Governor Tillman and told him of the
law then in force in Athens. known as
the ~dispensary system. That settled
it. Governor Tillman immediately
left the gallery, and going to the ex.
e~cutive office dispatched his messenge,
for his leaders in the House and Sen.
ate. Within five hours the caucus had
assembled, and the present law was
framed and introduced in the Sen.
ate as O substitute for the Prohibition
bill. 1t passed both Houses and was
approved by the Governor within a re,
markably short space of time.