The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-13
T1LLMAN TO TEEToTALERs.
He Gets Them to Endorse the Dispensary
Plan by Holding Hand Primary.
,1From the New York SUM-

He Gets Them to Endorse the Dispensary
Plan by Holding Hand Primary.
.1From the New York Sun.
Gov. B. R. TilIman, of South Caro-
lima, champion of the dispensary plan
Of selling liquor, addressed the inter
national Temperance Congress in Pro.
hibition Park, Staten Island, lest night.
His subject was, 1.-THE State Agency
Plan of South Carolina" When be
arose the 1000 persons present gave
him an ovation. After few words OF
preliminary, be said:
II have noticed that you have
great deal to say about backbone and
sand. Some people are kind enough to
say I have a backbone. am not
specially conscious of the fact, but I
will prove to you that I have one.- I
believe you are all prohibitionists.
Now, I am going to controvert and
antagonize your themes. That, I
think, you will acknowledge takes q
great deal of backbone.
"I have looked among You for long
haired men and short-hsired women
cranks, but I haven't found any. Ibe-
lieve I am the only man in the audi
ence who is actively engaged in politics.
You see, am candidate for United
States Senator, and let me tell you
right here Lam going to win.
"If I hadn't seen the word temper
ance in your invitation don't think I
would have come. Let me tell you q
little story. Once there were two
knights who saw a shield. One said
it was gold and the other silver. They
fought; and the fight ended in death.
Now both were right, for one side was
gold and the other silver.
"That is just our position. If we
can't agree on prohibition we can agree
on temperance. I said I was in active
politics. T don't acknowledge that I
an a politician. I despise the name.
Let me introduce myself. I have had
more free advertising in the newspa-
pers than most men living. For it I
did not pay nickel. I believe IN
speaking earnestly and fearlessly. /
was farmer, and went from the plough
handles to public life.
"Now let me tell you, you can't pro-
hibit the sale of liquor. Prohibition
never has worked and never will"
Here the speaker stopped, felt in all
his pockets, and exclaimed:
"Say, by the way, have left my
bottle over in the hotel"
Somebody banded it to him from the
platform and be smiled when be held
it in the air.
"Here | have bottle of old Palmetto
Bourbon whiskey, three x, honest if
any whiskey is honest, and with the
State Commissioners seal upon it."
He then went on and explained the
South Carolina system.
"You consideS this liquor a curse" !"
he.said. $50 do I. I am a practical
Prohibftionist. I don't think / have
drunk over four gallons of whiskey in
my life."
This assertion was greeted by storm
of "Oh. mys!" from the women in the
audience.
He declared high license was bad
because it made men aulocratic, while
low license made men ''get full Of mean
whiskey and do mean things"
He gave the figures which showed
the decrease in the number Of police
arrests during the working of the new
system. He was frequently interrupted
by Prohibitionists, who, becoming ex-
cited, challenged him to debate. They
were howled down by the rest of the
audience.
He declared that one great disad"
vantages they worked under was that
iuries and courts were Indifferent to
the enforcement of the laws.
"But am powerless." he said. "If
could do so, I would give them a
more bitter dose of prohibition than
has ever been seen."
He said the State system was grow
ing in favor and was more popular than
ever before. This in despite of the Su-
preme Court declaring the act unconsti-
tutional.
Toward the end of his speech Gov.
T:llman declared the Probibitionists
would some day be willing to accept
the South Carolina plan. This asser-
ton was hissed, and cries of mo,
neverw were heard on all sides.
you believe in fighting the use, I
believe in fighting the abuse he cried.
Don't set your faces like flint be-
cause you cannot get al! the way, when
you can get half way"
Now I want those of you," he said
in conclusion, "who are willing to &C.
cept our plan to raise their right hands" "
Up went several hundred hands, a
majority of those present. A call for a