The Portland daily press., 1894-04-16


Opposed by the Religious People of South
| Observation-Disclosures Ambition.
At the High street Congregational
church last evening the pastor, Rev. w.
H. Fem, spoke of recent observations of
the workings of the South Carolina Dis
| pensary law. DR.. Fem is native of the
South and has relatives in South Caro-
lima, where he has been visiting.
DR.. Fem began by describing the great
change which he found in South Caro-
lima. There we're no longer any open
saloons in Charleston, and the appear
ance of the city was greatly improved.
Yet he was not altogether surprised to
find that the mass OF the better class OF
people. the cultivated, leisurely and
Christian people, were opposed to the
dispensary law. 1t was there as is some
times observed elsewhere, where some
good citizens were found disappearing
of the prohibitory law, while men of less
port, in order that they may be foisted
into place.
The dispensary law of South Carolina
gives extraordinary rights of search in
private residences. Such inquisitions are
very distasteful, and DR.. Fem knew of
many prominent men who declared that
if any constable attempted to enter their
houses, bloodshed would follow.
After describing the recent riots at
Darlington and Gov. Tillman's high
handed course DIR. Fem said that the
ordinary cultivated, Christian people,
feel that they are under the hand of a
tyrant.
The people of South Carolina are not
SO strenuous in support of laws, especial
ly Of sumptuary laws as are men in
whose veins runs Puritan blood. This
accounts for much of the feeling at pres
ent existing in the State.
The preacher did not express an opin-
ion as to whether the dispensary law
was a oil oper one or not; but he did be-
lieve that it should be enforced. If it is
wrong such enforcement will bring
about it's repeal; if it is right good will
result. The general revolt of the militia
was not healthful sign.
DIR. Fem commented upon the strange
political condition of the State, where
there was but one party practically, the
other being crowded and inundated
out. The effect of slavery has been to
draw the color line. There has existed
only the Democratic party all over the
South for many years. Such was the
condition of affairs until some time in
the eighties when there began that re-
markable movement among the poorer
classes of the State, the poor whites
There came down from one of the
western countries a strong, lank, rough
old man named Tillman, who presented
resolution IN the Democratic State con-
vention at Charleston. He was hooted
down. But he said, as many
strong men have said before, that he
would come again. And he did come,
with supporters enough to be elected
Governor. He represented
The Woody Hat,
the farmers of the northwestern coun-
ties, against the rich mercantile and
commercial classes of the seaboard; the
poor whites against the aristocrats.
There are in South & Carolina today
three political parties, the Republicans,
who are negroes, the Clevelandites,
who are aristocratic Democrats, and the
Tillmanites who far outnumber the
Clevelandites.
What is going to happen when these
two great white elements fight out their
differences? That which always hap
pens when an aristocracy is forced to the
wall. The aristocratic classes of South
Carolina will rally the negroes to their
standards; and having done this they
will attempt to rout the Tillmanites.