Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-07
Affairs in South Carolina Still in a
Critical State.
THE LIQUOR LAW THE CAUSE OF IT
DomiciIary Search by ConstabIes
to Be Resisted.
WHAT THE LEADERS SAY


COLUMBIA, S. c.. April lit is difficult
to convey to a person beyond the atmos-
phere of South Carolina an adequate i'm
preston of the condition of affairs in this
state. 1t seems almost incredible, but such
condition exists, viewed in the cold, calm
light of social conditions further north.
Some of the reports sent from here may
seem exaggerated, but it is an absolute fact
that the statement of the condition of af-
fairs has been understated, not overdrawn.
1t Is the purpose of this dispatch to pre-
sent an absolutely impartial and accurate
description of the status of affairs today
without dealing with any of the causes
leading thereto. and to Also give the opinion
of responsible people on both sides of the
| controversy as to the probable outcome in
| the near future.
| The Star correspondent was engaged last
| evening and this morning in talking with
representative citizens upon both sides to
obtain a consensus of opinion and an au-
thoritative statement from leader on each
side summing up the situation from the
| two points Of view.
| Gov. Tillman, of course, is the man whose
opinion comes first, because upon his action
all results hang. Gov. Tillman said last
night that he intends to insist upon the
tion Of the dispensary law. ITO say that
private houses cannot be searched" he
added, sis to say that the law cannot be
enforced. Wherever there il good ground
for belief that the law is being violated in
private houses the state constables shall
enter"
Gov. Tillman made q further highly sig
nifcant statement: within two weeks
will have organized a body of $500 men,
upon whom / can depend to enforce the laws
Of the state"
Upon these two resolutions Of the COVER
nor hang all subsequent events. 1t is fact
beyond the shadow Of doubt that the right
| to search private houses will be disputed by
force of arms and the reorganizati ton Of the
disbanded citizen militia is progressing
equally as fast as the mobilization of the
governors new guards.
| Since yesterday afternoon The Star cor
| respondent has asked thirty leading citizens
| of Columbia - calm, conservative, cool
headed business men, with money at stake
what will follow effort to enforce the
law of searching private houses. Without
single exception the answer was, 1T will
never be submitted to-"
The answer was never given In a bragga-
docio spirit, but with the quiet determina-
tion of men who mean what they say. This
| morning The Star correspondent was re-
| ferred to Col. Jas. Norton, assistant con-
| troller general of the state and Gov. TILL
| mans right-hand man, as person quail
| fled to express an opinion from the Tillman
side Of the controversy. He was asked what
the immediate outcome Of the recent trouble
would be-
1T is possible that there may be further
trouble" he said. 1T may require more
| bloodshed to clear the political situation.
There is one thing certain-the laws will be
enforced and the late troubles have only
| strengthened the governors intention to do
| so. They have also strengthened his sup
port from the masses of the people in en-
forcing that determination. There is no
question that the two classes are arrayed
against each other in this state, country
against town-the oligarchy against the peo-
pie. For years South Carolina was ruled by
select coterie of people. remnants of the
old estate-holding class. to the absolute ex-
clusion of the masses. That has CALLED the
people, and now affairs are reversed. 1
could lead from my county 1000 farmer
veterans of the late war to Columbia to en-
| force Gov Tilman's commands, and every
other section could do likewise in propor-
| ton. 1 am not prepared to say that affairs
are peaceable."
| The correspondent then saw DR.. Tally,
president Of the Central National Bank of
Columbia, and leader of the ultra-con-
| servative element.
I'VE are a law-abiding people," he said,
| 'and the trouble has arisen only from an
unwise administration of an obnoxious
| law, bunglingly drawn, and containing
many crudities. The execution of 1t has
irritated the people because of the manner
Of carrying cut the provisions. The trou-
BILE at Darlington was the direct result of
a brutal order given by Gov. Tillman to
shoot any man who should jeer at them
or show contempt for the execution of the
law. 1 do not think there will be a repeti-
ton of that affair. We hope for decision
of the supreme court soon, which may in a
measure compose matters"
The situation which this outlines is the
true one. The opinion of all classes is that
South Carolina today is a powder mine.
What the spark will be to set it off and
when it will be fired no one foresees.