The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-08-01
Bank Rebellion!
Columbia Register, July "a.

Columbia Register, July "a.
| The sensation Of Sunday and yester-
day in Columbia and throughout the
State was the announcement that
Governor Tillman intended issuing a
proclamation ordering the reopening
of the dispensaries. Sure enough,
Governor Tillman yesterday issued
such proclamation. According to
it the county dispensers are ordered
to reopen their dispensaries on the
first day of August. Governor Till
| man issued the order in his discretion
as Chief Executive of the State, and
not as chairman of the State board of
dispensary control. 1t remains yet to
be seen what the other members of
the board will think Of his action.
Should they think it unwarranted,
they may oppose Governor Tillman,
and then there would be lively times.
Governor Tillman would be in mi
nority of one, but we mistake the man
if he would not undertake to run the
dispensaries despite the non-assent
of the other members of the board.
Then would come tug OF war
| which would be exciting and interest
ing. =
Let us follow Governor Tillman's
reasoning in support of his action in
ordering reopening of the dispensa-
ries. The decision of the Supreme
Court was upon the Act of 1892.
When the decision was announced,
Governor Tillman said it meant pro-
hibition and stated that he would bow
to the authority of the Supreme
Court. In recognition Of that author
| ity, he ordered the closing Of all the
'dispensaries in the State. They were
closed and have remained closed. But
if the decision of the Supreme Court
only involved the Act of 1892, why
did the board of control, which was
acting under the Act of 1898, order
the closing Of the dispensaries 2 That
action has been taken by many people
as tacit acknowledgment that the
decision knocking out the Act of 1892
carried down with it the Act Of 1893,
because they were identical in principle
In other words, they thought it plain
that if the supreme court declared law
law unconstitutional the mere re-enact-
ment of that law by the General AS
sembly with changes in verbiage would
not make it constitutional.
Governor Tillman in his proclama-
ton appears to rest his right to re-
open the dispensaries upon the fact
that the Supreme Court has not pass
ed upon the Act of 1893. In his
speech at Holly's Ferry, however, the
Governor boasted of his having hid
out in the bushes with the Act of
1893 so that the Supreme Court could
not pass upon it. How then can the
Supreme Court be blamed for not
passing upon the law?
The situation is perplexing and it
is hard to say just exactly what ought
to be done. Before the decision Of
the Supreme Court it was difficult to
enforce the dispensary law. ItIcost
the lives of FIVE or six men and the
wounding of several others to enforce
it. But it will be ten times more diff
fcult to enforce the law than ever be-
fore, for the disregard for it of it's op-
ponents has been increased by the de-
cision of the Supreme Court, and Ii
quor men feel now that those who at
tempt to break up their business have
no warrant of law for their action and
will be ten times more desperate in
resisting all such attempts. The re-
suit will be endless turmoil and strife,
with frequent callings out of the mil
itia. The $4,000 or 10000 men who
are opposed to the dispensary law
will have no hesitation when doing
jury duty to vote for the acquittal of
persons indicted under that law, no
no matter how strong the proof, for
they feel that there is no such law
since the decision of the Supreme
Court. What is to be done then ?
IF convictions cannot be had, wherein
will be the use of the expense of at
tempting to get them ?
The number of those who think ac-
tion should have been deferred until
after the meeting of the General AS
sembly which might alter the law so
as to make it run the gauntlet Of the
Supreme Court without violation Of
the rule OF stare decises is many.
Those who think thus are among
the best Reformers and Conservatives.
We await with fear theresult Of the
reopening. May the all-wise God Of
Nations rule the hearts of men and
their actions so 80 that peace and
not strife may prevail in South Caro-
lima.