The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-04-25
r, S. c., WEDNESDAY, APRIL rs, !

The matter was very easily explained
and settled between US. and it ought
to be clear from my report that there
vas a misapprehension on his part as
to the course [ vas pursuing. ibis is
evident, too, from the marked contrast
of his last telegram to me With those
which preceded, in which he cautions
me to soothe rather than aggravate the
situation, act with vigor where [
thought it was safe, and entrusted
everything to my ~ discretion in
accordance with his general orders"
General, would you mind saying
what you think as to the riot being
accidental or did it have a political
bearing 2"
The personal fight or beginning
vas purely accidental. but the riot
which followed it arose out Of the ex.
element produced by the enforcement
of the dispensary law. The public
mind was evidently in an inaammable
state, or the thing would have been
impossible"
SIS there anything of political signi-
fcance in the response made by the
people and a part Of the militia after
Columbia and Charleston has refused to
obey ?"
.Of course, there are always some
partisans on such occasions, but a large
majority of those who responded and Of
those who were ready to respond we're
influenced by a patriotic purpose to
restore good order, support the
existing laws of the State, aud to pre-
veut the overthrow of the constituted
authorities Of the State. 1t would not
do to ascribe their conduct to a desire
for the promotion Of the r~litical ends
Of any faction or to the endorsement of
any special law. They had higher
aims and purposes 10 their support of
the State government
els the danger over, and will there
be any further trouble arising from the
execution Of the dispeusary law? Or
what is the real cause Of the present
agitation in South Carolina :"
81 have said as much as | Intended.
but since you ask the question will add
that l fear it is not, unless the methods
of enforcing the dispensary law are
very carefully handled. As to the real
cause of the trouble, | would say it is
money, money, money, instead Of
liquor, liquor. liquor 1t is the profit
feature of the law which will eventually
have to go. One hundred per cent is
too great a temptation for the average
blind tiger to resist, even though he
may risk his life in yielding to it.
Besides, the tiger is blind to any
moral wrong on bis part in selling
liquor for profit when be sees the State
engaged in the same business.
Legaliziug it in his mind does not
change the moral aspect. Kill the
profit feature aud you kill the blind
tiger. Let the profits remain in the
pockets Of the people, which is the best
treasury the State can have. The
remedy would seem to be a modification
and s~impli6cation of the law, by the
adjustment Of the State dispensary. the
substitution Of simple purchasing and
auditing agent, RELOCATING control Of the
local dispensaries to the counties and
holding the right Of local option invio-
liable"
General, lie there anything to be
specially dreaded 10 the coming cam
paign p
well. yoo know that I sounded a
note Of warning in my Christmas
Reflections Of last year. when [ appeal
ed to all parties for greater moderation
in political action and discussion.
That warning has since been repeated
by me, aud [ must confess that l look
with great anxiety to the immediate
future. see no real cause for conflict
if the right spirit prevailed in the State,
because all of the reforms VIC have
advocated are accomplished facts and
dead issues. The ~dispeusary law is no,
a reform measure Of itself, Dol has it
been adopted by the Reform party. 1t
must be made one before they feel
bound by it. Outside of the desire for
Office, the dispeusary seems to be the
sole cause of discussion. l know our
people that they are brave aud fearless
and they are not even afraid of each
other. We may we'll ask the ques-
ton, if this is the beginning Of the
campaign, what will be the end of it?
Surely We can come down to the discus
sion of so small a matter in a dispas-
s%iouate way, and it behooves every
right thinking citizen of either faction
to consider we'll the abyss that lies
before US. If this excitement is allow
ed to increase, there is great danger
that South Carolina will o become an