Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-04-11
I would have gone out of it a
corpse. (Cheers.)
Who is doing all this?
THE BLAZING ELEMENT.

THE BLAZING ELEMENT.
the match which is trying to reach
the powder. is the barroom men,
the whiskey men and those who
are egging them on, encouraging
them are the rulers of the old
oligarchy whom we overthrow in
1890 at the ballot box. This row
which has broken forth is a politi-
cal frenzy; the blood that has
been split is an offering to the
Moloch of whiskey; they claim
and declare that the State shall not
control tbs whiskey trahics, that
they will resume their iniquitous
trade, debauch our households,
destroy lives, furnish poison to
the people and make them kill
one another. aud they will repeal
the dispensary law by saying they
can sell whiskey from their resi-
dences. Shall this demon who
has already had four or five victims
have any more? One negro at
Spartanburg white man at Well
ford and three men at Darlington,
killed. do not intend for him
to have any more If I can help it
he has had enough. In Gods
name as a statesmen and as a
leader of enlightened public
opinion
IsHALL NOT BUDGE ONE INCH
from the position I take that this
is the peoples government and
the people shall rule it. (Cheers.)
Now, gentlemen, you may
imagine in asserting this, that 1
am going to aggravate the trouble
that in claiming the right to
search priva:e residences l will
cause an outbreak. I will tell you
what I am going to do.
IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE.
I am going to tell the State to-
morrow in a proclamation-the re-
vised statutes of South Carolina
are a mine of strength, wealth, and
wisdom Cor a Governor who will
search them and enforeee=then2l
What would I have been able to
do if I had not been able to con-
troll the railroads and telegraph,
preventing them from reinforcing
the insurgents and sending abroad
lies to infame the people? There is
ANOTHER SWORD OF DAMoCLEs
which the law places in my hand
to suspend over these insurgents
or people who are pressing for this
law to he annulled without process
by the Legislature; and tomorrow
l shall cut the thread which holds
that in suspension and use it, and
that is section 519, which gives me
power in an emergency to take
charge of the police. We have had
the spectacle presented of the off,
GERS of the law opposing officers of
the law; those who have been
sworn to support the constitution
and the laws, disobey them, and
aid others in disobeying them. If
the mayors and city councils do
not make the police do their duty,
I intend to see that the police do
their duty or I will discharge the
last man of them. (Cheers.) A
voice: That's the way to do them.
I intend, as I say, to control the
State in the interest of law and
order; /
WILL NOT SURRENDER TO ANY MOB
or any whiskey element. If the
dispensary law is good and proper,
and the people want it, they shall
have it, and those who dor't want
it must take it. (Cheers.)
Until the result of the new move
is seen 1 shall confine the duties of
the constables to watching the rail
roads and seizing contraband whis-
key, and to watching the police,
seeing that they do their duty, and
report TO me whether they are do
ing. If they don't obey my orders
strictly, if the authorities of the
towns don't cooperate, then I shall
call the Legislature of South Caro-
lima together, and I will have the
power given the Executive to re-
move these men and appoint others
in their stead who will obey the
law and enforce it. (Cheers.) We
will continue to search private
houses where contraband liquors
are supposed to be, with warrants
when necessary. We are obliged
II