The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-15
The Whites to. Oct Together.

executive committee has been called to
meet in Columbia next Wednesday
evening to consider the political situation
since the decision on the registration
cases. Exactly what will be done
no one can tell. All that is known here
La that Chairman Irby telegraphed Score
tary Tompkins to order special meeting
of the committee for next Wednesday.
It lis safe to say that 1t will take some
action on the registration matter.
In conversation with one OF the leaders,
who. has great deal Of influence with
the committee, he said that there was
only one thing to do, and that was to
order general primary for the State, 70
nominees of the Democratic primary, and
to meet at the general election any oppo-
sition that might present itself as the
enemy Of the Democratic party. Ifthere
was sryone who wanted to go to the
negro vote 1t could then be done, but he
thought that the nominees Of the primary
would in all instances be elected at tho
general election, and If there YVES any
doubt about it there would have to be q
fair, square fight. and he bad no doubt
that any com bination with the negro vote
would be defeated no matter how it was
done. 4 ,5ss Is,
AS to going to the Supreme Court on
the case on habeas corpus proceedings 1t
Is thought that it would be too late, and
that things ought to be,mapped out before
that time. as the election would have to
be held before case could probably be
made up and decided by the Federal
Courts, and then, too, the result would
be doubtful, and 1t is thought by many
of the leaders here that the programme
for the fight had better be mapped out at
once. :,
If this primary is held it is said that it
would have to he appreciated that there
Is the danger Of acommon opposition at
the general election, and that concessions
viii have to be made i'm the primary, and
factional issues would have to be avoided
as much as possible.
It now looks as if things are going to be
allowed to jog along, 80 far as the Courts
are concerned, and whatever is done will
be by the party organizations, as well as
the remaining election machinery. Ii,
however, 1t is found that there is any
immediate way Of getting settlement Of
the case before the Federal Court it would
likely be done.
AS to the dispensary 1t appears that the
Administration is at work. It wants to
get its position and status defined just as
soon as possible. Judge Townsend has
gone to Charleston and while there, If he
can get any Of the constables to make
seizures, will no doubt bring habeas cor
pus proceedings, and in that way get the
case before the United States Supreme
Court. It might be suggested that there
is not much hope from that source, but 1t
is evidently tho intention Of the officers
to get their status known just as soon as
possible.
Governor Evans this moring had long
talk with me about the dispensary situa-
ton, and he says that it is all foolishness
10 think that the dispeusary law will go
under, even if the Interstate clause is
struck out of the law. It will not allow
the barkeepers to resume their business,
and it will not permit "blind tigers" to
be run by those who wish to take the
risk, Asamatter of fact 1t is the inten-
ton of the State to push the fight against
the "blind tigers' more vigorously than
eyef, and if possible to get q few peniten-
tiary sentences, and they think that this
will have most decided effect. Cover
nor Evans holds that under the law, as
defined by Judge Simonton, there must
be some one to decide whether the liquor
Is for the personal use Of the party to
whom 1t is shipped, and the constables
will Judge that matter until there is some
other construction.
Going on Governor Evans said: "Sec-
ton % of the dispensary law will be more
rigidly enforced than ever" This is the
section which gives Judges the right to
imprison for violations of injunctions Oh
contempt proceedings.j "While this
contempt business is going On we will
see if the State Circuit Judges are not
entitled to as much respect as the United
States Circuit Judges. The people are
determinedly in favor Of this law, and l
will see that 1t has fair trial and every
power put in my hands will be used to
give it. Any town whose mayor, alder
men or city police refuse to enforce the
dispensary law, as it is their duty to do,
will be placed under the provisions OF the
metropolitan police law"
Governor Evans went on to say that
there was no use for the "blind tigers"
to try and get under cover at this time.
Incidentally it might be mentioned that
if the towns are put under metropolitan
police it would save the dispensary
system great deal, in the matter OF
expenses, as it now costs about S75, 900 to
sustain the force, not to count the extras
that are being paid for.