The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1895-08-21

that within the next ten years the
Senator will be as much Prohibitions
ist as | am, and God bless tho day
when it comes. But want him now
to answer these questions:
Is prohibition morally right or
4"Why, in his own State, do they
apply prohibition to everything ex-
copting the liquor traflic2
"Can The liquor traffic, under the
United States Constitution, be recog-
piZed and regulated?
Have not the people under the
] United States Constitution the right to
prohibit liquor traffic?
81 want him to answer these gues-
tions," Governor ST. John concluded,
'and wonder how man can come
here and plead before God and man
for giving this damnable business the
recognition of Il State"
There was applause for tho Cover
nor as ho ceased, but it soon lost itself
in the enthusiasm which greeted Sem
ator Tillman as he walked toward the
front Of the stage. Tho spectators
shouted and applaudcd, and for sew
cral minutes tho Senator was unable
to begin his speech.
II am glad to be here" hc said, !,
"particularly us l have been slandered
and lied on moro than any man south
Of the Mason and DiXon's line. From
what you havo heard and read of me,
| suppose you conceive me to be esome-
thing hotwcen an anarchist and an
idot want you to take look at me
and sec if | am MS black devil as /
have been painted.
l Z Tx *
discuss in a friendly way an abstract
question Of government. | endorse
every word that Gov. Larrabee wrote
about the liquor traffic. It causes
more crime, paupcrism and vice than
anything else in The world"
Senator Tiilman hero read an cx-
tract from Gov. Larrabees speech. as
he took his glasses from his pocket he
said:
II have TO wear these things, you
see, because / hnvo got only ono eye,
and have to carry tho other old
thing around without seeing anything
through it.
! "But Gov. st. John makes q mis-
take, he continued "when hc con-
founds the saloon with the dispensary.
They are not at all tho same. I do
not find i'll anything that he has said
more than nero assertions iii proof of
prohibition. The question is, is pro
hibition the best method Of promoting
temperance rcform2
| what is temperance2 1t is moder-
alton in the uso Of the pleasures of
life. What is rcform2 O, the sins
that have been committed III the name
of that word. To the crank 1t is his
specialism, but it is generally accepted
to mean making over for the better.
The question is, how can we teach
men to use intoXicants temperately7
Gov st. John Is mortified at the
results Of intoxication, but he forgets
that we are q self-governing people,
and must have the permission of fifty
per cont. of the people before 1t can
be decided that men have not the
right TO drink whiskey when they
want IS. WLa SAYS there Is no liceasing
in the Bible. ''A'A1''' '4''''''.
81 fail to find single instance In
which drinking is prohi oited there.
Certainly it is not prohibited in Mosaic
law. Men for thousands of years have
indulged in the use of intoxicants.
Ever since they learned that alcohol
could be produced by fermentation,
they feel that they have right to
drink, and you cannot convince them
otherwise.
Until you get men 10 believe that
thoy are better as hypocrites and liars
than in their own iniquity you can
never persuade them that they have
not right to drink. If this prohibit
ton had been as great and wise a
thing as its followers claim, 1t would
have been the law of the whole land
instead Of tho exception"
| Senator Tillman talked some moro
about his dispensary, and the chair
man reminded him that his twcnty
minutes was drawing to an end.
''As a proof that the law has failed
wherever it was tried" he concluded,
"you can see that it was necessary
even when sincere and conscientious
mon were trying to enforce the law,
for the States to 60 back to licensing.
Iowa puts a clause in its Constitution
forbidding tho sale of liquor except
for medicinal, pharmaceutical, and
mechanical purposes.
"What a stretch was given to the
meaning Of those words. [ know from
my own experience in enforcing the
law how impossible il was to prevent
tho invasion of these laws. Ny expert
encc has taught mo that the law must
depend on the governed for it's en-
forcemcnt.
"If you have not got public opin-
ion with you the law can never be en-
forced. Where can you get tho jurors,
the prosecutors and the witnesses
when tho feeling Of the public is SO
against them2 1t is only when the
feeling that the saloons must 60 is
strong enough to support that they
will be accepted rs substitutes.
''The United States Government de-
mands tax from tho people who sell
whislsey, and who can dony that there
| is q license to soil it. How can the
| idea of prohibition be obtained when
there is no means of enforcing it3 This
is self-governing country.
"Unless law rests in the will OF
the people there is no power to enforce
| it, Tho Supreme Court says the power
does not lie with any citizen to sell Ii
: quor contrary to the police power OF
the State, but this relates to the selling
and not to the drinking"
l Gov. st. John now read some statis
tics showing how Kansas had increas
ed in wealth since prohibition became
q law there, and how much tho gov,
ernors and other State officers, who
were once opposed to it, had to say
in favor Of the conditions that exist
now.
"Why, in tho town I live in" he
said, there are 1000 people, and we
have ONLY ono policeman. FORMERLY y