The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-10
THE souru CAROLINA CASES.

Whether states rights man or Federal
Ist. all Independent and just thinkers VIII
rejoice that South Carolina's dispensafy
law has received a black eye. # it were
law enacted i'm the interest OF tenn
perance. many men who are unable TO
nersuade themselves that Government can
ever deal successfully with the subject
would. nevertheless, sympathize with the
law upon the whole. as measure thal
was backed by laudable intentions even
though II was destined TO failure But IL
has no relation whatever TO purpose 10
eradicate intomperance. ON the contra
~. its entire aim ana purpose Is TO en-
courage intcmpcrance, and spread the
use Of Intoxicating liquors amongst the
people as widely as possible. 1t Is
law to encourage and not TO suppress
drinking. Its sole purpose Is to CON
vert the state of South. Carolina into the
sole bar-keeper for the state, and TO
monopolize for her treasury all the prohts
the business can be made to yield. which
should properly be distributed amongst
her people according to individual effort
n the traffic is a fair subject of bust
ness al all. 1t is an odious. detcstable
measure OF socialism founded in utterly
false and destructive ideas Of government
and dishonoring to South Carolina, as
converting that once proud and lofty
Commonwealth into a petty huekster OF
drains for profit.
The other decision. in the election case
must necessarily arouse very conflicting
feelings and opinions in the breast of
every man. So far as we understand
them. we do not approve of South Caro-
ina's election laws. If they went no
further than to disfranchise large body
of her negro voters. simply for being
negroes. and without regard 10 their
other qualifications we should believe
them founded in bad policy, but we should
seei no disposition to critcise the people
of the state. confronted as they are by
such mass of ignorance and supersu-
ton, for enacting them. We recognize
the case as one which is to be controlled
by the locality. and whilst we should
probably disapprove the policy from
which the laws proceed. if We were
a part OF that locality. We feel no dispo-
sition TO censuTe South Carolinians for
adopting and pursuing il. But as we under
stand the case. the South Carolina laws
have been so framed by the Tillman
party as to secure all political power
in the hands Of that particular part of
South Cardinals white population that
t,f. .,1
following of b. r. Tillman.
H. therefore, these laws are to fall as
the result Of Judge Goff's decision. there
will be few tears shed over their de-
cease by men who want TO see Govern
ment of equal laws. that bear in the same
way upon all men.
We shall possess our soul in patience.
however. until We hear from the Supreme
Court Of the United States upon the
question whether the United States Court
has jurisdiction OF the case or not. II
that tribunal shall hold that Judge Gon
had authority to consider and pass judg-
meni In the case. we shall have no tears
at all to shed over the conclusion that
he has reached. II, on the contrary. II
shall hold that he has no jurisdiction In
the case. then nothing at all will have
been accomplished by the proceedings. and
the whole case will fail. We do not
therefore. see anything in tho case 10
upset our equanimily.
We have already considered the ques-
ton whether the Supreme Court will or
will not hold that Judge Con has juris-
diction to entertain the suit. 1t Is very
clear that upon the decisions OF the su-
premo Court before the Ayers case, he
would have had the jurisdiction. But
the Ayers case has set the whole matter
90 entirely at sea that no man can say