The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-07-28
TILLMAN WAS THWARTED.
Elliott and Bryan too Much for the
Pitchfork Senator.

a lively discussion of the South Caro-
lima dispensary law in Speaker Reeds
room at the Capitol to-day, and the
result was that the committee on
rules refused to grant Senator Till
mans request for a special order to
consider his bill during the present
session of Congress. A special meet
ing Of the committee on rules was
called by Speaker Reed to consider
the request on the part Of Senator
Tillman and those members Of the
South Carolina delegation who follow
him in advocating the dispensary sys-
tenn for an opportunity to take up the
bill this session. All of the members
of the committee were in attendance,
and Senator Tillman, with all Of the
South Carolina delegation, except
Representative Talbert, were present.
Mr.. J.. Kennedy Bryan was also there
to assist Representative Elliott in op-
posing the consideration Of the bill at
this time.
Senator Tillman, as the sponsor Of
the bill, was allowed to open the de-
bate, and it did not take long for him
to warm up to his subject, and at the
same time warm up those who are OPP
posing his pet,measure. Itawas appa-
rent from the beginning that Speaker
Reed was not in sympathy with Sena-
tor Tillman's proposition, and there
were several spirited colloquies be-
tween the South Carolina Senator and
the Speaker. Senator Tillman claim
ed that his bill simply provided that
the State of South Carolina should be
allowed to regulate the liquor traffic
within its borders. and went IN to
state that the present dispensary sys-
tenn would be a success, financially
and otherwise, if certain United States
Judges would permit it to have q fair
trial. He went on to say that every
time the %dispensary system raised it's
| head in South Carolina the United
States Courts would take a crack at it
and disable it. Heysaid the people
of South Carolina had declared in IA
vor Of prohibition ,'and the State Gov
eminent decided to establish the dis
pensary system with a view to closing
the barrooms and reducing drunken
ness. He went over all the ground to
show that the dispensary Law was a
good law, and added that unless the
State authorities are allowed to regu-
late the liquor business without the
constant interference of the United
States Courts the system will have to
be abandoned as a failure.
It was after he had been subjected
to several Interruptions by Speaker
Reed and other members of the COM
mittee that Senator Tillman turned to
Speaker Reed and proceeded to IN
trast the State Of. Maine with South
Carolina from a temperance stand
point.
"The State Of Maine is a prohibition
State" exclaimed Senator Tillman,
and yet you have four barrooms to our
one."
"We simply keep those for the en-
tertainment Of our VISITORS" replied
Speaker Reed, with his characteristic
drawl, which convulsed the meeting
and tangled the thread Of the South
Carolina Senator argument.
Tillman displayed the greatest ear.
nestness in the subject, for, it is said,
his political future in the Palmetto
State largely depends upon the suc-
cess of the now tottering dispensary
system. He has devoted untiring en-
srgy to the bill and he hoped to get it
passed during the present session.
In support Of his claim Tillman pro-
iuced before the committee a letter
from Senator Chandler, of New Hamp-
| shire, commencing the %dispensary
system in the highest terms. When
Senator Chandler went to South Caro-
lima to attend the funeral Of the late
| Senator Earle he took occasion to Wis
it the State dispensary, and made a
hurried Investigation of the system.
| It was Senator Chandler who helped
! Senator Tillman pass his bill through
| the Senate a few days ago.
Representative Elliott, in opposing
the present consideration Of the bill,
| said it was incumbent upon Senator
| Iillman and his friends to satisfy the
committee that there was some good
| reason why an exception should be
made in this Ease and the bill given
the right of way through the House,
| when no other business but revenue
and appropriation bills were allowed
to come up. He claimed that Senator
Tillman had given no reason which
should have any weight with the
committee. He said the whole agita-
ton was caused by a decision Of the
United States Court, and, disguise it
as you may, the one purpose Of the
bill was to override the decision Of
that Court by Legislative action.
Representative Elliott briefly review
ed the subject from an anti-dispensa-
~ standpoint, and impressed the COM
mite with the idea that there was
no occasion for hasty or irregular
| action on a matter Of so much impor-
| lance.
Mr.. Bryan supported the position
taken by Representative Elliott, by
reviewing the legal features of the
case, and he did it admirably. He
cleverly turned Senator Tillman's ar
gument into a defence of the political
situation in South Carolina, and i'm
pressed the committee that Senator
Tillman is actuated by local political
motives in his zeal in behalf of the
dispensary law. AS soon as the COM
mittec caught the political drift of the
case, it was evident that Senator Till
mans chances for favorable action
were languishing.
Representative Latimer attempted
to break the force of the statements Of
Messrs. Elliott and Bryan by defend
ing the ~dispensary Law. He said that
it was easy. to make charges against
the system, but denied that any evil
dence had been produced to show
that the system is a failure and should
not be sustained by Congress.
When the hearing concluded tie
committee refused to grant the re-
quest for the consideration of the bill
at this time, holding that it was Of
sufficient Importance to require fur
ther examination by the judiciary
committee, when appointed.
Senator Tillman was greatly disap-
pointed by the decision of the COM
| pn:ttoa an r,,laa % ho fnllu axnootod