The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-12
ELLERBE'S REFERENDUM.
NEW METHOD OF GOVERNING THE
STATE
Moro than y Thousand Preachers Asked to
Give their Ttews and tho yiews OF their
congregations On the 8accesa on the
sueoess' OF tho Dispcnsary a. u
Temperance Institution, and as .
to tho Relative Merits Of
Prohibition. Dispensary
and High License.

Columbia, October 8.-Goyernor
Ellerbe has gone to the ministers Of
the State for al expression OF sen
tlment regarding the liquor traffic.
He asks the minicters of the State
for the expression Of "your people"
upon the dlspensary law, prohibition
and high License under the consti.
tutional restrictions.
1t will not be in tho least sur.
prlsing, and it would appear to be
altogether in ruason for tho oxpros-
B'on OF tho ministers Of tho State to
Do in favor Of prohibition. It is
Known fact that in the Methoaist
Chruch, for instance, perhaps aot
under tn" Church direction, but 90 a
collateral work, Tho temperance
work has been going on for some
time and tho ministers OF that de.
nomination have been chief in the
prohibition cause
AT all events Governor Ellerbe ia
having a circular lettor sent to eysrv
minister whose address he con secure.
in which these questions arc asked.
The following is tho circular letter
being sent out:
Columbia, October l, 1907.
Dear Sir: The following questiona
arc submitted to ministers through.
out tho State, for tho purpose Of az
certaining tho sentiment and opinion
of Christian citizens with reference
to tho dispensury law.
Please answ " each question in
tho space following it, and after
signing and stating to what demon.
lnation you belong and your post
Office address, return this in the On.
velope to the undersigned. Your
prompt nttentio. will be appreciated.
wy ie7FeoIluliy yours,
WILLIAM IL. ELLEHDE, Governor.
!. Has tho dispensary system in.
creased or decreased drunkenness or
drinking in your community; and to
what extent, idicating your opinion
by percentage of increase or de.
crease?
z. What il the preference of your
people as between QD prohibition,
(2) dispensary law and CD high
license, under tho restrictions in the
State Constitution, and which ia.
most practicable az q temperance
measure, under existing conditionsp
In each Of tho letters there is On.
closed All envelope on which il
printed tho address Of the Govornor.
Tho lists now inland make up about
ono thousand minister's and it will
take some little time to tabulato their
replies.
Governor Ellorbe might supple.
mont the letters to tho ministars
with one addressed to the mayors
and intondants Of tho various towns
and cities of tho State and they may
bo able to give him some definite in.
formation as to the incl eega p de-
crease in the number Of osses for
drunk and dieorderly before them an
we'll az what they think of tue on
GRAFTON of tho diapensary law.
FRONTS GONE aLIMMERIya.
The State dispensary people have
heretofore been constantly figuring
what profit it is making and how Il
will do this and that, but they are
not doing so much figuring Just now
since tho original package people
for single month cut. into the bust.
mesa OF the dispensary over 9B5, 600.
In making up the profits OF tho dis
ponsary would it not be just az we'll
for the State to face tho music and
put down rs one Of its liabilities the
rent that will most likely have to be
paid sooner or later for the building
now ocoupied7 True, the matter is ia
now in Coarf, and will probably re.
main there TO-! some time to come.
but the chances are altogether in
favor Of MIR. Wesley gaining posses.
sion of the Agricultural Hall. This
is entirely independent Of the bond
case for the present.
The understanding isthat Mr.. Lyleg
will make claiuI' for $500 q month
rent for tho building now used by
the dispensary and there is no tell.
ing what tho Uourta will allou