The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-08-26
sen. T|LLMAN At NAGENER'S
Fifteen Thousand People Hear Him
in the Interest of the New 4
COUNTY SCHEME OF EDIST0.
He Showed the Advantages Of Small
unties--Denounced the Manage
ment Of the Dispensary.

Senator Tilman addressed an audience
Of 1, 500 people at Wagener's on the 18th
in the interest of the new county
scheme of Edisto. He showed the ad-.
yantages of small counties, and said
that if he lived in the proposed territory
he would vote for the new county, but
he wanted the people to think over tho
matter and act for their own best inter-
est. He made a long and forcibls
speech in the interest Of the dispensary.
He charged the present board Of control
with incompetency, and said that the
election of the board should be taken
away from the Legislature, as it was
almost impossible to secure good men
80 long as there was so much "log roll
ing" amcng the members for their
friends.
One man would say, you vote for me,
and I will vote for your man; hence the
the inevitable result is the selection Of
men unfit for the position. He said
that while some of the members OF the
present board were his personal friends,
and all of them his political friends, he
did not propose to let that hinder him
from telling the plain truth in references
to their management of the dispensary.
He said they should all resign and
give way to men wko could and would
run the dispensary as the great busi-
ness concerns are run-on business
principles; that the people need not
expect the best results where there was
80 much chickering's and disagree
ment.
He was in favor of electing the board
by the people, and thought that the
Governor should have the power to fe-S
move q dispenser immediately-that
where so great an interest was at stake
arbitrary power had to be exercised by
someone or the interest of the people
would suffer; where the responsibility
was divided you would hare no one TO
hold to an accountability. ss
He claimed that the enforcement Of
the law should be given to the Cover
nor, as he has charge Of the constabu-
larry. 3
lie paid his respects to Judge Simon
ton in very forcible language. He said
that the very best lawyers In the United
States Senate told him that Simonton's
decision was contrary to law, and for
that reason they voted unanimously for
his dispensary bill in the Senate. He
claims that the bill will pass when Con-
gress meets. E
He was charged with slandering the
preachers, but all that he had said about
them was that q great many of them in
their zeal for prohibition were helping
the devil, saloon keepers and Simonton
to choke the dispensary to death. He
said that none Of the preachers could
show anywhere in the Bible where
whiskey drinking was condemned.
The Rev. Hiram Bagot took issue
with him, and spicy, ,colIoquy was the
result.
Mr.. Bagot: The good Book said
that no 'drunkard could enter the
Senator Tillman: 'It is the abuse,
not the use Of whiskey, that the Bible
condemns, and can show you humid
reds of passages in the Bible where the
use of whiskey and wine ia sustained
by Divine authority"
The Senator claims thatthe preachers
and Prohibitionists are contending for
an ideal which is simpossible. OF fulfill
ment.
"If You cannot get your ideal, do not
help the saloon keepers to defeat the
dispensary, said the Senator fiercsly.
He took hand primary on the dis
pensary, and over three-fourths Of the
people voted to sustain the dispensary,
Senator Tillman has certainly lost no
ground with the country people. They
gave him an enthusiastic reception.
Someone asked him how about the
tariff and direct taxes?
He said that We were compelled 70
have protection to raise revenue, and
that be was opposed to direct taxes, q
direct taxes would have to be levied on
population, and the rich man would
paw no more than the poor man.
;'How do you stand on the Senatorial
race?" asked someone in the audience.
81 decline to answer" said the SenA-
tor. 81 advised You all last year to
elect Evans and you would not do il.
and I can't see how you can expect me
to take sides against any Of the capdi-
dates, as they are all reformers1 ~
must decide for yourselves With ~
interference from me. He clio IA
oyaot annlause