Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-11

originally blocked out. he had maze
many enemies and sustained lots OF
abuse; but he had grown fat on it, and
still retained his old friends along with
many new ones. But while all this was
true, he had the same heart with which
he originally started out, yearning as ever
to right the wrongs of the farmer, and Sc
cure the emancipation of the toiling
masses.
After his introductory remarks, Sena-
tor Tllman at once plunged into dis
cussion of the dispensary question, re-
viewing the history of the law from the
date of the prohibition majority in the
state in 1892, up to the present time. An
effort had been made to pass prohibition
law in compliance with the demand OF
the people in the primary. He knew that
such law could never be enforced. The
best way to fight the devil is with fire,
and since the profit feature of the liquor
business is its principal element OF
strength, it appeared clear to him that the
sensible thing was to fight liquor with
| liquor. 1t was with this purpose in view
he secured the enactment of the dispen-
sary law. His enemies saw at once that
he had devised plan that would solve
the question for once and for all, and
they instituted bitter fight against it.
AS the result, the three anti-judges of the
supreme court had declared the law un-
constitutional. Upon this he had the
dispensaries closed, and there followed a
trial of "prohibition." Bar-rooms were
re-opened in Columbia, and these three
fat judges would every day pass Is or
more liquor shops as they went down the
streets. The law was ignored, openly
trampled under foot, and during the reign
of prohibition, more liquor was sold in
the state than was ever sold before OF
since. Not one Of these judges did one
thing to put stop tn it.
He referred to the town of Yorkville as
having and always had prohibition"
yet there had been more illegal liquor
sold there than in any town in the state.
In that town, he also said, there was one
of the slickest ducks that ever crossed his
path. He had repeatedly sent constables
and detectives to catch this fellow but
he continued to sell right under theil
noses.
Among the most bitter enemies of the
dispensary law, he classed the preachers
He described them as working with the
devil. There was a rope around the neck
of the dispensary. Al one end was the
preachers and at the other the devil
Both parties were pulling with ell their
might, and between the two, the law was
in danger of being choked to death.
Then he spoke of the state government
having been transferred to Flat Rock, N.
| c., where it was in the dirty hands OF
Judge Sim1nton.
One of the principal objections urged
against the law was the dishonesty OF
dispensers. If this was true, then the
dispensary should either be put in poll
tics or taken out. If the people could
not elect honest dispensers the same as
they could elect honest treasurers and
other officers, civilization is failure and
it is time to quit.
He avowed that he was responsible for
the dispensary law. He believed that ii
was right then, and nothing had occurred
since to cause him to change. In fact he
had more faith in it than ever. Now that
Simonton has the law by the throat, and
it's prospects appear to be dark, many of
the weakened politicians are hiding
out in the bushes to see how it would all
come out. He, however, was willing to
sink or swim on the principle involved in
this matter, and would not give up the
fight for the maintainance of the law, SO
long as there was single stone unturned
He defended Governor Ellerbe in his
refusal to remove the metropolitan police
from Charleston. He himself had ad-
vised the governor not to remove the
police until every single member of the
Charleston city council should sign a
pledge to enforce the law, and the COVER
nor had promised to pursue that course.
Governor Ellerbe had been charged with
double-dealing, lying and deceit; but he
had been fair, open and honest through
out the whole matter.
The balance of Tillman's speech was
devoted principally to the tariff, the oc-
casion of the discussion being certain
questions asked by members of the all
dience. He explained that his recent
threat to vote for the Dingley bill, in the
event his vote should be necessary for
the passage of that measure, was neither
bluff nor the result Of an alleged trade.
When he said he would vote for the bill,
he meant exactly what he said. Last
summer the Republicans preached, from
one end of the land to the other, that the
financial question had nothing whatever
to do with the prevalent general business
depression but that the trouble was OH
account OF the Wilson bill. The Demo-
Gratis insisted that free silver was the
remedy, and this they believe yet. The
voters of the country decided in favor Of
the Republican doctors. Now they have
been working all summer in the con-
struction Of the monstrosity known as
the Dingley bill. They are not satisfied
with it. In fact, they are all split up over
it. They know as well as we know, that
it will never accomplish what it is in
tended to accomplish. Had it failed of
passage, the Republicans could 60 back
to the country next summer with the ar
gument that they had promised high
tariff and prosperity. Prosperity had
not come. High tariff is the remedy;
but the Democrats and disgruntled Re-
publicans had stood in the way and pre-
vented the application of that remedy.
The Republicans could not help them
selves. Wipe out the Democrats and dis
gruntled Republicans, and then the Re-
publican party will give the country pros
perity. With such an argument as this,
Senator Tillman thought the Republicans
would be sure to make the tariff an issue
again, and that they would stand good
chance to win. He is sure, however, that