Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-08-18


j evidence that tho Y g Goyernors had q not
measurednp TO tho standard required by
tho people. 4, ca the liquor question he
i iayored local option with higher license.
He had always boon opposed to tho dis
pensary law, but tho records showed
that during his torn as solicitor he had
secured more conyictioHs for violation OF
tho disponsary law than any other solioi-
tor In the State, He believed he could
mako good and efficient Governor, and
If elected he,would serve tho people to
tho ,best Of his obility. He made d fino
speech, and closed amid applause. " NJ
i Col, r., B. Watson, Of Saluda, began
his speech b. referring to his record as
homo and in the Legislature. He had
gono to tho Senate from Edgofeld with
out opposition because his poople> >rocog.
nized in him I. man broad enough to
represent all factions. He was farmer
and ,reformer, but ho endeavored al
ways to be fair and just. Thero had
boon too much hars', criticism of late
years, bnt that was no roason why Just
criticism should not DO made. Ho
thought it unfortunate that the liquor
question was overshadowing all othor
questions in this campaign. Ho believed
tho educational question was tho ono of
greatost Importance. The school house
and the church should DO within oasy
roach of tho humbicst citizon. Tho roc
ords showed that ono out Of ovory ton of
tho registered voters Of tho State could
not read and writo. There arc too many
boys and girls in our colleges who ought
to hc IN good common scEoo!s. Ha
favored tho disponsary as tho best solu-
tion of tho liquor problem. lie was an
advocate of temperance, and mover took
n drop of liquor in bis life. But he
could soc the beneficial Objects of tho
dispensary systom, and thought it should
bo moro rigidly enforced. Too many
dispensers had boon allowed to 90 on
swindling tho State who ought to be in
tho ponitontiary. 1t was not right to
punish tho poor man who sold pint Of
liquor ard then allow tho man who had
stolon from tho State to escape.
Watson criticized Gov. Ellorbo igor
ously for his military appointments,
declaring that ho had appointed Aston
and Frost in ordor to carry Columbia for
himsolf. Boyd, Wardlaw and othors
carried recruits and militiamon to Column
bia and wore ignored whilc Tillman was
appointed lieutenant colonel without
carrying man.
Mr.. Z. G. Feathorstone, of Laurons,
tho distinctive prohibition candidate,
made vigorous spooch. Ho argued that
prohibition was practicable and could be
enforced as VOL as any other law. 1t
was tho testimony of hopooplo of Maino
that tho prohbitory laws of that State
wcro rs we'll enforced as any other crimi-
nal law All criminal statutes wore vio-
lated moro or less. Wo have laws
against stealing, burglary and murdor,
and yot stealing, burglary and murder
60 on. Who thought of repeating
those laws on that accountp He had
boon speaking for prohibition for fourteen
years, and had mover changed his views
Ho had seen tho evils of whiskoy and for
years had not touched it. IIo related an
anccdote of boy holding on to the tail
of running bull. Some one asked him
did ho hope to stop tho BULL and he ro-
piled, "Pm trying to stop him, but if /
don't, Pll slow him up right smart"
That was tho attitude of tho prohibition
lists. When ho spoke of tho people of
South Carolina spending $3, ,0OO, 900 yearly
for liquor, Col. Watson asked him how
much Of that came through tho dispen-
saryP 81 don't know" he shouted, "and
nobody knows anything about this infor-
nal dispensary. With its beer privileges,
its blood letting and stealing all ovor
South Carolina, nobody knows and no
body ever will" Loud applause. 1t
was Il disgrace that tho Palmetto stamp
was put an whskoy bottle. And then
tho sinister attempt was made to ap-
pcase tho public conscience by protesting
TO turn some of tho profits ovor to tho
public school fund. Yes, educate our
boys and girls on blood money! Submit
tho question fairly and squaroly to tho
people and lot that settle it. A healthy
public sentiment would demand tho on
forcement of tho law. Tho sale of whis-
kcy was wrong from both a moral and
business standpoint. lIe elaborated these
! ideas as much as possible in the short
time allowed, and took his scat amid
much applause.
Mr.. e. l.. Archer, of Spartanburg, be-
gan by replying to Mr.. Foathorstone and
claiming that ho had just pictured an
ideal state of society, ono impossible of
practical attainment. He admitted that
it was state of society to be desired.
(Voice-"Work for it, thon.") But ho
presented no remedy. Edgofold had
had twonty ono State officers in sixteen
years, and the only trouble with Watson
was that he didn't got in soon enough.
The Piedmont counties have never had
Governor. Ilo riddlcd Col. Noal's man
agemcnt of the Ponitentiary. What had
become of tho $35, 900 that was COTTON
for convict hro "Its just cat up,
that's what" The dspensary law had
been making cnomies and the State had
been in disgrace because wo have no
Governor. Iio then took up the cduca-
tional system of tho State, and argued
against tho lavish expenditure of money
to support Clemson, Winthrop and the
South Carolina College. Tho benefits
accruing from public money levied for
school purposes were not cquitably dis
tributod between our higl or institutions