The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-07-27
PROHIBITION VS.. DISPENSARY.

Ine pOIIttCdl S'1tN p'--SH -
the half way mark and the campaign
ers are vending their way towards
the up-country. Those who have
watched the course of events are pre-
pared to make predictions as to the
outcome of the contest, for it is agreed
that there is but one important issue
Prohibition against Dispensary.
When the contest began there was
no vell-de6ned issue and most Of the
candidates undertook to manufacture
political capital by casting insinua-
tons or Governor Ellerbe without
attempting to offer the slightest
proof; they undertook to build noun
tains out of mole-hills by creating the
impression that the Governor played
the wilds in making his appointments,
that he went back on his friends, ne
was lacking in backbone, etc. Yet
not one of them submitted any proof
nor did one OF them dare insinuate
corruptness or malfeasance in Office,
but on the other hand, when pinned
down all of his opponents admit Gov
ernor Ellerbe to be honest, that his
administration is free from scandal,
and the promises made IN his lnau-
gural address have been faithfully
fulfilled, Notwithstanding the fact he
has had more embarrassing conditions
to contend with than any former
Governor.
Under the circumstances the op-
position utterly failing to show that
Governor Ellerbe is not entitled to q
second term, his reelection would
be conceded without another gun
being fred" but the issue before the
people-Prohibition or Dispensary-
puts the contest in different shape.
The Prohibitionists, who are support
ing that measure conscieotiously, are
not opposed to Governor Ellerbe, be-
cause they know him to be pure
man who has given the people a wise
and clean administration, but they
are opposed to the sale of liquor and
Governor Ellerbe believing the dis
pensary system the most practical
plan vet devised to control liquor, is
advocating that system, which IS con-
trary to the views and wishes of the
Prohibitionists, hence their opposi-
ton to him.
In the person of c. c. Featherstone
have the prohibition element selected
champion, and he is manfully hold
ing up their cause: from county to
county he advocates the State doing
away with the beverage feature in its
sale OF spirituous liquors, and that it
shall only permit the dispensaries to
sell the stuff for medicinal, scien-
tifcal, sacramental and mechanical
purposes" As we understand the
position of the Prohibitionists, and if
we are wrong we invite correction,
the control and sale of spirituous and
malt liquors is to remain with the
State as it is now, but that the bever-
age feature shall only be eliminated.
II we are correct il this, we do not
see how those opposed to the State
dealing in the stuff can support Mr..
Featherstone, for he is advocating
measure which must be convincing to
every mind will not work, aside from
the fact that by their votes for him
they will be jumping out of the fry
ing pan into the fire. Those who are
strict temperance men cannot vote
for Featherstone if they adhere to the
doctrine ':touch not, taste not, handle
not" because Featherstone does not
advocate the putting of liquor out Of
the way. He wants it to stay here
and wants the State to control it as
at present; the only thing he asks is
for the stuff not to be sold for people
to drink. We do not believe the peo-
pie are ready to experiment with an
idea, that before they begin, is known
to them to be impractical and can
only result in failure and reproach to
the cause of prohibition. But as the
issue has been made, with man rep
resenting this doubtful side, the other
side representing plan only partially
tried and that trial under the most
provoking and harasslng circumstan-
ces, it is for the people to say by their
votes which plan they viii adopt.
Governor Ellerbe in representing
the dispensary does so as a temper
ance man, whose whole life, by pre-
cept and example has been shining
temperance light and were it in his
power he would Danish the liquid
fiery poison from the land, but as a
man acquainted with the ways Of the
world, he knows that so long as the
lau-c of {ba T-ni+o1 SfafeS iie the