Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-02-01
Wednesday, February l, 1899:

and the Prohibitionist Of the stat
are not responsible for them in an
shape, form or fashion. At the sam
time l would not knowingly take an.
position that might be calculated t
Iiniure the cause of the Prohibitionists
for am as staunch a believer in pro
hibition, upon principle, as ever, AM
will do as much for its sake as any maj
in the state. My friends, or some o
them, may differ with me as to tn
means of accomplishing our ends; bu
they will not question my motives
What is the situation that confront
US? We have the dispensary system
Under the constitution of 1895 W.
cannot 90 back to the old bar.roon
system. If we let matters remain IL
their present shape what have we &C
complished The dispensary system
can never lead to prohibition. 1t ha
fought us heretofore at every step. L
has done more to make the whisky
traffic appear respectable than an!
system that we have ever had. Th'
longer the system stands the more
power will it acquire and the more in
huence will it exercise in political cir
cIes. The tremendous power it al
ready has can only be known fully b!
those who have come in contact witt
its practical workings in campaign
How eagerly are the positions upol
the board of control sought after
Why? Partly, at least, because they
realize the power of the dispensary IL
elections, aud they want its influence
exerted in their behalf. IF allowed u
stand will its influence along these
lines be decreased 1 repeat the ques
ton: What have the Prohibitionists
to gain by allowing the present system
to stand? Absolutely nothing. If il
stands they have gained nothing, and
their fight of last year counts for moth
ing.
On the other hand, what would the
repeal of the dispensacy mean to US
With it repealed, and with no Other
law enacted, we would have prohibi
ton in every county in the state. The
lacking on of a local option feature
would mean that iu those counties
where public sentiment is not suth
GENTLY strong to give US prohibition
the license system or the county dis
pensary system would be in. force
Under either of these systems we would
have all of the good features of the
present dispensary, for under the con
stitution they have remained. If pro
hibition were forced upon said coun
ties it could not be enforced, for it is
nonsense to talk about enforcing any
law which is not supported by public
sentiment. The non-enforcement of
prohibition law in those counties would
10 our cause harm, because we would
be held responsible for its enforcement
True, we might have whisky rings to
fight in those particular counties i'll the
future; but what would they be as
compared to the great state whisky
ring now in existence? / believe
that at least three-fourths of the coun'
ties in the state would remain under
the operations of the prohibition law
Would that not give us three-fourths
of victory, which is better than nc
victory at all? Again, those counties
would give US tremendous leverage
in our future fights. The only sound
objection that can be urged against
the view that 1 present is that the
present administration is hostile to
prohibition, and that, therefore, the
law might be killed by weakened
enforcement thereof. There is some
force in such an argument, but in my
Judgment that objection will be more
than offset by the benefits that will
accrue. Remember, we get rid of the
tremendous influence of the dispen'
sary in politics. With the dispensary
out of our way and with three-fourths
of the counties in the state at our back
surely we will be in better position
to push on TO complete victory. The
plan which l advocate, in nutshell
means to make the most of our present
opportuuities-to take three-fourths oI
loaf rather than no loaf at all take
and occupy the position from which
we can make the best fight in the
future. 1t does not mean a sacrifice o
principle. 1t means that as practical
men we are TO seize what is best for us
when the opportunity offers; it means
that in our judgment it is better moi
to have whisky legally sold in three
fourths of the counties than to have il
sold in all. TO urge that by doing as
I advocated we become allied with the
whisky men is all bosh aud sentiment.
We do nothing of the kind. On The
other hand, if we are offered prohibl
ton in three-fourths of the counties
in the state and fail to take it, where
does the responsibility lie? For my
part am willing to take all we can gel
and keep on fighting until we get il
all. l repeat that there is no sacrifice
of principle involved. 1t is a question
of expediency, which must be settled
in practical way.
G. G. FEATHERsTONE.