Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-08-17
FEATH[RSTONE'S REPLY.
DEFENDS THE PROHIBiTI0NISTs AGAINST
........- TlLLMAMS CHARGE
OF COWARDS AND HYPOCRITES.
Proves the Dispcnsary Is a DeIusion Out OF
the Senator's Own Mouth. .


In the News and Courier of the
9th is a brief report of Senator Till
mans speech in Sumter. In his
speech in the afternoon, after he had
eaten his dinner, and when most men
would have been at peace with the
whole world, the Senator lost his
temper and said some very ugly
things among other things he
declared that he was no peace or
unity man, by which utteranco he
imparts TO information to the peo-
pie of South Carolina, for his whole
record shows that he has been q stirrer
of strife ever since he entered the
political arena. Indeed, he rode into
office upon wave Of strife and Bit
terness as has never been witnessed
before in this State, and even now
he realizes that his future success de-
pends upon again arraying brother
against brother and creating, if he
can, that old time strife and bitter
ness of which the people Of our State
arc sick and tired. But the writer
desires especially to call attention to
the remarks made by Senator Till
man at Sumter on the 4th instant in
his reference to the Prohibitionists.
According to the report in the News
and Courier, he used the following
language:
"The State had to choose between
prohibition and the dispensary, and
as the Prohibitionists we're set of
hypocrites and towards, the choice
fell on the dispensary."
Now, it may be remarked at the
outset that this article is written
without any desire to engage in a
controversy with Senator Tillman,
but, inasmuch as the writer had the
honor to lead in the fight for prohib-
ition last year, he feels it to be his
duty to say something on tho sub
ject. 1t will be seen that the Sena-
tors statement is characterized by
his usual recklessness. He deems it
small matter to denounce as COW
ards and hypocrites some twenty
odd thousand of the very best peo-
pie in South Carolina-people who
honestly believe that prohibition is
right, and who arc ready to stand up
and fight for their convictions. Yet
because they dare to disagree with
Senator Tillman, they are, without
provocation, denounced as towards
and hypoorites. Truly, we have
reached beautiful state of affairs
when people who dare to live up to
their convictions are to denounced in
such language by one who occupies
the high and dignfed position ot
United States Senator.
Where do the ministers of the
Gospel stand? Almost to mar
they have declared in favor of pro.
hibition, and because they did sc
they are towards and hypocrites.
What about the great Baptist
Methodist and Presbyterian churches
all of which have spoken out in ia.
vor of prohibition? They arc
classed b. Senator Tillman as COW.
ards and hypocrits.
1t needs no argument to show that
the statement made by Senator Till
man was recklessly made, and il
wholly untrue. The object in writ
ing this is not to show the falsity oi
the charge, for that is self
evident, but to show the condition
of affairs that prevails to some ex.
tent in this State, condition Of
affairs which permits the use of such
reckless and false charges. The Pro
hibitionists have never made any
fight on Senator Tillman, but they
may show him that he is a bad Judge
of what it takes to constitute COW.
ards and hypocrites,
The writer also desires to call at.
tention to certain other language
of Senator Tillman. He assorted
that the dispensary was not intended
to be & moral institution, but a place
whore people who wanted to drink
could get all they wanted of good
quality, and the State receive the
profits. So we have the father OF
the great moral institution robbing
it of its chief feature. At the time
the law was passed, the Prohibition
ists were thought to be, and doubt
less were, in the majority in the
General Assembly. The advocates
L oe IA