The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-08-22

= - --s:s s1<=:-- - ---:::c -
{ t. say: # is : question f:hcthej more
men b&.3onc arunkards or hypcsrites
under the prthibitory law.
This, gentlemen, is but q like report
made of every other prohibition State
by this committee.
Hear me again, you men who believe
that Democracy has stronger claim
upon you than prohibition, and hear
the arraignment Of prohibition, Col.
Hovts pet theory, by the Democracy
of Maine. On July II, 1900, the Demo
cratic party adopted the following as
pat Of its platform:
For nearly half century se have
had statutory law prohibiting the
manu- 'aoture, sale and use of intoxi
eating liquors. For nearly half that
time 1t has been embodied IN the Stat.
constitution. Since 1t was f1st enacted
scores of amendments, each more
stringent and the penalties more than
those preceding it, have been passed
For nearly 20 years the alleged en-
for cement Of the prohibitory Law has
beeo growing more and more lax until
today iu nearly every city in the State
acd mauy Of the larger towns there are
regularly established bars and saloons
where l;q1o-s are sold in open, a.
grant violation Of the constitution and
statutory law. Nearly every hotel,
many restaurants, hundreds Of So
called drug stores AID uununbered
and secret saloons and barrooms in the
cities sell without restriction, save an
occasional seiz1re and 6ne for political
purposes.
For years the prohibitory Law has
been political football. Its hypoariti-
cal enforcement has be used 10 ecu
troi the liqlor vote to Increase ;e the IN
come of peri ired officials aud to swell
the corrup1ioo funi for campaign pur
poses Through its instrumentality the
party in power has Influenced j1ries,
corrupted cfioials sworn to enforce the
law; debauched voters, deceived the
advocates of Temperance, betrayed the
cause II pIo4eSSeU ~ SupPo'.' S!S@'t'S
a contempt aud disregard for all laws
aud has made the good name Of the
Safe a byword ard reproaeh wherever
it IS known
Then you ask the question, If these
prohibition States are Ia such deplor
able condition why do they not change!
The answer is evident The liquor men
are il the saddle aad they, like the
liou,r men OF South Carolina, are per-
feclly satisfied with prohibition. Think
of the condition of Maine The prohi-
bitionists cannot change. The liquor
men cannot be disen,hralled d. you
desire such condition of affairs here?
Have you any reason why South Caro-
liua would not be II as deplorable
condition as any Of these States. If SO
what is itY Aud if none, why change
settled law for disastrous expert
ment. Some Of my competitors in their
ireuzied desire for Office have made the
unwarranted charge that J. have not
enforced the law. Try my record be-
fore tribunal over which neither l
nor my competitors have any control.
The reports of the attorney general S
Office show that for the year 1899. the
only year reported to that office during
which | was responsible for the en
forcement of that law that 32 more
we're charged with the violation Of the
dispensary law than for the year 1898
Ninety-oue more than for 1897; ;2l3 more
than for 1895. Tie years 1893, 1891 are
not considered as the enforcement Of
the law vas practically stopped b5 the
courts. My record has beea exceeded
by only one year and during that year
the constables were allowed to seize all
inter state liquor as well as to arrest
any man transporting contraband 10.
ter-state liquor *hich privilege has
since been denied by the court. During
the past six months of my administra-
ton l61 cases have been sent to the
circuit court for trial and 106 men have
been convicted in the various courts Of
the State. Does this SAVIOR OF a non
enforcement of the law?
Ny competitors make reckless charges
Of the non enforcement Of the law.
Tao of them have taken an cath to
support the law and the other two have
moral obligation on their shoulders as
citizens.
If either Of them knows Of any VIC
latioDs of the law or has any such in
formation is it not his duty to see that
the law is enforced or renounce his
obligations as an officer or a citizen?
If they can specify as to any violations
can aud will use their testimony in
the courts.
To simply assert, or charge without
specifying and without proof is uu-
manly, unfair and uu-Auerican. l
have done the best | could to enforce
the laT. That it is not perfectly en-
forced, never has been, and never will
be, is as true Of this law as it is Of any
other law. The federal government
with its unliLited resources cannot stop
moonshining. Then how can debt
ridden State do better than He have
done?
1t has been suggested that the law
has not been enforced in the city Of
Charleston. My friends, you may rest
assured that the State authorities aud
officers have done everything within
their power to enforce the law For
the fist six months Of this year one
magistrate alone issued 900 search VA
rants fer contraban3 liquor. Numbers
Of cases have been sent up to the up
per court charging persons with vio-
lating the law No opportunity has
ever been missed, 50 far as | know, to
enforce the law vigorously. But what
ia the result? Just as fast as we send
them up the grand jury unceremoni-
ously throws them out cannot make
juries nor an / the guardian Of the
| oP W. nnlU