The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-08-29

The State, Aug, 23r0.
The State campaign has closed. Tn
last meeting WAS held in this city yes
terday. There were about 500 peopl
gathered around the stand at Hyat
Park. The place was well wooded an,
comparatively cool. There was con
stant demand on the spring in the hol
low-the dispensaries in town wer,
closed.
The candidates were all In gooC
form, notwithstanding the terribl,
weather which has attended them tn,
last fortnight and notwithstanding tn,
strain upon the man physical the mar
mental and the man moral. For it re
quires some self.c0ntrol for candi
date to know his limit and to say = no.
to his many friends who want to stant
treat.
Senator Tillm.n was the first speak
or. His child is quite sick and he
wanted to get to Trenton on the morn
Ing train. He made about the same
speech as elsewhere lately. In answer
to an article in The State yesterday
he said he would not accept the office
OF United States senator II majority
In the State scratched his name oil the
ticket. "If they don't want to vote
for mo
LET THEN SCRATCu."
He felt sure, however, that he would
be upheld by the people. He sailed
into the Rev. w. II. Richardson yester-
day. He held a hand primary and
about half OF the $50 tuen present
showed down for the ols pensary. The
others didn't vote. A ew held up for
prohibition.
There were few incidents. The
Evanses had a little flare up; Whitman
took oifense at Col. Hoyt calling him
an ex-preacher; Col. Hoyt and Nc.
Sweeney had misunderstanding
about which should speak first Me-
Sweenep talked good deal about the
Batesburg incident and devoted lot
OF time to Gary anG the latter passed
of the Batesburg incident as a matter
OF little consequence, after showing
that he did DOT charge McSweeney
with sending" constables out to
work for him Col. Patterson went for
all his opponents with gloves Off. Hoyt
and McSweeney seemed the favorites
for governor, and MIR. Gary changed
many votes to his column, while not
few expressed sympathy for Patter-
son.
Senator Tillman was the first speak
er, being Introduced out OF order so
that he might catch the train to leave
for home. He got right down to the
discussion OF the liquor question, saying
that Notwithstanding criticism he had
a aperfect right to appear, because he
had said that he would resign from
the senate Ia order TO come back here
and run for governor in defense OF the
dlSpensary. Some meC 4" no are most
blatant and editors who are reviving
bitterness In regard to him are the
very ones who charge nim with doing
1t, and that is not true. Take the
card In The State today signed Joab
Edwards. He wants me to sign Il
pledge that will not stand for sena-
tor If don't receive majority.
have made this statement in broad
daylight and to ask me to sign
pledge is an insult, for it says practi.
cally that | am liar This Is the
poorest sort OF a preacher because he
hasn't got any churches. He took up
his remarks ABOUT preachers. He said
that he had been unintenLionally mis-.
quoted by reporters. He had said he
would not swap his chances with some
preachers, and he wouldn't, but they
left out the word ' some.' Referring
to the book OF Habakkuk, it was more
or less an obsolete book, and some OF
the preachers don't know that there is
even such a book. daughter and ap-
plause.)
He then jumped on prohibition, say
Ing that Under 1t people would have 10
get whiskey by swearing that they
wanted 1t for medicinal or sacramental
purposes. Now, will you swear that?
Then you will swear to a lie. (Laugh-
ter and applause). Prohibition could
not be enforced. He referred to the
free sale OF liquor when the dispensary
law was declared unconstitutional.
Prohibitionists want to bring back the
same conditions. Prohibition will
make liars ana hypocrites out of you.
You will swear that you have the
belly.ache or some other ache in order
to get whiskey. Great laughter).
Where Is the doctrine gotten from
that it is sinful TO drink liquor? He
detied any bishop or preacher to show
that any such idea existed before 1916.
The sacred writings are full Of warn
ings against It's abuse. He had said
there was an unholy alliance between
preachers and barkeepers to break up
the dispensary. He stuck to that
statement because he believed it COR
rect and the devil himself couldn't
make him take 1t back. He then took
up Mr.. Richardson's sermon. In reply
he said that he did not need the dis
pensary as a machine. He had already
been elected by $4,000 majority and
what was the use Of having another
machine. II he had been demagogue
would be have thrown aside the sup.
port Of Gonzales and his little clique
OF preac bers.
There is no prohibition in this Case
1t is simply the old barroom system or
the dispensary He said that there
we're bliad tigers throug hout the State
yet tho preachers never illuminate
against them. He then took up the
text upon which woe Ia called down
upon him who giveth his neighbor
drink. They say have no right to in.
terpret q text. | have as much right
to do that as any preacher. haven't
got to take my Interpretation from
them. They wouldn't help me when
get In hot place In the next world.
He reads and studies the Bible and
will not give up his Ideas about it at
the dictation OF any preacher.
He couldn't see how high and imma.
culate ministers could go to the polls
arm In arm with barkeepers In a holy
alliance. He said 1t, he meant 1t, he
wouldn't take 1t back, and the devil
couldn't make him change his mind.
He WAS not attacking the preachers
They first had attacked him by name
He had called DR.. Gardner down for
saying something that was untrue In
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