The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-13

Formal Let Ter ofthe Gentleman Nam.
ed for Lieutenant Governor.

The following letter Of declination
from Hon. James l.. Tribble, of An
derson, Sho was suggested for lieu
tenant governor by the prohibition
conference. has been delayed in publ
cation by the absence of Col. James
a. Hoyt, to whom it was entrusted
for delivery to Mr.. T. n. Berry, chair
man of the conference and who now
authorizes it publication:
Anderson, S. c., May 25th, 1900
Col. Thos. n. Berry, Chairman Prohi-
bition Conference.
My Dear Sir: I have been informed
of the action Of the prohibition confer
cnce in Columbia in suggesting my
name for lieutenant governor on the
ticket with Col. Jas. 4. Hoyt for gov
ernor to be voted for at the Democrat
ic primary.
1tbecomes NY duty, Notwithstanding
the high compliment thus paid me, to
decline to enter the race. Circum-
stances are such that it is out of the
question for me to run. | am not an
aspirant for that or any other office,
and had been present at the confer
ence should have promptly declined.
beg to assure you and the members
of the conference that appreciate the
compliment, and when l consider their
moral courage, their inte gritty Of
character, their noble efforts in trying
to stop or prohibit the government
from selling liquor, it fills me with
deep emotion that I should have been
deemed worthy Of the honor Of being
one Of their standard bearers.
In rendering this, my formal decli-
nation, hope it will not be deemed
out of place for me to add, in this con-
nectior, that I am in full sympathy
with the members of the inference,
as we'll as all who are desirous Of free
ing the State from the shame that has
been cast upon her good name by this
liquor business. If it is consi dered
unlawful, disreputable and immoral
for the individual citizen to engage in
the liquor traffic, then it is equally so
for the State. Some one has said
prohibition does not prohibit" Well
now, you and (and in fact every law
abiding citizenl; are prohibited from
selling liquor, and it does prohibit,
and since prohibition has reached the
single individual, there is no one now
in the State but the government to be
prohibited in this nefarious business.
The people constitute .ne State, they
create the Offices aud set their bounds,
and put men into these Offices, now
let the people say to these government
al agencies, "Cease selling liquor"
There is no one else to prohibit.
endorse in toto the strong and
powerful, powerful because truthful,
address or appeal to the prohibition
Democrats in the State to join battle
q this fight against an evil. Your
platform is clear cut, without plati-
tudes or jingling phrases to catch vot-
ers, and shows that the men who adopt
ed it had the moral courage to decline
any compromise with the great evil,
whiel; IS recognized among al! civil
lied people as an unmitigated evil.
It is time the Christian people OF
this old commonwealth should know
whether it is to be the fixed policy OF
our State to make the selling OF liquor
as beverage o function OF govern
ment, and thus make all Of our people
partners In the business.
It is to be hoped that the Christian
men and women Of this State will
make their influence felt in this con-
test. You have flung your banner OF
sobriety, temperance and virture to
the breeze, and have selected Col
James a. Hoyt, tho peer Of any Dem
ocrat in the State, as your leader. He
ia inan Of irreproachaDle moral char
acter; true and tried Carolinian, who
has stood by his State in her darkest
hours Of adversely, laboring and wait
;rg for her redemption; man who has
always championed the cause Of right
against wrong, seeking no other re-
ware than inc sweet consciousness OF
duty performed. With such man as
leader it does seem that all men who
love purity, honor and the good name
Of our State should rally to the stand
ard, and drive out forever the liquor
traffic.
With these we can afford to contend
for that which is good, noble and
pure in government. as we'll as in the
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