Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-30
alistellaneuls 8eading.
DOWN WITH LIQUOR.
Strong Appeal to Intelli-
gent Voters.
The People of the State Asked For
Bread and Received Stone-Ab-
oIition of the Whisky Curse Prom
ises Health, Wealth and Pros
perity.

PrOhlnltlOn conference, III SeSSlou III
Columbia last week, has issued to the
people of the state. 1t was prepared
by Colonel James A. Hoyt, the Prohi-
bition candidate for governor
The Prohibitionists of South Carroll
ma, in appealing TO the Democratic
voters to join them in suppressing the
liquor traffic in this state, deem it right
and proper that they should clearly
and unequivocally state their position
with reference to the business conduct.
ed in the. name of the commonwealth,
which thereby makes all its citizens
responsible in q measure for the con-
tinuance of this traffic, which we be-
lieve to be a crime against humanity
and a means of degradation to the
people.
In the first place we have chosen to
make this contest in the Democratic
primary because we are members of
this political organization, which is in
virtual control of all the affairs of the
state.
We have the right to raise this issue
within the party lines, because the
machinery of the state government has
been used to construct and operate a
system of liquor selling which has for
its chief object the constant increase
of the consumption of liquors by the
citizens of the state, mainly with the
view of making money out of the
business in which the state is engaged.
We would violate conscience and prove
recreant to duty as good citizens if we
did not protest against this iniquitous
method of obtaining money through
the sensual indulgence and debauchery
of our citizenship, and we are making
this protest in a fair, manly way, ap-
pealing to the higher instincts of
humanity, and pleading for the social,
democratic, moral, religious and politi-
cal elevation of our whole people. By
banishing the evils now fastened upon
the state in consequence of the system
under which the sale of liquor is con-
Quoted, we would protect our young
manhood, bring relief to wronged and
suffering women and children, and in.
augurate an era which would eventual
ly rid our homes of the blight following
the use of liquor as beverage. The
state is now encouraging the use OF
liquor on the part of its citizens, when
lit should by every means discourage
that which wastes the resources, para
lyzes the energies and destroys the
manliness of those who should be the
shield and protection of our homes.
The state is engaged for profit in a
business that strips the home of COM
forts with as much certainty as
cyclone mows down a mighty forest
business that opens the gates OF
perdition to lost souls; business that
the genius of hell has never fashioned
a more complete method of recruiting
it's ranks; a business that has borne,
from time immemorial, the badge of
disgrace in civilized and Christian
communities, and that is now exalted
in the sovereign and enlightened COM
monwealth of South Carolina to the
dignity Of government service and
government protection so that our
youth are taught by the example of
the government itself that the manu-
facture and sale of liquor is an
honorable and desirable occupation.
Whence came this usurper of govern
ment authority? Did the citizens of
the state decree it's introduction as
"the best solution of the liquor
problem ?"
Eight years ago the Prohibitionists
of South Carolina asked the privilege
of testing public opinion as to whether
licensed saloons should be prohibited
within its borders. This request was
made of the managers of the Dem.
ocratic election that separate and
unofficial box might be placed at
each poll, where every voter could
cast ballot for or against pro-
hibition. The opponents of the
license system were without efficient
organization but the voters voluntari-
ly went to the polls and rolled up
decided majority against the saloons.
Political exigencies did not favor a
prohibitory law, and, although ma
iority of the house of representatives
passed such law, enough members
we're afterwards found to reject the
law which they had aided in framing,
and substitute was discovered in the
present dispensary system. "Ye asked
for bread and were given stone; ye
asked for fish and were given SER
pent."
Prohibitionists were then placed in
an awkward position and many of
them knew pot what to do. The sa-
loon had been abolished, and this was
one of the objects for which they had
struggled in the past, yet liquor selling
was not stopped. On the contrary,
the state had been made to engage in
the busines under the pretence of con-
trolling the traffic and giving to con-
sumers commodity that was "chemi-
cally pure" at a price that would not
admit of profit. This was coupled
with the declaration that the system
thus inaugurated without the consent
of the people was "a step towards pro-
hibition," and many acquiesced in the
legislation with the belief that the
state would really undertake to mini
mize the consumption of liquor. 1t
was law upon the statute books,
and many of the law-abiding and
peace loving citizens, though honestly
opposed to liquor selling in any shape,
threw the weight of their influence in