The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-07-18
VOL. XXX.
State Candidates at Florence.
PATTERSON OPENS.

PATTERSON OPENS
Patterson was the first speaker
Thursday in the gubernatorial tour
ney. He discussed brief fly the fail
ure of the legislature to appropriate
finds for common schools after TAX
ing dispensary profits from them.
Hs made his same dispensary
speech. He said that the prohibi-
ton proposed is but the dispensary
law without the beverage feature.
The rich will then send off out of the
State for liquor and the poor will
patronize blind tigers. Maine sells
more liquor unlawfully than South
Carolina does lawfully. Col. Hoyt
charges all the crime in South Caro-
lima to the dispensary. The attorney
general of Maine attributes rascality
there to prohibition. Repeated bis
old charges of coalition. Said that
McSweeney is not a friend of the
dispensary, They were at the Isle
of Palms together on Sunday and
there were hundred men sitting
around drinking beer and McSwee-
ney has the face to say that he didn't
know there was blind tiger there.
An alderman in Charleston is running
q blind tiger. McSweeney has never
caused the bar fixtures to be seized.
Patterson received modicum of ap-
plsuse.
MswEENEY MESSAGE.
Gov. McSweeney was not here.
He sent the following:
"a bouncing baby boy arrived at
the mansion early this morning.
Request county chairman to present
my best wishes to the Democracy of
Florence and my regrets at not be
ing able to attend meeting"
The reading of the message was
applauded.
HoYTs HAND PRIMARY.
Col. Hoyt took primary Thurs
day, the first one since Patterson's
dismal failure at Walterboro.
Col Hoyt was received with cheer
ing. H was forced to omit discus I
sion OF other issues and con6ne him.
self to the liqnor question, as his op-
pouents had devoted so much time
to him.
Patterson interrupted Col. Hoyt |
once and the crowd cheered the colo
mel.
Patterson had claimed that nine
tenths of the people drink liquor.
Col. Hoyt disputed it.
Patterson-Take hand primary. !
Hoyt-Why didn't you do it?
The colonel took a hand primary
to see how many in the audience
drank liquor. The number of fists
up was absurdly small and the crowd
howled for Hoyt.
Hoyt then said that Patterson had
said that the crowd was sober be-
cause the dispensary was closed.
The colonel pronounced this SLAM
der on the people of Florence and
the crowd cheered again.
If prohibition is a farce, why did
Patterson advocate it in 1892 And
does be support the dispensary now
because, as he saye, "the majority OF
the people favor II!
Col. Hoyt read denunciation of
the dispensary written by the Rev.
W. R. Richardson Of Columbia, and
when he came to paragraph where
it was said that small politicians use
it to ride into Office, the crowd cheer
ed again.
Would Patterson refuse the sup
port Of papers if they came to his
rescue-for he needs rescue? Would
Patterson accuse them of being sub
sidized if they supported him? The
News and Courier is too busy boom
ing the exposition to notice the State
campaign editorially. Perhaps if
Editor Hemphil knew that Patter-
son is candidate, be would support
him, CJl. Hoyt remarked sarcastic
ally.
The couse of Mr. n G. Gonzales
is as truly independent in this cam