Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-28
#iseellanepus 8eading.
PROHIBITION CAMPAIGN.
Official Address to the PeO.
ple Of South Carolina.
A STRONG FIGHT is PROMISED.
Greenville News, Saturday.

Greenville News, Saturday.
The Prohibitionists are getting ready
for the summer campaign, and are busy
"regarding their prospects OF victory
brighter than ever BEFORE" They have
not yet, however, determined upon
the name of their banner bearer in the
gubernatorial contest. ]. A. McCul-
Tough and Colonel J. A. Hoyt, of this
city; C. C. Featherstone, of Laurens !;
Joel E. Brunson, of Union and
Charles Smith, Of Timmonsville, are
regarded as possible gubernatorial can
didates on the cold water platform.
Mr.. Mccullough does not say positive
ly whether he will consent to become
the leader of the party or not but he
intimates that be will not. 1t is
thought he will enter the race for con-
gress from this district instead.
Colonel Hoyt yesterday gave out the
following, which will be published in
the daily papers Of the state today:
The Prohibition conference held in
Columbia on the 18th of January, 1900,
adopted the following:
Resolved, That Joel E. Brunson, J. s.
Moffatt, f. D. Smith, j. A. Hoyt, r. II.
Hyatt, w. c. Thomson and Jeremiah
Smith be, and hereby are appointed to
prepare an address to the people or South
Carolina. setting forth the work and is
sues before us, and to plan for and project
an organization of the Prohibitionists for
the coming campaign.
In accordance with the above, we
submit the following address:
To the People of South Carolina:
The Prohibitionists Of the state are
Encouraged TO make another appeal to
the voters for a supreme effort along
the line for the abolition of the manu-
facture and sale of liquor in South
Carolina. For many years the men
and women Of our state have toiled
earnestly to effect legal prohibition OF
the liquor traffic, and gratifying pro-
gress was being made not only in
banishing the licensed saloon from all
territory without incorporated towns
and cities; but there was much be-
ing accomplished in the way of re-
ducing the number of saloons here
and there, and also in securing control
of the smaller municipalities through
the ballot box or restrictive leglsla.
tion. This progress in temperance re-
form induced an application to the
regularly constituted authorities OF
the Democratic party in control of the
election machinery of the state for a
Iseparate box in which to vote for or
against prohibition, and this privilege
was granted in the primary election OF
1892 resulting in an overwhelming ma
jority for the legal prohibition of the
liquor traffic, and along with this Ie-
suit there was obtained clear ma
liority of members in the lower house,
who passed a strict probibitory meas.
ure in accordance with the verdict OF
the people. This measure was defeat
ed, however, and in its stead was sub
stituted the dispensary law for the
regulation and control of the traffic,
an i'm portation that was recognized as
contrary to the wishes of the people
and in direct conflict with their ascer-
tanned verdict. Thus the dispensary
began its career as supplanter, and
lit has made seven years Of uncanny
record, marked by bloody and dis
graceful steps from the beginning.
The present condition Of the liquor
business can hardly be said to be salts
factory to single intelligent person in
the state. When the dispensary law
was first adopted, thousands of our
honest people hoped for, and expected,
much from it. They were told that
the restrictive features of the law
would be enforced by sober state Off.
cials, who, not having any financial
Interest at stake, would labor to reduce
the consumption of liquor and make
the dispensary system stepping stone
to prohibition. The dispensary bad
been in operation but short time be-
fore the greed of gold began to mani.
fest itself among high officials, and
pressure was brought to bear upon dis.
pensers to increase sales. The annual
salary paid common county dispen.
ser would buy 80 bales of cotton, and
he was given to understand that his
dispensary must be profitable 10 the
state or it would be closed and himself
dismissed from the service. The sales
Increased at once and have increased
month by month ever since; so that
today the state is selling nearly as
much as ever did the old Darrooms in
their palmiest days.
And how could it be otherwise ?
The appetite for drink is the same, and
every hindrance to the sale of liquor
has been swept away. The door OF
the dispensary stands wide open to
serve every one that will buy. No
knowledge of the purchaser necessary,
no inquiry as to the purpose for which
the liquor is wanted, and no signature
to any request simply pay your mon
ey and take your liquor, as much as
you can carry, if you like. So indif.
ferent and demoralized has become
our state and county officials, that al
though these violations of law are
known to all of them, they have nelth-
er the manliness nor the moral cour-
age to try to bl.ng the offenders to
justice.
Tourist hotel privileges and beer
shops have been, and are still, con.
Quoted under the very nose OF the
governor of the slate without the
shadow of law, and no effort made to
prevent it. Dispenser after dispenser
has stolen or lost the money OF the
ct.tp and mt one has ever been pun