The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-06-21

" WIS Recommendation anu the &pprO-
printiOn which WAS mado, has been
found and forwarded to Senator Till
man, and it is hoped that 1t will sup
ply the missing link necessary to o.
tabish the claim OF the State and thus
enable the State to pay the claim OF
the general government against the
State and also have - considerable bal
nncc to our credit.
AS to tho dispcnsnry, my position on
this question IL well known. In u cir
culnr which | issued In August OF last
year to the magistrates | stated that |
believed that the dispcnsary system, If
properly and wisely enforced, WAS tho
best solution OF the liquor question yet
devised. | took the same position in .
my message TO the Legislature and |
have had no occasion to change my
views on this subject. Much OF the
opposition that formerly existed to the
dispcnsnry system has now boon
changed into It's hearty support, and
even many Of those who still oppose it
are willing to give IL further trial and
have ceased their active opposition.
| also issued last year u circular let
ter 10 the mayors and intondants OF tho
towns and cities Of the State asking
their cooperation in tho enforcement
OF the law. They with one accord
promised thcir hearty ycO-ODurntiOn, and
| in tho statement that The law has been
| better enforced Turing the past year
| than ever before since II WAS put on
the statute books.
| ! reduced the COnstabulary fOrcc and
in the selection OF constublcs have on
! ucavOrcd to secure men OF character
and standing, and | am glad to say
| that in the enforcement of the law
thcrc has been no conflict between tho
| ~ 1Si a hlnN Il al
ulary (orcc l. now considerably smaller
than 1T was when | came into Office,
| and believe can truthfully say with
| out making invidiOus COMPARISONS
| much moro cficicnt.
In tho city Of Charleston, by wise
and discreet management, we were en-
ablcd TO show that the United States
officers wcro using the custom house
as II storage for blind tiger whiskics
and without conflict between the State
and national authorities, and as a re-
suit OF the investigation in this case
the most notorious Republican in tho
State was removed from Office and an
, other, and hope, better man put in
his place.
or course there arc still violations
OF tho law, but whenever it has come
to my knowledge that tho law was be-
ing violated and the Illicit salo OF whis-
key was being engaged in, in any com
munlty, have promptly sent officers
thoro with Instructions to stop the
illicit sales.
know thcrc arc good and true men
and Democrats who are honestly and
sincerely advocating prohibition, hut
am fully convinced that prohibitory
laws VIII not promote temperance, the
object sought by these people but on
tho contrary, II a prOhibit0ry law was
| GnnGt0u. tjDnra 10 ;n,t
sale 0i whlskcy would increase and
there would be no machinery and no
revenue with which to put IL stop to it,
For thlS reason many OF those who arc
| In favor OF the open bar-rO and the
sale OF whiskey arc advocating prohi-
biclon, and even those who are In favor
Ol Inc license systcm advocate DrOhibi-
ton because they are convinced In
their own minds that prohibition will
means repeal the dispensary law they
lccl that they will then be in u position
TO secure what they want-thc sale OF
"hlsXcy under license system. | do
not believe that 1t would be VI ise or
good judgment st this time to have
the State torn up by change OF sys-
ten for The handling OF the liquor
question, ard Tor this reason, If for no
other, it wOald be better to lot the dis
pcnsary system stand II tho honest
and sincere advocates OF temperance
would stop and consider | am suro
they would roach tho conclusion that
the dispcnshry system, properly man
aged and enforced. is better temper-
snco measure than prohibition would
| be.
In addition to this, 1t is not the PROV
jncc Of the Governor to enact laws,
but simply to see that those placed on
the statute books by the Legislative De.
partmcnt are enforced, and the clcc.
tion OF prohibition Governor would
not meah necessarily tho enactment OF
Il prohibitory law
will attend all OF the campaign
meetings where they do not Interfere
with my official duties.
| %. e.
Capt. j. b. Coghlan, OF "Hoch dor