The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-01
TILLMAN REPLIES.
Charge Repeated-Stll Insists They
Are i'm Alliance With Barkeepers.
q. Wilson. Columbia, s. c.

Rev. ]. o. Wilson, Columbia, s. G..
Dear sir IL have your letter OF July ~
asying II my speech at Bennettsville was cor
recty reported.
do not recollect the exact words used al
Bennettsville. but they are In effect true as
quoted; and inasmuch as the District Con.
ference of the Methodist church, under the
leadership of Bishop Duncan, has taken the
matter up, and the Bishop is reported TO have
mailed" my utterance "as lie" while the re-
port Of the committee on temperance de
Christian ministers and other citizens 10 rid
the State Of this gigantic evil Is sought OF
voluntary comhin alton with the saloon ele
ment as base sander, that Is Itself an at
tempt to streng,nen the power Of TINS mos,
offered by your inquiry to make an announce,
ment over my own signature OF what l said
and meant at Bennettsville.
or course the reporter gave only the bares'
1 have no quarrel.with the ministers OF any
church or denomination and have no purpose
to give offense 70 any ofthem. have always
the
but believe they are~rong In fighting the
dispensary law as they do, and 1 claim The
right to o,say 90, aekp wledging at the, same
lseso ss 1ae On this G SpssSin anS everS snS
other BubjecEs
Imentionsds Multitude Of the ministers in.
cidentally as m gation OF the anomalous
political sitpAtiUn &Hf1e ministers attack the
dispensary becausea 51pes not go far enough.
and the high lioensS people and the Dlind
tigers whOmI designated as the 'old bar keep.
ers" httaok the 4fspensary because 1t goes
TOO far. Tnsg shus found fighting side by
'las Shspe sn 'hs 3 SI ssnp candidate in the field
that is COL Hos ia All these elements are
spS 1ns p5eGf eecton s tna,
voted for Mr. Feataierstone and prohibition,
when 1t Is notOriohs that the whiskey ele.
ment OF that city Is predominant and that
the dispensary lRw Is not enforced mainly by
reason OF the Lax morals Of the grand jurors
who have failed to discharge their duty under
their oaths.
B Colonel Hoyt, last winter in his paper, the
thigbs license people and the prohibitlonistss
In the General Assembly In order to repeal
the edispensary law. Colonel Hoyt seeks the
gor4rnor's Office and of course wants votes.
I am opposed TO his election solely on these
graupds ard called attention to the elements
isnpp0rting him. There may be no open "alli-
ancegaand technically may have been In
error Ia asserting 1t, but think IT permits
candidate ~allies,sr.apd 1.-THE Methodist minis.
Btefs who accused me OF ISLANDER" will show
that they do not intend TO work TO the same
END as the .barkeepers for the overthrow OIL
|th8 8dispensary l will then consider the pro-
Ebfiety of Ai apology. Until such proof Is
L&1yens me e shall Stand by my guns. III q
EMethodist BEshop chooses TO CAL me a liar and
Iih9 schurch temperance committee feels con-
E5kfAfieq 70 denopnce my opinion OF existing
bc0udittons as ISLANDER" the people OF South
Ecafplins Will Judge between u.s. If they can
tsfand ft,SI can. .&,,s .,S
81 long ago learned "Evil is wrought from
want ofsfhought as we'll as want OF heart.
when good men find themselves In bad
they usually pause to consider how
|thsy Eottaere, and whether they are not in
|Ianlt 10 Sodne extent.
3. There IN no, ,ooncealment about 1t and the
editor or The State, who Is the spokesman OF
the license element. has announced his posi-.
Etfop clearly and openly. The denial by the
preachAfG that the combination is sought,
outs no ydfnres II exists, and that ls all !
asserted. aad 10 my mind II is "unholyn ana
mnst MAKE every good man feel uncomforta
II the dispensary Is oyerthrown every prac
|&fcal man knows that saloons Will be estao'
ESiSh led In less than five years. l would de-
|b1ore snch q result as great loss to society
EX8a asIknow many preachers are OF the same
E6a1 fk f6 Iyet shall hope to see all good men
|of &lir rBl&sa6a nnited to make the dlspensary
the f066sSsl slt can become. l believe prohlbi.
tion Ia q Tr63sn Horse by which the saloons
want TO again enter our State. The whiskey
men beffBa6Ithe Hame thing.
I am against the saloons and all OF their
friends, whether they be good men who are
blind fanatics or scheming politicians
Yours truly, - , r,u
Trenton.S. c., July "a. 1900.