The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-11-04
THE DISPENSARY.
By Invitation Senator Tillman Speaks
to the People About 1t.
STILL BELIEVES 1T A coon Law,

? =
But Says He Would be Prohibi.
tionists, If He Believed
Suoh a Law Gould
be Enforccd.
We present below a pa;t OF the
speech delivered at Gatfney recently
by Senator Tiliman on the dispensary.
This part or the sp: ech may be
termed defence Of the D'spensary
Law. Next week we will publish the
other half of the Senator's speech, In
which he makes some suggestions
about changing and enforcing the
law.
Senator Tillman, after referring to
his visits to Gaffney on former oc-
casions said:
I a. .,ere today in response to an
invitation signed by two or three hun
dred OF you asking me to discuss
Temperance, Prohibition, Dispehsary
and License, as you are to pass on
that at the next election. There Is
some difference Of opinion as to
whether have any business here.
Tbereare some people who are diSpos:
ed to think that / am meddler; that
1 am interfering with purely local
matter with which have no COT c yrn
and that l ought not to be here. l
want ito say In regard to that that
when you elected me Governor, you
did not rob me of the right Of citi-
zen to discuss any question anywhere
q fhnrrI, ho, o.,
Washington as your representative in
the United States Senate 1 am still
q South Carolinian and still a tax
payer, and more than that l am still
your servant. (Cheers.) At least feel
that way and try to do my duty in
the National hall and tried to do
my duty in the Governors Office. The
question Is, why did you ask me to
co ne here? There is difference OF
opinion as to why. Who was instru-
mental in. Inviting me here? TO give
you mylreason for saying some things
I intend to say, L will read from the
News and Courier of Thursday last a
communication from this City or
town, which is not signed.
The Senator then read the article
WaiAOb VAC AZ OhCSU % lollOHS. ldl
Senator gTlllman was ming TO Gaff
nev Interfere in local matter and
era heship of a boss over the boys
ant 'ke them line up f)r the Dis
pm against even their conscien-
tious - lpleS).
Now Icomplain Of that manner of
treating this meeting as far "a l am
.concsrr ibecause, first, am called
-af,sas-. sspnu4knnwSJo",l Q ", e-<lrt -. =
To aJL 10 crack a whip over yUu,
and object to it most because of the
fact that this man, whoever he may
be, has SO little respect for you, SO
little comprehension OF your natural
capacity, OF your manly self respect,
that he 8 ates that you will obey the
crack of the whip aud fall into line
and even vote against your con cen-
ces and your better Judgment. What
sort of mangey cur dogs does he take
you to be, men of Cherokee? Where
in South Carolina is there a County
which has within it's bounds lot or
slavish, ignorant, debased and COW.
ardly citizens who obey me? This is
the old cry that used to come from
way back; that you were lot OF fools
who followed me obediently and that
l had only to get out and crack my
whip and that you would follow ana
do my bidding.
There is another little clipping. or
rather editorial from one Of your
County papers to which l want to asa
you to listen while l read it.
Senator Tillman then read from
editorial in the GaifneJ ledger, which
was to the effect that be had com
here in 1890 to in erfere in a local
state affair and that his coming to
Cherokee now was very much out O.
place.
Is 1t out of place? Well that is a
matter Of opinion. l have already
said you put me In the reSpons BILE
position which / now occupy but you
did not take from me every right
have In my state and this CJunty, and
| want to ask yon, what position
would occupy. If l was SO much Of a
politician, SO afraid Of making enc
mics, so cOWardly that l would de-
cline to accept your invitation to
come here and discuss great public
ulcoOlOll III WtllSll SlC oil lLUClCSI'
ed, when two or three hundred
citizens ask me to discu 5 the
question calmly and dispass onat ly
without any fear but merely to pleas
ure you. | say, what sort OF d cow
ardly creature would b. IL had said
l am too busy or the circu instances
are such that L cannot accept? |
would not have long retained your re.
spect or good Will. / certainly would
not deserve to retain 1t at all If | was
so low and contemplate as that.
There is another fling here that | will
mention. He speaks Of Senator
Hampton coming here in $50. Is there
any analogy in the conditions? Sena.
Lor Hampton left his seat in the Sen.
ate and came to South Carolina when
there was very heated campaign on
for the Office Of Governor. He spoke
from the sdue platform with the
candidates and lent all his influence
in behalf Of one man against another
and there Is no analogy between that
case and this at all. This is not a
personal matter, this matter OF
principle and public policy. You are
to vote on most important meas
ure. AS both Of your papers are lined
up on one side, Is it not natural tina,
L am glad to come here to let yol
hear the other side and is iJ not my
ddty to come? You all know | woult