The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-10-25
TILLMAN AT GAFFNEY.
In Speech on Saturday He Defended
The Dispensary In It's
Original Form.


The State.
Gaffney. October Ex-senator Till
man spoke to a large crowd at the
court house here today The speak
er said in part:
II came here upon the invitation
of many Of the citizens of Cherokee
county to discuss in a calm and dis
passionate manner the subject Of
prohibition, license or dispensary. I
have not come here for the purpose
of using my personal influence to
cause you to act against your con-
sciences ard your best judgment. If,
after ] am done, you think it best to
vote out the dispensary, in Gods
name do it! #, however, you decide
that it is best to retain the dispensary,
do that
The men of Cherokee county are
not men who can be drawn by the
crack Of whip to vote against con-
science and judgment.
"The correspondent of the Charles
ton paper who has attributed that
purpose to my coming himself re-
hected upon the manhood, the honor
and integrity Of your people. In
1890 you elected me governor not be-
cause / drove you into line, not be-
cause you followed me blindly, but
you followed me because I was going
in the direction you wanted to go and
because I was bold enough to push
forward and blaze the way. 1t has
been suggested that in coming here
at this time, just when you are on
the eve of deciding whether the dis
pensary should remain in your coun-
ty or not, that I am meddling in
local affairs in which / have no in
terest. I am glad to say that when
you elected me governor and later
United States senator you did not
take away my citizenship. I am still
a citizen of this state and a tax pay
er. I have the same interest in your
welfare and in every public question
that arises. I am your servant, you1
representative and ever since | have
been in Office, I have consclentiously
endeavored to discharge my full duty
to you. If instead of accepting your
invitation I had stayed away and held
aloof, contending that this thing was
no affair of mine, I should have
been recreant of my duty. l re-
member on one occasion in 1897 when
you wished to sever your relation
with Spartanburg, York and Union
counties and set yourselves up as a
new county, you invited be to come
aid and one of the first names on the
invitation sent me was that Of the ed
itod of The Ledger, Mr.. DeCamp,
who now thinks that I am meddling.
Then it was proper and appropriate
for me to come, now it is improper,
inappropriate and indecent. The con-
ditions are not similar to those when
Senator Hampton left his seat in the
United States senate and came down
to South Carolina to take part in an
already heated campaign and threw
the weight of his great influence on
the side of one of the candidates for
governor and against the other, TAX
ing an active part in the canvass and
speaking from the same platform
with the contesting candidates. That
was not proper.
The question of dispensary or no
dispensary is a public question in
volving not this county alone, but the
entire state. I propose to give you
all the light I can, I am in favor of
the dispensary law, and it is moth
ing but right that you should hear
this side of the question. You have