Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-02
In BebaIf of More Liuht.


devotes nearly a column Of its valu-
able editorial space to THE YoRKvTILE
ENQUIRER, and while the matter with
which the space is filled may not be
especially complimentary It Is at least
sufficiently interesting to warrant re-
production. Under an edifying head
line which reads: THE YoRKvTLLE
ENQUIRER Smelling" the States edi-
torial commences:
For reasons best known to itself THE
YoRKvILLE ENQUIRER has never evil
denced what might be termed an en-.
thusiastic affection for the state. IL
Is, therefore, not particularly surprls-
ing to find this in THE ENQUIRER OF
last Tuesday:
Here follows the little rat story
which was published in our last issue,
and to which the State excepts with
characteristic courtesy and elegance
as follows:
So, 1t seems, that because there are
rumors in the air Of something corrupt
and the State has not pointed out Dy
name the guilty party or company, the
State Is in with the thieves. Such are
the high morals Of Henry, Grist & co.
We might suggest that those whose
olfactory organs are so constituted
that evil smells continually linger
with them might obtain relief by TAX
ing a bath-in this instance moral
fumigation may give relief. What has
THE ENQUIRER heard about the intiu-
ence on the dispensary Of "the big
Richland distillery, the bottle making
establishment and other enterprises or
like nature?" Why has 1t not pub
lished what 1t has heard? Is Its ST.
lence evidence of corruption? We Will
reveal THE ENoUIRBR's position on
such matters. In another editorial In
the same issue, it comments on dis
pensary interview with Senator TILL
man. and says:
The paragraph here reproduced Is
the one in which we took occasion to
impress upon our readers that while
we have never seen proper to make
specific charges Of corruption against
the dispensary, we have not yet felt
as IL we could conscientiously give
that institution a certificate Of clean
character and on this position the
State proceeds to remark:
Here, good people, we have another
fair sample Of the morals Of those who
suspect the State Of giving aid, COM.
fort and protection to the dispensaryi
The State has heard rumors that one
business concern here was influencing
the dispensary, just as we have heard
that other concerns in Baltimore ana
Cincinnati and Louisville have exer-
TIA vi
sent and 1t was as far out Of our grasp
as out of the reach of THE ENQUIRER.
We have, like thousands Of others, had
suspicious and the fact that those sus-
picions existed has not been conceal
ed, but we refuse to do ourselves and
others the injustice Of formulating
charges which would appear rfdicu-
lous when evidence was demanded.
We have pursued the identical course
as to charges which THE ENQUIRER
saws II maintains. but have attacked,
ridiculed and exposed the dispensary
on every legitimate opportunity, as the
republications in the State OF yester-
day gave current evidence. Yet, be-
cause we have not degenerated INTO
attacks which, without proof, would De
slanderous, 1t Is insinuated that the
State is influenced" Poor devils,
Wndl In6dSly llltlS Woi hi-SoSSh SSS-N
they must have!
Going back little we desire to call
attention to the fact that the Spar
tanburg Journals original editorial
structures were very general In their
application, and the State has thou
sands Of readers who would have nev-
er thought of it in connection with the
matter had it not been so quick to
flare up in such vehement, vigorous
denial While we are not going 70
claim that we had never thought OF the
possibility of the States being infiu-
enced, we are free to say that we were
not a little impressed at the result OF
the shells that the Journal saw proper
to pitch into the woods. The State
seems to have been surprised right out
in the small shrubbery in front and
might have easily waited to see
whether the shells were going over;
but our Bible tells us that the wick
ed flee when no man pursueth."
Just what it is we are unable to ex-
plain; but in most Of us there is an
irresistible impulse to shoot at any
thing we see on the run. This ac-
counts for the remarks Of THE EN-
oURER last Tuesday. on which the
State bases it's somewhat scurrilous
screed, quoted above. II our gooo
friend had stood it's ground, we do
not think that THE ENQUIRER would
have ever said anything about rats.
If evidence Of enthusiastic affection
for the State Is condition precedent
to credence or respectability, in the
estimation Of that paper, we confess
that we have entered into this discus
sion with a serious handicap. Since
however, we have been trained to be-
lieve that there is nothing convincing
or dignified in slurring epithets, we
shall not attempt to reply in kind to
the withering commiseration Of our
extremely courteous contemporary, in
its reference to poor devils with meas
ly little worm eaten souls.
AS to the big Richland distillery and
bottle making establishment, we have
never claimed to have heard anything.
We have certainly heard very little
from the State; but we would like to
hear something. We would like our
contemporary to investigate, and see
what information it can get on these
points: Who owns the stock? Is 1t
parceled out among individuals or is
it held by a trustee? How was the
stock acquired? Did all the holders
pay one hundred cents on the dollar,
or did some get blocks Of it at merely
nominal prices? What is the present
market value? How often does it pay
dividends and in what amount? What
are the relations between the distillery
and the bottle works on the one hand
and the state dispensary on the 9TH
er? Do these enterprises sell their
output to the dispensary at strictly
competitive prices without rebates or
drawbacks? We submit that none Of
these questions are unreasonable and
we believe that IL we were as familiar