Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-21
pENuNcIATIoN OF DIsPENsARY.
Ex. Senator MeLaurin Stirs Things
Up at Dillon.

Ex- Senator McLaurin Stirs Things
Up at Dillon.
Five hundred farmers gathered at
Dillon, Marion county, last Tuesday, on
the call of a committee of the Southern
Cotton association to listen to num-
ber of speakers, who had been invited
@ address them.
Among the invited speakers were
Congressman ]. E. Ellerbee. r. P. Ha-
mer, Jr.. Hon. E. d. Smith, Hon. K 1.
Manning, Col. F. H. Weston. Hon. F. H.
Hyatt, Ex- Senator John L. McLaurin'
Col. Knox Livingston.
According to the report of the News
and Courier, the first speakers were
Messrs. Hamer and Manning, followed
by Mr. McLaurin, about whom the re-
port has the following:
Mr.. McLaurin had been speaking but
a few minutes and had paused after an
eloquent and touching description OF
the horrors OF the reconstruction per
iod, when a young man walked rapidly
across the front Of the stage and hand
ed him the following note:
Senator: At our committee meeting
Yesterday we decided we were all OF
one accord on the cotton question, nav
ing read much on the subject and hav-
ing many able speakers who will fol-
low you here today. For that reason
we decided that we would remind you
that the burning question OF the hour
with us is, and will be for the immedl-
ate future. dispensary or no dispensary'
and II you have no serious objections
would like to hear your views on the
subject. What do you think OF the dis
pensary law as 1t Is written on the
statute books of this state, as 1t has
been, Is, and probably will be, as long
as It is a law executed by those In
authority" d.
"W. T. Bethea,
Wade Stackhouse,
"Wm. M. Hamer,
"E. L. Moore,
"E. r. Hamer.'
AS Mr.. McLaurin read the note a
half amused smile played over his
features. Then turning to the audi
ence, with a dramatic wave OF his
hand. he said that his record In the sem
ate was evidence sufficient that he had
never been afraid to express his views
on any: question, and although he had
come here prepared to talk about cot
ton he would at the request OF the COM
mittee state his views on the most cor
rupt institution that ever cursed
state. This announcement was greeted
with shouts Of applause.
Instantly the doorways and windows
became crowded and men leaned for
ward In their seats to catch every word
that fell from his lips. Although de-
lightful breeze was sweeping the vast
auditorium the. ex-senator diVested
himself Of his collar and tie. which he
quietly laid on the table beside him.
Twice the chairman called time on him
but the last time he was told that nus
time was up Messrs. Weston and Hyatt
sprang to their feet simultaneously and
generously offered him five minutes
each Of their time. His arraignment OF
Tillman and the dispensary was severe
and occasionally some stanch support
er of the institution would arise and
quietly walk out Of the hall.
Mr.. McLaurin argued strongly that
the people could not hope to escape
from the dispensary through legislative
action and that therefore the policy
should be to vote 1t out by counties.
The protest Of the election in Pickens
county, he declared, was merely a ruse
of politicians to prevent the effect that
the prohibition victory there would
otherwise have in counties where elec-
tions are pending.
The ex-senator was unsparing In his
arraignment of Senator Humans
course and at times he showed consid-
erable feeling in his references to the
chief dispensary champion.
The speech has been the talk Of the
day in Dillon. While Mr.. McLaurin In
his speech made no statement OF
his personal political plans and did not
commit himself in any way. there are
many here who believe that he expects
to be active and aggressive in the fight
against the dispensary and in favor OF
prohibition by counties. They say that
this will inevitably place Mr. McLaurin
In the forefront, as representing the
sharpest antagonism to the Tillman
dispensary idea and that he will natu-
rally make his fight by becoming a can
didate for the United States senate in
1906.
At the conclusion of his speech Mr..
McLaurin was loudly cheered and sew
eral gentlemen sprang upon the ros-
trum and grasped his hand. 1t was
clear that he had the audience with
him. although there was large sprink-
ling of strong dispensary advocates In
the crowd.
Mr.. McLaurin was followed by
Messrs. F. H. Weston, F. H. Hyatt and
Congressman ]. E. Ellerbe. President
f. d. Smith, of the South Carolina
Southern Cotton association followed
Mr.. Ellerbe.
Mr.. Smith is a magnetic talker. con-
tinued the correspondent, and always
has something to tell and knows how
to tell it. He was proud of what had
been done and looked for greater things
in the future. He regretted that pol
itics should be injected into the affairs
of the association. He did not think
that the question of ridding the state
of it's damnable liquor traffic should
have precedence over any of the affairs
of the Cotton Growers association.
Notwithstanding the claims Of the
croakers, he was satisfied that organ
ization among the farmers had forced
the price of cotton up and the stronger
they got in number the better able
they would be to control the price Of
the staple President Smith concluded
bie rar1o rtS opoid preat annlauSe