The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-18
that have been wrought In Cherokee
and Piokens by voting out the dis.
peDsary. I warn the people to take

that nave been wrought In Cherokee
and Plckens by voting out the dis
pensary. I warn the people to take
these at their true Yalu,.
CHALLENGES CHEROKEE.
a new broom always sweeps oiean
ana the prOhibitionists In those
counties are undoubtedly exerting
themselves to tii5 u6most at tnis
time, but just rs certain as like cause
produces like effect will it coms to
pass that decentralization and failure
will result there as IL has resulted in
Kansas and there are indications that
we are not getting the whole truth
about these counties. Now some OF
my bitterest enemies have pretended
to find In my letter to Mr., Higgins
basis for the idea that I am straddIino
nr weakening on the dispensary assure.
70 all such l say that they may put
their doubt to rest II they over had
any. / shall fight for q reformation
In the dispenary and Its restoration
to the original scheme upon which it
was organized. 1 promised Mr.. Net.
ties and other prohibition leaders In
the legislature In December, 1892, that
| would free the State from barrooms
and 1 did 1t even In Charleston.
WHERE HE STANDS.
And l Q say tbat IL tho lcglsla.
ture now In power does not at it's next
session, change the law 80 as to reform
the system, / will undertake, Il I am
living and we'll next summer, to fight
for a legislature that will reform it. /
do not stand for o debauched and cor
rupt d~ispensary. L will not fight for
such. But l do stand for the system
as 1T was first inaugurated, and re-
CARELESS Of consequences to myself,
Will fight to purify and maintain it.
| repeat what l have already said be.
fore. If is useless to talk about sell.
Ing liquor in South Caroliua under any
sysetm OF license, high or low. l have
declared and l believed 1t to be true
that q saloon would never be open In
South Carolina again. De- struction Of
the ~dispensary will mean of course a
free rein for those who sell liquor lille.
lily, but | prefer to see 1t sold thus
rather than SEQ 1T placed In the hands
OF individuals, a private monopoly
created with the greater demoraliza-
ton that would follow. Fully one.
third If not more Of those who are now
bowling for the destruction of the dis.
pensary are avowed candidates OF high
license, and the prohibitionist dupe
themselves into the belief that they
have succeeded with the aid of these
men In destroying the %dispensary,
that they can maintain prohibition.
But perdict that the fight will always
be between prohibition and the dis.
pensary rather than between prohibi.
tion and license and in any event I
shall use every instrumentality in NV
power TO antagoniza giving the right
10 sell liquor to private individuals.
J. want this matter settled entirely
apart from my personal and political
fortunes. 1t Is a much greater ques
lion FOR the people Of South Carolina
as to how they shall wisely and best
govern the sale Of liquor than as to
"hetner | or some II else represents
them In the senate. l know there are
many mon who will vote for me re.
gardiess OF their former political az
hllations and Of their present attitude
on This question and IT is probable
that there will be many who will be
aggrieved at my activity in dealing
with this question. L can not helr
that. | have the same right and in
terest In local affairs as any other citi.
zen and my elevation to the office |
now hold would have been spurned
had l felt that L would be deprived OF
freedom Of speech and action because
OF 1t. l prefer to retire to private
life II 1T is the will OF the people Of the
State rather than surrender my con.
victions on this important matter
and play the c)ward in dealing with
it.