The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-05
"Grandfather Clause" in
Suffrage and Shilling.
FATE OF "0LD NICK
Mr.. Glenn Williams Wishes to Save
His Newly Pledged Town, and
Gives His Reasons For Expect
ing Legislators 10 Touch
Not Single Hair"

|
| The days of the tender young town
! of Williams is numbered. as is also
! the life Of the other still and saloon
| towns Incorporated in the relapse that
| followed the passage OF the Watts law,
Nobody wants to hurt Mr.. Williams
or Mr.. Shore or AIR. Anybody The
men who will vote for law forbid
ding making liquor in small villages
| or on farms will do so because it is
essential TO the doctrine of equal
| right to all and special privilege %
| none"
! The presence in the city last week
Of Mr., \. Glenn Williams, the parent
aud guardian of a fully fedgad and
constituted town, brings again 10 the
attention of the people of the State Il
personality that is both unique aud at
| tractive.
| Mr. Williams, as ~! know who fUl-
low the course of legislation and read
| the brands OF the advertisements of
WhiSkeyS which are old, mellow and
Inellifluent. loves his town with a pas
| sion that is stronger than that even OF
| he who returning home sees the glim-
mer OF the lamp In the skuriHing
| shroud of yintry SHOWS and from the
approaches the watch dogs honest
bark" which SO good n judge OF wine
and women as the erratic Lord Byron
! himself has put upon record il is
| good to hear" Mr.. Williams has even
q more tender sentiment towards his
home than this He made it aud II is
all his own. There Mr.. Williams
makes q celebrated brand aS h. viii
himself testify. Ii is umpty ump Years
(, N 70
him. his father made Il similar brew
in n near locality and his father be-
fore him Before the grdnGfatner or
Mr.. Williams, the father OF his graud-
father had made and stored certain
brands which are not hoary with age
and smooth with sentiment, not to
say fragrant with the memories Of
harvcstS gone.
Mr.. Williams IS here in the matter
OF q bill. Unfortunately tho town OF
Williams is not So large as it, tradt-
tons are ancient and its poetry is
threatened by a measure which would
blot out the smoke of the distiliery
from the sky line. Wherefore Mr..
Williams stands about the lobby Of the
hotel and makes talk somewhat in
this wise:
No and Mr.. Williams iuclincs his
head under its shining beaver with a
deprecatoTy nod and strokes his ra-
dIant black beard rcfectively, this
law shouldn't be aimed ut me. run
a good place | have built q school
house Gnd a church. There arc no
drunken folks in my town. won't.
have II man who drinks about rue;
and never touch a crop myself. Ny
grandfather and my great grandfather
ran this business before me. Il is
i.line and ! have put my mouey in It
and | ought not to be disturbed. BE-
sides says Mr.. Williams. II went
there on the faith Cf the Democratic
Legislature and I induced money 10 be
invested there on the strength Of that
icCislatlCn. | have q number Of friends
who are going to help me and ! don't
be !ieyc the legislature is going TO pGt
me out of business under the ciTcun-
stances.
it is hard to think Of Mr.. Williams
a., a dis:iiler He does not in any way
look the part Strangely enough
When considering his occupation III
the light OF averages in the State he
is consistent Democrat. He contri-
tutes to campaigns. And he is demo
cratic in aud out of season. There is
no threat now III his remarks. 1t Is ii
plant that somehow sits oddly on SO
stout and smooth a man.
|, Mr.. Williams is the dignity Of III
heritHnce personified. He is straight,
and prominent in front where he
glistcns beneath the sweeping skirts of
his long garment with scattered gold
adornments. His back is concave
With his carriage and his head holds
eyes that look smilingiy on a world
from . level view point. MIR. Williams
waves u hand and there is q glisten of
. diamond point OF light In the arc of
the gesture. He bows and there IS
the grace of the "Old Nick" in the sa-
lutat ton. His manner and his appear
ance are distinctly chaste. His voice,
low and we'll modulated, speaks Of Ii
quor only when the topic is thrust for
ward and then only as a matter Of
boring business detail.
"SuaViter in modo" might we'll be
! motto for Mr.. Williams as to his per-
| sonality, and his product
! "F'ortiter in re" might wei! de-
scribe his present activities.
! For. proverbs aside. Mr.. williams is
convinced that he is "up against it"
! Nhatever may be the Int" of Wi
hams" it's life is open to that stress
aud storm OF n petrol riding the
winds. Ii came up smiling on Inc
I'D to have sWamped the distilleries
with q homeless dilt1ion. 70 find II
again n safe rooSr Mr.. Williams is
/ here smiling but serious, and his
friends are also here, also smiling
and also serious. They do not, how
/ ever, plead the grandfather car@" az
does Mr.. Williams. To the contrary
they put on a Judicial air and place
| meditative finger tips ono against he
/ other. After reflection of that sort
their -diCta is ever that it is u matter
/, OF co,onlpa Justice. and .hat the DAY
| aas come when property risrt.; should
! be sacred. Thatit was tho and thHr
! friends who in tho time OF tho e3>i.'n-
SION OF the police power blow the life
/ CT breath iEto Williams at :; nloWsnt
| when IL Was unsuspUctlnG Of .u"h
corporate honors. and that il mas had
! two fat years OF dignity, do@8 not of-
feet the judgment Of these gentlemen.
| Only do thu apoh TO the sr'sa. i'm.
provenlents Mr. Williams has
/ made III nj ste after the p3st-
age Of the ne way ~ which
these ,triel.gonan snd are resigned Z"
the ef oe cures a'r 9Nn ds.Iees Y
| III th@ cf all this Mr. Williams