The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-06-16
UPRISING OF THE PEOPLE.
The Dispensary Is Doomed In New
berry County-Getting Ready to
Vote it Out.

To the Editor of The Herald and
News: In your issue Of Tuesday,
the 18th inst, appeared 0lnmunl-
cation from Senator Cole L. Blease
to the voters of Newberry county,
telling the people how the dispensary
law originated, giving figures as to
school money derived from the dis
pensary, wanting to know what means
this combination among the prohl-
bitionists, the blind-tiger element,
the moonshiners and those who favor
open bar-rooms, and calling the at
tention of the people of the county
to the meeting on Saturday last, ask
ing if it did nct look like similar
meetings that have been held, and
asking if it was a political meeting
helping some one to secure an Office
in disguise.
I attended the meeting held in the
court house on Saturday last. /
deny emphatically that any one, so
far as my knowledge goes. was trying
to help himself or any one else into
| Office. In fact, OF the great gather
ing in the court house on Saturday
last, there were present less than
half dozen that have ever held an
office in the county. 1t was COM
posed of ministers and citizens from
different sections of the county, get
ting ready to vote out the demon
dispensary.
So far as the origin of the dispen-
sary is concerned, it does not con-
Germ the people. 1t has been on trial
fer ten or twelve years, and it is
called on to give an account Of itself.
I am no leader of the anti-dispensary
movement. In fact I don't believe
it has any leaders. 1t is an uprising
OF the people to throw off this evil,
that has brought so much desolation
to the homes of the county, and
ruined so many of our citizens. Mr..
B1ease seems to want joint dis
cussion on the subject How would
Mr.. Blease, or any one else, give
| any information on the dispensary,
when it has been the by-word in
every home for ten or twelve years,
during which time the people have
been watching and observing for
themselves? At almost every session
of the legislature, since the dispen-
sary law has become law, it has
beer amended and appealed, added
to and taken away from, committees
appointed to investigate. Every time
! it has been touched in any way the
worse it has become, until the people
have become disgusted, and today
they are rising ZIP all over the coun-
| ~ as one HAL, dilO dlS J4Sl VA lin wv
of saying, Enough of thing is
enough" Surely the senator OF New
berry county, where nine-tenths OF
the people are church members, and
where we have magnificent college
located at our county seat, sending
out her graduates over the state every
year, and whe.e there are so many
tears shed by the good women OF the
county on account of liquor, is not
going to attempt to lead the move
ment to hold the dispensary in the
county, on the plea of lowering taxes,
when it is we'll known that every dol
lar spent for liquor is gone never
to return. Cole, let's have no Discus
sion over this matter, there is nothing
to discuss. You might as we'll come
and vote with the people. They do
not need an interpreter, and they are
just as sure to get rid of this demon,
as if they had already accomplished
it. Respectfully,
| Mai