The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-09-15
PLAIN TALK.
Senator Tillman Wants State
Board OF Control to Resign.
SPEAKS AT TIRZAH.

Remove the State Board. Sen.
ator Bricc Agreed With
Senator IIIfman.
The Rock Hill correspondent of
The State says Tirzah, the scene of
many and glorious tilts In this politi-
cal arena, was again the battle-ground
Thursday, and fully $500 people were
gathered to witness tho combat A
giant picnic, the kind that has made
Tbzah famous, had been arranged and
petfect weather, with the excellent
Gold Hill band, made the occasion
success. In response to q numerOusly
signed invitation to talk dispenSary
and reply to charges made at recent
prohibition meeting In Yorkville, Sen.
ator Tlllman was present. Senator
Brice was on hand to represent the
,.nti diSpensary side Of the question.
Senator Tillman was in fine form and
spoke for two hours. Senator Br.c.
made Yigor. usspeech. Inquiry among
representative men in the auGi ence
failed to show that sentiment againts
the dlspensary had been changed, the
general opinion being that the county
would vote the institution out.
Senator Tillman made much the
same speech that he has made else
where, the only new feature OF i'm.
portance being a demand that the
governor exercise his power and re.
move the members Of the State dis.
penSary board at once. A "hands up"
vote being called for, 1t was seen that
t&e crowd was with him on that pro-
position.
Senator Brice was, under the ar.
rangement, the first speaker. He Wig,
orously denounced the whole dispen-
'ary system, maintaining that 1t was
undemocratic, that 1T makes every cit
lzen whether he will or nor partner
In the liquor business, that it diRni.
ies the sale OF liquor and makes 1T
popular, respectable and reputable,
that 1T attempts to make the sale and
bringing Of liquor permanent and
fixed institution by fastening 1t ON to
one of our mcst cherished institutions,
our public school system, that 1T HIS
increased murder 70 per cent. and as
sault and battery 40 per cent, that 1t
is O. common cheat and sWindle,
snare, a deluslOn, and fraud, and a
| vast lake OF pitch that detiles and
| blackens every one who touches 1t. 1t
| Is deadly vampire that hovers with
It's black and hellish wings over every
home In South Carolina. 1t is whit.
ed sepulchre, beautiful without but
| n 81, l,< 4
cleannesS. Mr.. Brice stated that the
dispensary system could never be
cleansed. He said: II shall never vote
as your senator to purify any such
black law as the dispensary, and l will
tight it to the last ditch. The only Law
Will support Is one to kill" lis
speech was we'll received. He spoke for
an hour. At It's conclusion Chairman
Wilborn adjourned the meeting for
dinner.
Senator Tlllman spoke for two
hours, devottng much OF his time to
MIR. Brlce, tho Yorkville Enquirer and
others %hom he alleged had impugu-
ed his character His line OF argument
%ds that the sale Of liquor cannot be
stopped, that men Will have it In spite
OF prohibitory law, that its illegal
sale would mean more harm than It's
sale lawfully, and that as long as 1T
could not be kept out 1T should be sold
In the least harmful way. He declar
ed he vas aS much OF an advocate Ct
the dispensary as ever, and that he
would always stand for the system az
protected and he0ged about when he
approved 1T as governor and undertook
to enforce 1t. He said as originally
designed 1T decreased drunkenness and
gave no opportunity for stealing. The
legislature mad later SO changed the
law and put such men In charge az to
give thieves every chance. The legis.
ladurc was directly responsible. II the
dlspensary law had been carried out
in good faith by governor |
wont say legislature, for God have
mercy on any laws the legislature en-
acts-lf supported 10y that large ele
ment believing it wrong to sell liquor
atall, coupled with honest administra-
tion by the executive CilicerS, by this
time the whole State might have gone
into prohibition. lie said he had only
Is months In which to administer the
dispensary law and look out for
| thieves. God knows did not know
South Carolina had such brood OF
them, but who put them thcro?"
lie spoke OF the effect Of the Brice
law in cutting out 80, 600 votes by set
tling the matter by qualified voters
and declared 1t fair That every man
| have a chance to vote. He wanted to
see race next year between a prohi
bltionist, Clean dispensary man aud
possibly q blind tiger man for COVER,
nor. -Four blind tiger men had already
nominated candidate but three out
OF the four had been In the United
States courts The fight Is to be on
liquor or no liquor and he deprecated
hurrying the vote before next year
when the whole people cOu,d cxpresis
their opinions
Speaking Of the election about to
come or In York county Senator Tai
man said he hoped the dispcnsa
would be voted out. The people woul /
tncn get taste Of the evils OF pro
hiDition which would drive them
sooner or later to ask for old methods
OF handling thc liquor question. Sana
tor Tillman averred that no man had
a right to critclsc his motives. lie
would answer to his God for his Chris
tianity. He had been assailcd for
stating that he could find two allu
Sions In tho Bible speaking favorabl,
or liquor to one against it. lie drew
4