Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-08
Miseellansuus 8eadins.
TiLlMAN AND TALBERT.
There Was Talk of a Personal Encoun-
ter at Edgefield.

Decided interest centered In the liquor
meeting at Edgefeld last Saturday.
The expectation was that there would
be sensational developments and rapid
fire speeches. There were neither sem
sational outbreaks nor a race for rec
ords. The meeting had been heralded
and much ado had been made. Some
time ago the prohibitionists started
their movement. The suggestion was
made that there ought to be a discus
sion before the thing went too far. A
call was made and invitations sent out.
Saturdays meeting was the result.
The representatives In the house and
senate. Col w. Jasper Talbert, Gov
ernor Sheppard, Mr.. Thurmond, Mr..
Simkins, Mr.. Geo. Fans and Mr.. CAL
houn were invited to speak. All save
Governor Sheppard, who is in Texas,
were on hand. but after the more than
two hour speech of Senator Tillman,
the meeting adjourned itself without
hearing from four of the prospective
speakers.
The incident Of the meeting was the
apparent resentment Of Col. Talbert
over a remark Of Senator Tillman.
Col. Talbert was mad all over and
wanted to know whether Senator Till
man wished to make a personal matter
Of the incident, while Senator Tillman
was amused and passed II over laugh
ingly. Perhaps the chief interest Is to
know how Senator Tillman views the
situation these days. Today he reit-
Grated his responsibility for his advo-
cacy for the dispensary. but he also
made 1t plain that he is not a candi-
date for senator or anything else on
the dispensary issue. He announced
his candidacy for reelection, but en-
phasized that the liquor question Is one
thing and the race for senator Is en-
tirely different and he wants no con-
fusion. He suggested and limited and
intimated very strongly that things
were not what they ought to be with
:he dispensary, but rather than come
directly to the point he prefaced his
suggestions by an IF" or ut Is said"
or at is rumored."
He pointed out a long line Of in
quiries for the dispensary investigat-
ing committee and talking to Col. Tai
bert suggested that there might be
need for an investigating committee
of the investigating committee. be-
cause he and the people wanted bot
:om facts.
Here are some of the further kernels
full Of meat taken here and there from
Tlllman's speech on the dispensary:
During the last six years and even
before that a majority Of the South
Carolina legislature has been composed
of those who were once anti-Tillman-
ties or conservatives"
"If 1t be true that bad men have
beer elected to control and direct the
affairs Of the dispensary the conserv-
atives Of the state are responsible for
it."
II believe that there has been
deep laid scheme to destroy the sys-
tenn by mismanagement."
The onslaught on the dispensary Is
led by most bitter political oppo-
nents."
"As founder and father Of the dis
pensary, have been abused and lied
upon as no other man In the states
history ever was'
1.-The dspensary has had nothing to
do with my political two fortunes 1t
never contributed in the slightest to
my election as senator. and I was gov
ernor twice on other issues than IL
quor control"
II believe now that the dispensary
law can be so changed as to preclude
the possibility Of corruption"
IF the legislature at its next ses-
sion will make such amendment and
change in the law as / am prepared
to offer the boldest and most unscrup-
u!ous enemies Of the system will be
compelled to declare that there Is no
room for graft"
"The dispensary authority vested In
the governor should never have been
changed. He wants a dozen counties
to try prohibition from now till Janu-
ary now say that II the legisla-
ture now In power does not at Its next
session change the law so as to re-
form the system I will undertake. II
/ am living and well next summer. to
fight for a legislature that will re-
form it."
II do not stand for a corrupted and
debauched dispensary. A saloon Will
never return to South Carolina again.
/ am opposed to private individuals
selling liquor. l want this matter set
tied entirely apart from my personal
and political fortunes. 1t Is a much
greater question for the people OF
South Carolina to settle how they shall
wisely and best govern the sale Of IL
quor than whether l or some one else
them in the senate.
II believe the dispensary system TO
be the best for the people and for the
cause Of temperance"
Senator Tillman was sure Herbert
Evans would gladly welcome a most
searching investigation into his fnan-
cial condition, and also as to II. H'
Crum. There Is a report that Mr..
Towill, another director, accepted fine
horse from some whisky house and
that Mr.. Boykin represented liquor
houses before elected on the board.
He wants light on these. All OF these
things Senator Tillman had carefully
written out and prepared but while on
these typewriter pages he interpo-
lated these side lines: do you know
how much the state Is credited with
on the books of the commissioner as
having in it's possession over SSO0,OOo
worth of whisky, 100000 scattered all
over the state and 100000 In Colum-
bia. What do they want with so much,
1t is on a cash basis and they can or
der liquor from any source they choose
by the carload and get 1t here. bottled
and distribute 1t in 30 days. Then l
hear, I do not know how true II 49,
but l want this committee to tell US
who Is responsible for such a stock OF
unstable stuff. I want 1t to investigate
the Richland Distillery company, fnd
out how it came to be organized VINO