The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-08-15

the dispensary can endanger your po-
litical future You occupy large
place in the history OF South Caro-
lima for the last IS years, and for a
number OF years no rival has challeng
ed your prirnacv among the political
leaders OF the state Ben Tillman. the
senator representing South Carolina,
can we'll afford TO discard the meth
ods OF Ben Tillnan the partisan lead
er. | do not mean to be offensive.
Yon know OF my appreciation Of the
distinguished services that you have
rendered this state in a number Of
directions. But I do earnestly pro-
test that YOU have no right to befog
this question by lowering it to the
plane of partisan politics.
It Debauches Morals.
That the administration OF the dis
pensary system is corrupt any fool
can see as he runs. But go farther
than that. even at the risk OF having
you charge me with cant and hypoc-
risy. No matter how high your pur-
pose may have been in adopting the
system, in its origin it seems to have
been cunningly-deviser scheme to
chloroform the public conscience. No
Jesuirical attempt to debauch morals
by using the end to justify the means
could have been more successful, II
the system has been honestly admlnls-
tered. The corrupt administration
will save us from the system itself.
What 1t Teaches the Children.
Governor Hook Of Kansas. tells me,
I'VE are rearing a new civilization
here. believe there are more than
! quarter OF million OF young people
who have never seen saloon. Pro-
hbition is the only logical attitude OF
law toward The liquor traffic, and the
whole country will some day recog-
,lize the TACT" What sort OF civ
ilization are we rearing in South Car
olina? Our supreme court, in its
famous decision upholding .dae consti-
tutionality OF the dispensary law, laid
down the following as fundamental
proposition and said that if this pro-
position is not true the law is uncon-
stitutional THAT liquor. in its nature,
is dangerous to the morals, good Or
der. health and safety OF the people,
and is not TO be placed on the same
footing with the ordinary commodl-
ties of life, SUCH as corn, wheat, cot
ton, tobacco, potatoes, ETC." Kansas
says to her children, THE liquor traf-
fc is dangerous and ought to be pro-
hibited.' South Carolina says to her
thousands OF school children, The
liquor traffic is dangerous to the NOR
ais, good order. health and safety
; OF the people. and therefore we Will
sell liquor and get all the money we
can for the schools" You may call It
cant if YOU will, but in effect here is
an insidious attempt to wed public
| education 10 the liquor traffic. 1t is
an unholy alliance and God will put
them asunder. We cannot afford to
lower the ideals OF our schools. We
must not poison the fountain that
| nourishes the heart and brain OF Our
people.
Vicious and Dangerous Scheme.
The business OF the saloon keeper
was becoming disreputable in this
state. and saloon keepers were begin
ming to find it difficult 20 justify the
business in the eyes OF their children.
The dispensary system attempts to
make the traffic respectable and repu-
table. How can the children in our
schools answer the sophlstry OF the
argument. that whatever contributes
to the support OF the schools is good
and wise: lay it down as little
short OF an axiom. that any restric-
tive scheme that takes control OF a
traffic that is dangerous to the morals
OF the people and controls it in such
way as to make it reputable. is a
vicious and dangerous scheme.