The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-23
An OPEN LETTER.
From Hon. George B. Cromer to
Senator B. R. TiIIman
ON THE DI>.pENSARY.

ON THE DNPENSARY
Mir. Cromer Appeals to Senator Tiiima'
TO Leave Out Factional Politics
When he Discusses the Whlskey
Question, Which lie Claims
Is Moral Issue.
The Hon. George B. Croner, forne!
president Of the Newberry College, hs:
addressed the following open letter tt
Senator 3. E. Ti!maE:
The Hon. B. E. 2lnan.-Deai
Sir: I protest agaiast the introduction
Of tie tom-tcm and the spirit OF tac'
tion into the movement By which the
merits Of the dispensary are to be test.
ed. The tom. ton is the instrument OF
the jug2lsr ard federalism is the re
sort OF the politician. The people OF
this State have the right to expect
something higher aDG he5ter from you.
Your recent letter to NJ. Higgins va:
calm, sane and judicial statement OF
your attitude On the dispenSary Ques-
sion, but for this very reason 1t was
oistasetul in cer:ain quarters, and you
were accused e straddling. You gave
that letter out as an EXPRESSION OF
your views, an6, my name having been
kindly suggested by you, was sske3
to answer it in the New Voice. de-
cnned to DO so for the simple reason
that In this county We wish to test
the dispens ary question cn it's merits,
and, therefore, aesice to exclude every
possible phase OF '.Til:msnisn."
In the Higgins letter you Tecognlz
ed the widespread and well tounoed
helief that the 6ispensary is corrupt
in it's administration, and that Sae
present agitation is an expression OF
popular dissatisfaction. But in your
Edeeheld speech you shifted your
ground, and took the position that
the movement is political in slgnlh-
cance and is q covert attack upon you.
In the Higgins letter you said that
the remedy for the corruption rests
with the Legislature; that in tie last
Legislature the friends and enemies OF
the dispensary got together an6 did
nothing but appotnt q committee; that
ever since you were Governor you have
given advice and made suggestions, but
that your opinion has bad 10 weight
with the Legislature; and that II the
next Legislature does not apply the
remedy, you will help to Kill the ols'
penSary.
BY IMPLICATION.
In your Eigefeld speech YOU SAID
that il the next Legislature does not
adopt certain suggestions that you IN
tend to make, ycu will help to elec: a
Lspislature that will And you said,
by Implication at least, that you will
20 to the Rsfcrme1s for that Leg!S.a-
tu-e.
I appeal from Philip drunk to Phil
ip sober-feom the temper OF the
Eipefeld speech to the tone Ct the
Higgins letter. In Newbsrry there is
no disposition to make an attack up2n
YOU uuder cover OF a movement against
the dispensary. 1t is not political
movement. It was begun IN an CT
wear in order that it might be a test
Of a great moral Qlss0it1, unclouded
BY personal and political coEsdera'
tiors. 1t is not a movement CT 6he
politicians, but a co7eEaeo6 Il the
people. You have doubtless rot 'csd
that the counties that were s57o''sls
Conservative" are 0ou IA the rave
ment.
Id not question your light to "a se
part in the discussion Independently
Of the fact that you are ice author
the system in this o5sle, it would be
strange if you were TO rsu.a!n silent.
By virtue Of your high ctti % and OF
your great inf it is You'll duty 70
speak-but to speak saaely ard TEN
psrately Is you did il tae Higgins let,
ter. You owe great deal to the
youth Of this state; you o"e them 5he
best that you have &c give. Wien TIE
dispensary was first put cn trial 5EerS
may have been good reason for all a2'
peal to faction, but that reason ne
longer exists. The system haa bee:
on trial more thau twelve gearS. L;
will soon be voted OF by thousands ol
men who were only eight or nine y ears
old when it was adopted. Wnea yol
speak now, we are entitled to havi
YOU speak from the point Ct vleT O.
craftsmanship and not OF partisan 20
htics.
NO DANGER TO TlLLMAN.
Besides, you have TOO much sagacl
ty to fear that this movement agalns
the dispensary c.n endanger your po
litical future. You occupy a lafg'
Mace in the history Of South Carolina
for the last fifteen years, and Tor
number CT years no rival has c5allens
ed your priuacy among the poliulca
leaders OF the State. Ben Ti:lnan, tn'
Senator representing Sauah Carolina
can well afford to discard the methco
OF Ben Tillnsn the partisan polltlca
leader. T do not nean to be offensive
You know Of roy appreciation OF tn
At~,n J,