The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-08-18

not belong to me but belongs to the
oeoole and they will have the right
next wear to choose my successor ana
T will bow to their will, whatever It
may be, without rnurmur. | do not
believe that the fall OF the dlspensary
necessarily means my fall. l do not
see what association there is or coulo
possibly be between the dlspensary
question and the position which l
have taken upon it and my fitness
for the high office which I hold. If
nv health continues good l shall
ask the people to continue me in the
olace. not because I am the father
Of the dispensary but because OF my
services in Washington. I am not
uneasy in the least. So much for
that branch of your letter.
Now let US come to the dlspensary
question and your treatment OF 1t.
You quote with great unctlon from
the decision Of our supreme court:
"That liquor in its nature is danger
Gus to the morals, good order, health
and safety of the people, and is not
to be placed on the same footing
with the ordinary commodities OF
life SUCH as corn, wheat, cotton, tobac-
CO. potatoes, etc" I wish I had that
decision before me so that | could
give its essence in brief form rather
than take an isolated sentence. You
are too good lawyer not to know
that the state could have nothing to
do with the liquor traffic were it not
for the exercise of the police power
which rests upon the right of the
state government to control or for
bid any and everything which con-
Germs the morals and health of the
people, and right here is where we
part company in dealing with this
question. The prohibitionists in gen
eral and you, my dear doctor, as
one OF the leaders, are thoroughly
inbued with the belief that liquor
drinking is dangerous to the morals,
good order, health and safety OF the
people, and you would therefore for
bid its sale in any way as bever-
age and would limit its use to medic
inal, pharmaceutical and mechani-
cal purposes. South Carolina de-
clares in the dispensary law itself.
''The manufacture, sale, barter or
exchange, receipt or acceptance for
unlawful use, delivery, storing and
keeping in possession within this
state of any spirituous, malt, vinous,
fermented, brewed (whetheE lager OF
rice beer) or other liquors, any COM
pound or mixture thereof, by what
ever name called OF known, which
contains alcohol and is used as a
beverage, except as is hereafter pro-
vided, is hereby prohibited under a
penalty OF not less than three nor
more than IL months at hard labor in
the state penitentiary, Or pay fine
of not less than SIoo nor more than
$500 or both fine and imprisonment,
in the discretion of the court for each
offense. All alcoholic liquors in this
state, whether manufactured within
this state or elsewhere, not having
been tested by the chemist of the
South Carolina college and found to
be pure and free from poisonous,
hurtful and deleterious matters are
hereby declared to be Of detrimental
character, and their use and consump-
ton are against the mo 5, good
health and safety OF the ate,'' etc.
In the Judgment Of the legisla-
ture which enacted the law as a
compromise, the dispensary system
would bring about the best results
You and your friends make of this
question religious issue while the
supporters of the dispensary law con-
slider it political issue and the peo-
pie of the state have six time by
overwhelming majorities sustained
Our view. You and your friends have
time and time again presented your