Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-15
NO. 65.

is not true the law is unconstitution-
al: "That liquor, in its nature, is dan
gerous to the morals, good order,
health and safety Of the people, and is
not to be placed upon the same foot
ing with the ordinary commodities Of
life, such as corn, wheat, cotton, to-
bacco, potatoes, etc" Kansas says to
her children: 1.-The liquor traffic Is
dangerous and ought to be prohibit
ed" South Carolina says to her thou
sands Of school children: "The liquor
traffic is dangerous to the morals,
good order, health and safety Of the
people, and therefore we will sell IL
quor and get all the money we can
for the schools"
You may call 1t cant II you will, but
in effect here Is an insidious attempt
to wed public education to the liquor
traffic. It is an unholy alliance and
God will put them asunder. We can
not afford to lower the ideals Of our
schools. We must not poison the
fountain that nourishes the heart and
brain of our people.
Was Becoming DisreputabIe.
The business Of the saloon-keeper
was becoming dis-eputable in this
state and saloon keepers were begin.
ming to find It difficult to justify the
business in the eyes Of their children.
The dispensary system attempts to
make the traffic respectable and rep
utable. How can the children in our
schools answer the sophistry Of the
argument that whatever contributes
to the support Of the school Is good
and wise? I lay 1t down as little
short of an axiom that any restrictive
scheme that takes control Of traf-
fic that is dangerous to the morals Of
the people, and controls II In such
way as to make 1t reputable. is vici-
Gus and dangerous Scheme.
Let me suggest an historical paral-
lei. A great leader was commanded
to 60 down against the Amalekites,
for immortality, and destroy
them and theirs utterly. When he
was called to account by the old
prophet and asked what meant the
lowing Of cattle ard the bleating OF
sheep, his lame excuse was that the
people had kept the best Of the sheep
to sacrifice to the Lord. The proph-
cts answer was as swift and wither-
ing as lightning: "sehold, to obey Is
better than sacrifice" Sacrifice is
gsod, but there are better things
than mere sacrifice. The govern
ment Of a great state was commanded
by the moral sense If the people, ex-
pressed at the ballot box, to go down
and destroy the liquor traffic. And
when called to account 1t makes the
pitiful plea that while 1t has not de-
stroyed the traffic IT has managed 1t
so as to get money for the taxpayers.
Money for the schools is good, but
there are better things than money for
the schools. The blight Of Gods curse
falls upon the people that resort to
methods that dull the public consci-
ence and lower the tone Of public
morals.
Il Cannot Help You.
Senator Tillman the dispensary
system cannot help you, and you can
help it only temporarily It Is wrong
in principle and corrupt In practice;
and its doom has been written. By
throwing your powerful influence
against the present agitation you may
save 1t for a while, but 1t Is tottering
and must fall. 1t is fortunate for you
that your reputation rests upon
achievements that will endure. You
recall, do you not, the desire OF Jef-
ferson that his epitaph should remind
posterity that he was the author OF
the Declaration Of Independence, and
Of the bill of religious liberty, and the
father Of the University OF Virginia.
And so his name Is handed down, nv
eted to civil liberty, and religious lib
erty and higher education, three
things that can never depart from the
earth or from the love Of men. And
YOU. what would you be remembered
by? There is Winthrop and there
Is Clemson; we'll may your heart swell
with honorable pride. And there is
I will not name the third thing. What
true friend would like your name with
the dispensary? What bitter enemy
could desire a worse fate for you than
TO have you raised to that bad emil
nence? A wise solution Of the liquor
problem is one thing; the dispensary
Is another.
have very little political ambition,
and no taste for nublic controversy
You need not remind me that 1t Is
none Of my business to take care OF
your reputation. know that. But
in a quiet way have for many years
been doing my best, little as 1t may
have been, to develop strong, clean'
brave manhood in this state, and 1t
saddens me to feel that you are about
10 let pride of opinion and the fervor
Of debate stand in the way OF fair
and open test of a great moral ques-
ton. The people do not need advice,
they need free opportunity to vote.
Respectfully,
GEORGE B. CRoMER.
Newberry, August IL, 1905.
S-