Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-08


boozled and declared that IL the dis
pensary law had been properly sup
ported South Carolina would now bt
ready to get out Of the liquor into the
prohibition column. He said that the
system now includes a whole trair
load of rogues and rascals and asked
who put them there, intimating the
responsibility Of the legislature. He
referred again to the honesty Of his
own administration and did not forget
that even he had been charged with
receiving rebates.
Referring to Cherokee, he claimed
that LIQUOR was being sold there in vio-
lation Of the law the same as ever
Cherokee Is no better than York. II
would be done here and 1t Is being
done there It Is the same old game
They catch a man and yank him up
and fine him $100. It Is an indirect
way Of collecting license.
The senator again referred to Mr.
Brice's Yorkville speech, especially the
back lot out Of which grew his anti
dispensary convictions, and made
rather lame suggestion to the enect
that IL the senator had taken an occa-
sional little "snifler," he would have
hardly wabbled more than he had In his
speech Of the morning. Then the speaker
went on to. repeat his previously pub
lished version of the prohibition vote OF
1892, and its significance, claiming that
II was not right for him to ignore the
$4,000 Democrats who had ignored that
separate box. Then he made the point
that Mr.. Brice Is unwilling to settle
this matter In a primary, yet 1t was
a primary about which Mr.. Brice had
been complaining. He denounced the
Brice law as undemocratic because
II denied so many people the right to
vote; and declared that 1t was q poor
rule which does not work both ways.
There are 10000 people in the state
who are entitled to vote; but only 65,-
600 are registered and these $1,000 are
to fix the status Of the 10000.
In order to make the point OF the
alleged inharmonious coalition against
the dispensary, the senator said ne
wanted Mr.. Brice to be candidate for
governor on q straight prohibition
platform. He wanted Charleston, Co
iumbia and Greenville to put up high
license candidate. He wanted the
blind tigers also to put up candidate
and that the dispensary would have
candidate would be matter OF course.
The blind tigers he said had already
nominated a man from Marlboro.
without mentioning any names, he re-
Spartanburg recently, nominating Nc
Laurin for governor, and said that he
had ascertained that three Of the four
signers had been defendants before the
United States court in liquor cases.
He INDUCED In considerable sarcasm
along here, and then predicted In all
earnestness that II the prohibitionists
should win in less than five years
the people would be ordered to put
the sale Of liquor In the hands Of
private individuals under high license.
"Oh, my countrymen," the senator
confided, liquor is indeed a very
devil. Whoever tackles whisky to
control II, has In his hands the great
est problem that has ever confronted
any people In any country" He said
that he did not seek this job but it
was forced on him and he did the
best he could.
Next he jumped on the state board
OF directors and sarcastically referred
to the empty sham under which men
were running a three and half mil
lion dollar business for a pretended
salary Of $400 a year each. A rooter
on the outside did not seem to under
stand whether the senator was con-
demning the board or its critics; but
the senator soon made 1t clear that
he has a desperately small opinion OF
the whole board. and thought the
fee. forthwith. He again compared
original methods along the line of TX,
2x. 3x. ETC.. with latter day develop
ments under which the board sells
case goods bearing the names Of the
dealers, ETC., and reasserted the inner
ent corruption in the whole business.
He next undertook to criticise Senator
Brice on account OF his declaration
that he would not attempt to purify
the dispensary because OF the hope
lessness Of the task. again suggested
that Brice should be a candidate and
declared that the Brice law would
never accomplish its purpose. You
may vote 1t out Of fifteen or sixteen
counties" he said. but even II you
should vote il out Of every county in
the state you will have to elect anoth-
er legislature before you can abolish
the law or maize any material change
in its administration. FSss
You are going to have liquor
somehow" he said, land why not
make 1t pay its way? Six weeks have
been added to terms Of the common
school. Are you going to cut this
down or go down In your pockets?"
Voice: Cut II down.
Tillman: That is what you are 60
ing to- do, and God forbid, for this af-
fects the helpless children of poor
farmers who have no other chance to
get a smattering of an education. He
referred sarcastically to the use of
the term blood-money in connection
with the dlspensary revenues, and
said he had no objection to n dollar
because OF its source.
AS a reminder of conditions that
existed In Yorkville years ago the
senator read from the Abbeville Me-
dunn an extract from sermon deliv-
cred by Rev. DR.. English and pub
lished in THE ENQUIRER Of October 2.
1889. The sermon described the in
iquities Of the old drug store traffic In
whisky on prescription, a system that
had been abolished before the estab-
Iishment Of the dispensary.
In connection with this clipping
Senator Tillman dieressed to have a
little fun with the editor of THE EN-
oUIRER He said that II THE ENQUI-
RLR did not deny the authenticity OF
the extract his auditors would be as
sured Of it's correctness. After read
ing the extract he gave Ii to the re-
porter with the suggestion that IL
might prove interesting reading.
Next the senator referred 10 the
fact that at Edgefleld he had stated
that for every Biblical text condemn
ing liquor, he could find two In which
LIQUOR was mentioned without con-
demnation. A Rev. Mr.. Harley mad
challenged the statement and to make
good he had run over the Bible and
compiled a symposium of references
TO wine. He contended that the Bi-
BILE does not condemn the use of wine
in moderation. He made some run
ming comments on these texts, prlncl-
pally at the expense OF Mr.. Brice, ana
then turned the paper over TO the ed
itor Of THE ENQUIRER for publication.
1t will be printed hereafter.
Along with his thrusts at THE EN-
oUIRER, the senator went out OF his
way to say that II was good paper
we'll edited, enterLrising and generally
reliable; but claimed that 1t was
little inclined to stretch things some
times.
IT did not come here to tell you
what to do" Senator Tillman declar-
ed to his audience. II expect you ia
do Just what you please and you will
do that anyhow. If you think that
your best interest can be subserved
by voting out the dispensary. DO II;
and If you think that the law can be
purified, bend your efforts in that d.
Iection."
Referring to the dispensary intes-
tigation he said he was afraid the
committee was gCing TO round up a
whole lot of little insignificant min
nows, while the big rascals would be