The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-25
From Hon. George B. Cromer to
Senator B. r. Tillman
ON THE DISP ENSARY
MIR. Cromer Appeals to Senator TilImar
to Leave Ont fractional Politics
When he Discusses the WhIskey
Question, Which lie Claims
Is a Moral Issue.
Is a Moral Issue.

The Hon. George b. Cromer, forme
president Of the Newberry College, ha
addressed the following open letter tt
Senator Il. r., Tillman:
The Hon. B. II. TIllman. .-Deal
Sir: l protest against the introduction
Of the TOM tom and the spirit OF fac
tion into the movement by which the
merits of the disp, nAary are to be test
ed. The tom. tom Is tho instrument Of
the juggler and fGctionalism Is the re
sort OF tile politician The people OF
this State have lhe right to expect
something higher and better from you
Your recent letter TO Mr.. Higgins wa:
calm, sane and judicial statement OF
your attitude on the dispenSary ques
sion, but for this very reason it was
distaseful In certain quarters, and you
were accused d straddlpg You gave
that letter out aa an cXpn Ssion OF
your views and, my name haviug been
kindly suggested by you. | was asked
clined TO do so for the simple reason
that In this county we wish TO test
the dispen AIRY question On It's merits,
and, therefore, ueSife 10 exclude every
possible phase Of IN manism."
In the Higgins letter you recogniz
ed the widespread and well founded
helief that The dispensary il corrupt
In it's administration, and that one
present agitation is on EXPRESSION OF
popular dissatisfaction. But In youl
EdgeHeld speech you shifted your
ground, and took the position that
the movement Is political in signil.
cance and is covert attack upon you.
In the Higgins letter you SAID thai
the remedy for the corruption rests
with the Legislature; that in the last
Legislature the friends and enemies OF
the dispensary got together and did
nothing but appoint COMMITTEES; that
ever since you we're Governor you have
given advice and made sugge3tions, but
THAI your opinion has had no weight
e the Legislature and that If tie
next Legislature does not apply the
remedy, you will help to kill the dis
pensary.
BY IMPLICATION.
In your Edgetield speech you said
that II the next legislature does not
adopt certain suggeations that you in.
tend to make, yCu WIN help to elect a
Legislature that viii. And you said,
by implication at least, that YOU will
20 to the Reformers for that Legs a.
ture.
appeal from Philip drunk to Phil
Up sober-from the temper Of the
Edgeticld speech to the tone Of the
Higgins letter. In Nawberry there Is
no disposition to make an attack upon
you uudcr cover OF a movement against
the dispensary. 1t Is not q political
movement 1t was begun in an cn
year In order that il might be tes,
Of q great moral q lcsJi 4, uucloudet
by personal end political consider. !
lions. Ii Is not u nOVuN SIT (f Ln,
politicians, but a nOVelNCnt e The
people. You have doubtless iOt CT d
that the counties thaU we're s.io ..lo
CONSERVATIVE" arc Loy ~ the lnl We.
ment.
4 do not question your ryht 10 tal5c
part in the discussion. irdnp1n icntiy
Of the fact that you aro lcn au'hcr
the system in this Ststa, IL .o4ll be
strange IL you were 10 re IN Sil3nt.
By virtue OF your hi n chi and Of
your great Influence il is yOur duty to
sreak--but to Spaak aa1Cly and tenn
perately as you did ! tle Il'kejOs let.
ter 70. owe ggtat deal TO the
youth OF this state; you o"o then che
best that you have CC give. Wne! the
diSpenSary WAS first s.ut on trial thor.
may have been good reason f.r an ap
peal to faction, Int tirau rHa-ol nC
longer exists. The syatcm hI3 bee
on trial more than t~ClvN years. l.
will soon be voGad on by ghun and; II
men who were only a'ght or u!nGy ears
speak now, we aia entitled to hay,
you speak from The pyiGJ Of view oI
craftsmanship and noU OF paltis I'd pJ
litics.
NO DANGER TO TILLNIAN.
Besides, you nave too much saPaci
ty to fear that h3 movement aSaiaS
the diSpcnSary can endanger yrur pO
litical future. You ocupy a larg.
place in the history OF South CarOiua
for the last fifteen years, and for ;
number Of years no rival has GNallcnI
ed your primacy among the pUlltiCl
leaders OF the State. Ben Tllman, tRt
Senator representing S.u.h Carolina
can well AFFORD TO diHchto tha method
OF Ben TilrnGn Che partis N political
leader. | do not Ec3n TO be offensive
You know Of my appreciation OF tht
distinguished services tfav y0u have
rendered this SGntc In q number OF dl
rections. But | earnestly protest tha'
you have no right to bcfOg this ques
Jion by lowering 1t TO the plane o
partisan politics.
That tho administration Of the dis
pensary systom Is corrupt any tool cal
see as he runs. Bat | 20 farther thar
that, even at the risk Of haYing yll
charge me wi6h cant and hypocrisy
No matter how high your purpose ma
have been In adopting tho system, lr
It's origin 1T seems to have been q Gun
ningly. devised Schl ms 90 chiorof0rn
the public conscicnGe No In,nitIca
attempt to debaucn morals by usin{
the end to justify the means could
have been more successful it the sys
tenn had been honestly Administered
The corrupt administration will saw
uS from the system itself
Governor HoCh, or Kansas, tells us
I'VE are rearing q new civilization
here: [ believe 0hcre are more Lhui
q quarter Of million young peopl
who have never seen a saloon. Prohl
billion Is the only logical attitude o
law toward the liquor traffic, and til,