The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-18

that have been wrought In Cherokee
and Plckens by voting out the dis.
pensary. L warn the people to take
these at their true valus.
CHALLENGES CHEROKEE.
a new broom always sweeps clean
and the prohibitionists In those
counties are undoubtedly exertine
themselves to tha utmost aa t:,;s
time, but just rs certain as like cause
produces like effect will 1t come TO
pass that Generalization and failure
will result there as 1t has resulted I'm
Kansas and there are indications that
we are not getting the whole truth
about these counties. Now some ~
my bitterest enemies have pretended
to find In my letter to Mr., HIGGINS
basis for the idea that I am straddIinu
M weakening on the d%ispensary assure
To all such l say that they may but
their doubt to rest IL they ever had
any. / shall fight for q reformation
In the dispenary and It's restoration
TO the original scheme upon which It
was organized. l promised Mr.. Net
ties and other prohibition leaders in
the legislature In December, 1892, that
| would free the Stats from ~barroons
and L did 1T even In CHARLESTON.
WHERE HE STANDS.
And L now say THAT IL the lcglsla.
ture now In power does not at its next
session, change the law 80 as to reform
The system, l will undertake, IL l am
living and veil next summer, to fight
for a Legislature that will reform it. 1
do not stand for a debauched and cor
fupt dispensary. l will not fight for
such. But l do stand for the system
as it was first inaugurated, and re-
CARELESS OF consequences to myself,
will fight to purify and maintain it.
i! repeat what l have already said be-
fore. If is useless to talk about sell
Ing liquor In South Caroliua under any
sysetm of license, high or low. 1 have
declared and believed 1t to be true
that a saloon would never be open in
South Carolina again. Destruction Of
the ~dispensary will mean of course a
free rein for those who sell liquor illlc.
lily, but l prefer to see 1t sold thus
rather than SEQ 1t placed In the hands
OF individuals, a private monopoly
created with the greater demoraljza.
tion that would follow. Fully one.
third If not more Of those who are now
bowling for the destruction Of the dis.
pensary are avowed candidates OF high
License, and the prohibitionist dupe
themselves into the belief that they
have succeeded with the aid of these
men In destroying the ~dispensary.
6hat they can maintain prohibitions
But L perdict that the fight will ALWAYS
De between prohibition and the dis,
pensary rather than between prohibi.
lion and license and In any event
use every inStrumentality In nv
power TO antagoniza giving the right
10 sell liquor to private individuals,
L want this matter settled entirelv
apart from my personal and political
fortunes. 1t Is a much greater uues
lion for the people Of South Carolina
as 10 now they shall wisely and best
govern the sale Of liquor than as to
whether | or some one else represents
Gacm In the senate. l know there are
many men who will vote for me re.
gardiess Of their former political at.
hilations and Of their present attitude
on this question and it Is probable
that there will be many who will be
aggrieved at my activity in dealing
with this question. | can not help
That. L have the same right and in
terest In local affairs as any other citi.
zen and my elevation to the office I
now hold would have been spurned
a l felt that | would be deprived of
freedom Of speech and action because
or it. l prefer to retire to private
lie II 1t is the will Of the people Of the
state rather than surrender my con.
victions on this important matter
n play the c)ward in dealing with
1t.