The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-10-06
A LIVE DEBATE.
Senator Tillman and Col. TowiH
Have g Hot Time.
CHARGES ARE FALSE
Says TowlII, and lie Demands a Full Ia.
y~estigatiou Of His Acts by the Leg.
lslatlve Committee. Senator
TiIlman Says the Brice

ibIdtlfC SUuIInittCCs cCuakOl
TiIIman Says the Brice
Bill Is Unfair.
According to the reports in the dali
ly papers the most exciting political
meeting held in South Carolina for
the past twelve or fourteen years was
held at BhteSburg Oh last Saturday.
The meeting was called to order by
DR.. w. FL. Zimmerman, who intro.
ducad as the first speaker Hon. o. II.
Efrd, of Lexingto ton. MIR. Ehrd made
a good speech In favor Of the dispen.
sary. DR.. Zimmerman then presented
Senator Tillman, who was received
with applause.
II made up my mind before speak.
ing at Marion that these speeches are
useless" said the senator in opening
his remarks, but 1t will be different
next summer" He said he vas here
today on the invitation Of the mayor
and 60 or 70 other citizens to discuss
the liquor question. The invitation
invited. He noticed that the invita-
tion contained one name which was
UNDERSIGNED; 1t was that Of John Bell
Towill, whom all present knew. IL
seemed to him then, said he, that this
was a challenge to come to his home
and say what he had said else where.
1T appeared also that In the invita-.
tion to address you to a man with
whom l had had an unpleasautness
there was an implied challenge that l
would not be here and would be &c.
cused Of being afraid to meet him."
Il never say anything that L would
not say to q mans teeth. 1t is q citi.
Zen's right to ask anybody to speak.
I have no reason to feel but that all
have respect and good feeling for me,
but l object to being placed on the
same plane with a man who has be-
traYed his trust as a Democrat, a man
who in Washington Is nc longer re
garded as ~ Democrat. l grew a lit.
tie small and indignant" He said he
had obeyed orders as q public servant
and had maintained the trust i'm
posed in him ard resented the implica-
tion by which he had been placed on a
level with a ma who bad betrayed
his trust. He had said TO his teeth
what he thought about his (McLaur-
in's) action.
This is a Democratic question we
ara to SETTLE" he said with some
warmth, declaring that ho would not
debate the d!spenhnry with Republi.
cans. l am q Democrat AID 1t is a
part Of my business as national con-
mitteeman to keep the party In line
In SDttfh No rn1t,oo - rnuontn6 itln in
vitation because McLaurin is not my
equal. He Is not my equal as a Demo.
crat, whatever else he may be. Gap
plause.) Here the Senator took up
the ~oispersary. He SAID but for the
good women The men would have lost
the seed corn of genuine religion.
Don't believe in voting out the dis
pepsary, said he, that you will get rid
Of liQuour.
He then made q jocular reference
as to what Mr.. Eird had said about
being a stradnler, declaring that lie
had never been on the fence In poll,
tics. The only fences he had ever
been on were those In crossing fields
when be was u boy. He said he would
rather fall Off n break bis neck than
to stfancle any proposition. The Of
flee Of United States senator, said he,
returns to the people when his term
expires and they could then do as they
saw fit.
"a man on the fence in 1892 had
tho dogs after him on Goth Sides" be
remarked. a majority of the people
had never asked for prohibition. Poo.
pie and newspapers had lied about it.
In 1892 40, 900 people had voted for
prohibition and 5000 voted against
1T or did not vote at all. He argued
with Childs and Ncttles to accept the
dispensary bin, which was passed. IL
any responsibility was needed for this
he would take it.
We'll, close IL up" said a voice In
the audience.
II don't know what part you had
to do with 1t, but | was down yonder
In charge" He said he was charged
with making the dispensary a politi-
Cal machine during his second term as
governor but he needed no political
machine, as lie was then going out Of
Office. He had received a greater ma
jority for governor than any other
nan except Hampton.
Boys, We'll see 'em next year; and
wen settle this question:" shouted
the Senator. He knows where his
dependence is-upon the plain, com
mon people. Political mach1nc! the
Democratic primary Is the only ma
chine / need" said he. lie said that
only one. third OF the Democratic vote
had been polled In the five counties
which had voted out the dispensary.
Taking up the matter Of petitions,
he said anybody could align q petition,
even a free ''nigger,' but anybody
couldn't vote. Tie question will be
settled next summer wien eli white
men will be able to vote. They have
tried six times to kill the ~dispenSary
and had failed.
"One Of the best men In South
Carolina who has offered for Office, a
good Confederate soldier, would have
been elected six years ago but for the
fact that he was on the prohibition
ticket. That man was Col. James A.
Hoyt."
lie said the opponents OF Tic dis
pensary had been preparing for this
fight for 10 months while It's fTienQs
wer picking cotton ana let 1t 90.
$50 balp me G0d will san thnQp FOL.