The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-25
BENNETTSVILLE, S. O., FRIDAY,IAUGJJST rs 1908
would appeal to the people to elect a
Legislature that would.

/
That position would not all the IL flu
ences that are possible be brought tu
bear to keep the Legislature from
doing anything, especially doing
things which Isuggest2 II the LogIs.
laturc now In office could te thus in.
fluenced, oajoled and coerced to resist
reformation under the speclous plea
that 1T was at my dictation and l had
quietly fallen In ranks so help kill the
dispepeary without first appealing
from the Legislature to the people, do
you not see that / would have tied
my own hands and surrendered at dis.
cret on to my worst enemies?
l had to deal with one drift wood''
Legislature once, and appealed to
the people TO reform 1t, which they
did most cffec ually by retiring most
OF those who had proven false to their
professions and pledges, to private
life. The present Legislature was
not elected on the dlspensary issue,
and Is q very conservative body of
mon, and with SO much political cleo.
tricity In the atmosphere and so much
laundering against the dispensary, 1t
may we'll pause ere 1t takes any action.
The disclosures at Spartanburg will
undoubtedly cause 1T to do something,
but whether 1t will do anything effec.
tual or not remains to be seen.
wish to say here and now, as
though In parentheSis, the result of
this fight, az far as l am personally
concerned, gives me no uneaSineSs
whatever. The Office Of Senator does
not belong to me, but it belongs to
the people and they will have the
right next year to choose my success
Sor, and l vii! bow to their will, what.
ever it may be, without murmer
do not believe that the fall Of the dis.
pensary necessarially means my fall
l do not see what association there is
or could possibly be between the dis
pensary question and the position
which have taken upon 1t and my fit
ness for the high otlice which l hold,
Ii my health continues good shall
ask the people to continue me in the
place, not because | am the father OF
the dispcnsary, but because OF my SER
vice In Washington. l am not un-
easy Ia the least. So much for that
branch OF your letter.
LIQUOR DRINKING NOT IMMORAL.
Now let us come to the disponsary
sarY question and your treatment Of
1t. You quote, with great unotion,
from the decision OF our Supreme
Court, That liquor in It's nature is
dangerous 90 the morals, good order,
health and safety of the people, and
Is not to be placed on the same foot.
ing with the ordinary commodities OF
life, such as corn, wheat, cotton, to
bacco, potatoes, etc" l wish l had
that decision before mo so that l could
give It's essence In brief form rather
than take an isoiated sentence. You
are too good lawyer not to know
that the State could have nothing to
do with the liquor traffic we're it not
Tor the exercise OF the police power
WHICH rests upon the right OF the
State Government to control or forbid
any and every thing which concerns
the morals ard health OF the people
aud right here Is where we part com.
pany In dealing with the question.
The prohibltiOnists In general, and
you, my daar Doctor, as one Of their
leaders, are thoroughly imbued with
The belief that liquor drinking Is dan
gorous TO tho morals, good order,
health and safety OF the people, and
you would therefore forbid It's sale In
any way as a beverage and would limit
IFS u'e to medicinal, pharmaceutical
and mechanical purposes. South Car
DINA declares In the dispenSary law
Itself:
The manufacture, sale, barter or
exchange, receipt or acceptance for
unlawful use, delivery, storing and
keeping IN possession within this State
OF any spirituous, malt, vinous, fer
mentcd, brewcd, (whether lager or
rice beer or other liquors; any com
pound or mixture thereof, by what
ever name called or known, which
contains alcohol and Is used as a bover
age, except as is hereafter provided,
Is hereby prohibited under a penalty
or not less than three nor more than
twelve months at hard labor In the
state P1nitentiary, or pay a fine Of
not loss than 500 nor more than $500,
or both fjne and imprisonment, I'm the
discretion Of the Court, for each Of
tense. All alcoholic liQuors in this
State, whether manufactured within
6lliS state or. else where, not having
been tested by the chemist OF the
South Carolina College and found to
be pure and free from poisonous, hurt.
tul ana deleteri0us matters, are here.
by declared to be OF detrimental
character, and their use and cOnsump
tlnn are against the morals, gond
health and safety Of the State, ETC."
In the judgment Of the Legislature,
which enacted tho law as a compro.
mise, the diNpenSary system would
bring ABOUT the best results. You
and your friends m .ke OF this ques
t!on religious issue, while the SUP.
p)ftors OF the diSpensary law consider
1T a political Issue, and the people OF
the state have six times by over.
"folmin% maj pliticS sustained such
view You aud your friends have
time and time agaiO presented your
IDEAS and pressed them with,vigor and
abliiGy, but the voters have not seen
! + as you did.
LIQUOR MONEY IN TIE SCHOOLS.
l would nc ino last man 10 lover
tho ideals Of our schools | would be
tOo last man TO throw temptation In
the way OF any ono, young or Old |
| you'd BE- the last man to teach any
child tnat liquor Is not dangerous:
| out Is 10 The DUTY Of a statesman tt
hobble the devil, so to speak, wher
nc c&n't ba chainod, or is 1t his duty