Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-14
the honest conclusion that such is the


fact.
DR.. Massey saw me first, and / re-
ceived cordial greetings from all.
They We're real glad to see me-not
me especially; but anybody from York.
After shaking hands, they wanted to
know the news, and on being assured
that there was nothing worth telling
they had to know how the country had
Jared during the freeze. / wss as glad
to see them as they were to see me,
for somehow I was impressed that
right then there was q. sympathetic
fellow feeling. Just as I had been so
lonely a few moments before, I could
see II sticking out as plainly asy-if
they had made an open confessions that
every man Of the four was positively
homesick and anxious to get back to
old York. However, nobody intimated
anything Of the kind-not just then. =
1t was now nearly time for the house
| to be called to order and ] accepted
an invitation from the members Of the
delegation to go with them to their
seats. All four Of the gentlemen took
pleasure In explaining to me the daily
routine, and I remained with them
long enough to see that the work they
have to do Is a plenty. They could
dodge, Of course, IL they wanted to. but
they don't. Every man Of them has
been buckling right down to the duties
of his position since the first day OF
the session, and hardly an item of bus
mess Of any kind has been transacted
without their knowledge. AS a rule
because Of the usual absence Of many
members who live close to Columbia.
Saturday Is devoted to uncoEtested
legislation. That is legislation Of a
local character, and about which the
house as q whole is either agreed or un-.
concerned. II sometimes happens that
shrewd legislators are able to take
advantage of the unanimous consent
rule to get through legislation that
materially affects the whole state.
This can be prevented only by con-
slant vigilance, and our delegation
perused and inspected every bill as
carefully as II they had reason to sus-
pect that one Of those bills proposed to
cut off their pay. No. there Is no
doubt about 1t, the York delegation Is
attending to Its business.
BY the way this house Is a fine look.
Ing body of men. was impressed
with the intelligent appearance Of the
members as a whole and male some
inquiries on the subject. ! was told
that II was not 'an unusual thing to
find some pretty rough specimens In
| the house, and occasionally also In the
senate. There have been houses that
would not have much advantage In a
comparison with the mob at an ordi-
nary political meeting; while others
show up better. The constitutional
convention was highly creditable
body SO far as looks went and II Is
claimed that the personel Of the pres
ent house compares favorably with
that Of the constitutional convention.
I was told also that within the past
ten years, and indeed up to very
short time ago. drunkenness was quite
common among the members. but
there is very little Of this kind Of thing
| to be seen now. There are still some
drinking members and some who get
drunk: but I was told that there Is
less drunkenness In the house now
than there has been at any previous
session during the past ten or twelve
years.
The famous Josh Ashley was point
ed out to me by a member Of the York
delegation, with an explanation to the
effect that Mr.. Ashley is a very much
misrepresented man. Josh is not the
ablest man in the house, by any
means" the member said, "and he is
| little Short on polish maybe; but I'll
| tell you he has lots of common sense
Of a very high quality. He is not a
demagogue, either. He just believes
that the machine Is being run on too
expensive a scale, and he Is for trim
ming. He made hard fight against
the department Of commerce and Ia
bor and although he lost out last
night, the sentiment behind him Is
much stronger than you would think
from the vote. There are great many
members who have their doubts on
this question: but they reason that the
department. which has been In exist
ence only about seven months, ought
| to have fair showing. II last nights
vote had been taken q week ago the
opposition would have made better
| showing and how II will be next ses-
sion I do not like to predict"
/ called on Senator Brice and found
| him at his post. He takes promi-
nent part In all the proceedings of the
senate, and has much weight with that
body. That he is the real leader Of
the genuine opposition to the dispen-
sary there Is very little question. He
has no hesitation in announcing his
unalterable hostility to the whole rot
ten machine. and he takes no stock In
alleged efforts to perfect the law
He does not think the thing can be
perfected except by a death blow.
The action of the house In passing the
Toole bill pleased him very much, and
he told me that he intended to call
the measure up In the senate on Mon
day. He hardly hoped to see 1t passed,
but he felt some assurance that ne
would get a reasonable divide. The
senator was suffering from bad cold,
and was anything but well.
Before leaving the capitol, accom-
panied by Representative Beamguard,
I called at the executive Office and met
the governor. I really did not want
to see the governor very much, but
rather my old friend Norment, the
governors secretary. Before had a
chance to protest, however, Mr.. Beam
guard had pushed me into the gover-
nors presence. THE ENQUIRER took
occasion not long ago to criticise the
governor in connection with his dis
pensary recommendations, and espec-
tally as to that abominable tax that
| the law levies on counties that would
abolish the dispensary. 1t occurred to
me therefore that might not be ex-
actly welcome. But found that was
very much mistaken. Governor Hey
ward brought the tax matter up and
we argued 1t at length without the
opinion Of either OF us being changed
In the least. He insisted that II a
county wanted prohibition II should
be willing TO pay tax TO ENFORCE the
law; that 1t was not right for a prohi-
bition county to expect to have it's
laws enforced at the expense Of the
dispensary counties. I conceded that
he was correct theoretically; but told
him that my opposition to the tax was
based on the belief that It was incor-
norated into the law not for the pur-
pose Of enforcing prohibition. but for
the purpose Of discouraging the voting
out Of dispensaries.
BY his conversation the governor
| impressed me with the conviction that
he understands the dispensary law In
all its details, and that he is an honest
believer in the system as the best So
luton of the liquor question. He re-
cognizes. however, that there is too
much opportunity for graft in the
present machinery and although he
did not say so. believe that he be-
lieves there Is graft. The recommen-
1ations Of his last message were
made with a view to putting a stop to
II, and the only mistake he makes In
connection with the whole matter Is
failure to realize that no power on
earth can cleanse the liquor business.
However. whether right or wrong on
this question, want to say that Gov
arnor Howard Is every inch a man.
He Is able. he is conscientious, he Is
clean, he Is brave. He Is capable OF
changing his position on any question;