The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-16
TILLMAN REPLIES.
Fe Propounds Number Of Questions
by Way Of

Criticisms by the News
and Courier of the Speech
Made at Edsefeld.
To the Editor Of The News and
Couri r: I do not often no.sc, crlti
cisms or other matter about me in
newspapers. / depart from this GUS
tom this time for once to briefly notice
your editorial in The News and Courier
of August I, ITO Senator Tillman
Questions" and like a Yankee, will
answer your q lestions by asking some.
Does not the editor OF The News and
Courier know that the fve counties,
Charleston, Richland, Sumter, George.
town and Beaufort, know good thing
wien they see it in a business sense
and that it is largely the money de-
rived from the dispensary which &C.
counts for their present change Of at
titude? Does he not know that at least
two OF them, Charleston and Richland,
would much prefer to have l!Quor sold
under the license system and are
scheming to bring about situation
which will give them local option, with
the right to vote to have liquor sold
by license?
Does he not know that the fact Is
not fact that the greater part OF
the popularity Of the diSpensary re-
naming is to be found In the towns?
Does be not know? II not I will tell
him. There are many Of those coun-
try people who are yet believers In the
cispensary system, though they are
very much disgusted now with its man.
agement.
Does he not know that Messrs Ray
sor and Manning have beccme strong
advocates Of the dispensary principle
almost against their will, as many
other former Conservatives have been
converted? They are both honorable
and high. minded men and are above
dirty partizanship for the sake Of part
/ isaLship. Does be not know that the
Brice law will not accomplish the de
struction Of the dispensary," because
the two thirds Of the Democrats OF the
State who are prepared to participate
in the elections uader it cannot deter.
mine 80 Important question without
the other one third and 1t will be set
tied by the Democratic primary in.
stead of under the Brice bill?
Does be not know that the amend
ments and proposed amendments tx
the Brice bill were not made for the
purpose OF penalizing counties that
voted out the law but because they
were simply In line with common sense
and justice?
Does be not know that Senator Till:
man does not object to counties voting
out the dispensary provided all the
people at the Democratic primary set
tie the question, but that he does ob
ject to any county under local option
having the license system, which il
the first step towards reopening ths
old saloons?
Does he not know that the change
of tone in the newspapers which N
longer describe constables as spies
is due to the fact that public opinion
has lashed these newspapers into some
sense OF decency and besides the con
stables are no longer appointed by anc
are not under the control Of Governor
Tillman? Does he not know that tht
constables have been bonded by th'
Conservative Legislature, their claw
clipped, so to speak, and that they ar
largely disarmed and unable to exe-
that "pernicious activity" which Gov
ernor Tillmau required Of them?
In all frankness, Mr. Editor, an
swer: Do you not know that there is
a great division OF opinion, that th'
old lines cannot be drawn on the whis
key question, that the country peopl;
are divided as well as the people OF th,
towns, and while there may be more
Prohibitionists among the rural pop
ulation that the leaders OF the fgh1
on the dispensary live in the cities ant
towns? Does not the editor know thai
under the old license system, with it!
seven hundred odd bar rooms, The
towns got all the money out OF tae
| liquor traffic, while now the ire.
schools in the country and towns alike
get all the States profit and in som.
counties half Of the local profit, anc
does he not think that the rural peo
pie, the intensely religious people, wht
go to little pine churches in the forests
on Sunday" are such idiots that they
do not realize there has been marked
decrease In drunkenness, great i'm.
provement in the free school system
and the better opportunities theil
children have now? Dues he still cling
to the old idea that all our ''best peo.
pie" live in the towns, that the farm.
ers are such fools that they can be led
by the noses by 4 combination OF high
license advocates and Prohibitionis1
and blind tigers, who are shooting:
Down with the dispensary" without
their knowing what will be the conse-
quences? Does he not know that the
Prohibition vote in 1892 was only 35,
900 out Of total Of 81, 900 and has never
been as grest since and that the Idol.
atrous devotion" to me of the simple
country people manifested itself in
1890 and 1892 before the dispensary
was born? Does he think that these
simple country people no longer trust
to my leadership because the Legisl.
atures under Conservative control have
brought Generalization and disgrace
on the dispensary?
Search your conscience, Mr.. Editor,
and deny if you will that the dispen.
sary is unpopular because Of miSman-
agemsnt and the belief that there Is
fraud in the conduct of its affairs. and
that the whole atmosphere OF the State
was for years tainted with the insin-
nation e1anSero and fa1sohno6c cot