The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-23
would appeal to the people to elect {
legislature that would.

would appeal to the people to elect
legislature that would.
+ there anything wrong in that
Anything immoral, or unstatesm2n
like? III had remained steadfaSt il
that position would not all the iLnu
ercss that are possible be brought t
Dear to keep the legislature froa
doing anything, especially coins
thirgs which I suggest? II the L>gis
lature low in office could te thus in
huenced, cajole6 and coerced to resis
reformation under the speciouS ples
that it WAS at rly dictation and I hao
Quietly fallen in ranks to help kill thE
dlspersary without fist appealing
from the Legislature to the people, dt
you not see that I would have tiec
my own hands and surrendered at dis
cret.on to my worst ensm.es?:
l hal to deal with one drift WOOD
L legislature once, and I appealed tt
the people TO reform it, which they
did most effyc 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 dispensary issue,
and Is very conservative body OF
men, and with so much political cleo
5ricity in the atmosphere and so much
laundering AGAINST the dispensary, Ii
may well pause e1eit takes any action.
The disclosures at Spartanburg will
undoubtedly cause it to do something
but whether it will dc anything efec.
tual or not remains to be seen.
I wish to say here ard now, as
though in parenthesis, the result OF
this fight, as far as I 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 I will bow to their will, what.
ever it may be, without murmer. l
do not believe that the fall Of the dis
pensary necessarially means my fall.
I do not see what association there is
CT could possibly be between the dis,
pensary question and the position
which have taken upon it and my fit.
ness for the high office which I hold.
II my health continues good l shall
ask the people to continue me in the
place, not because I am the father Of
the dispensary, but because OF my ser
vice In Washington. I am not un-
easy il the least. So much for that
branch of your letter.
LIQUOR DRINKING NOT IMMORAL.
Now let US come to the dispensary
sarY question and your treatment CT
it. You quote, with great JUNCTION,
from the decision OF our Supreme
Court, THAT liquor in it's nature is
dangerous to 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." 1 wish I had
that decision before me so that I could
give its essence in brief form rather
than take an isolated sentence. You
are too good a lawyer not to know
that the State could have nothing to
do with the liquor traffic were 1t not
fer the exercise Of the police power
which rests UPON the right OF the
State Government to control OF forbid
any and every thing which concerns
the morals ard health OF the people;
and tight here Is where we part COM
pany in dealing with the question.
The p-ohioltioniSts in general, and
you, my dear Doctor, as one OF their
leaders, are thoroughly imbued with
the belief that liquor drinking is dan
gerous to the 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
it's Use to medicinal, pharmaceutical
and mechanical purposes. South Car
DINA declares In the dispensary law
itself:
'sThe 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.
mented, brewed, (8hether lager or
rice beer o, other liquors; any COM
pound OF mixture thereof, By what.
ever name called or known, which
contains alcohol and Is used as beVer-
age, except as is hereafter provided,
is hereby prohibited under a penalty
Ct not less than three nor more than
twelve months at hard labor in the
State Penitentiary, or pay a fine OF
net less than 500 nor more than $500,
OF both fine and Imprisonment, in the
discretion OF the Court, for each Of
Tense. All alcoholic liquors in this
State, whether manufactured within
this State or:>elsewhere, not having
been tested by the chemist OF the
South Carolina College and found to
be pure and free from poisonous, hurt
ful and deleterious matters, are here
by declared to be OF detrimental
character, and their use and consump-
tion are against the morals, good
health and safety OF the State, ETC."
Ia the Judgment Of the Legislature,
which enacted the law as a compro'
mise, the dispensary system would
bring about the best results. You
and your friends make OF this ques'
ton religious issue, while the sup
poruers Of the dispensary law consider
it a political issue, and the people o1
the State have six times by over
whelning majorities sustained suct
view. You aad your friends have
time and time again presented YOU
ideas aad pressed them with.vigor anc
ability, tut the voters have not seer