Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-18

anything, especially doing things
suggest? II the legislature now In Of
flee could be thus Influenced, cajoled.
coerced to resist reformation under the
specious plea that 1t was at my dicta-
tion. that l had quietly fallen In ranks
to help kill the dispensary without first
appealing from the legislature to the
people, do you not see that I would
have tied my own hands and surren-
dered at discretion to my worst enc
mics?
I had to deal with one "driftwood
Legislature" once and I appealed to
the people to reform 1t, which they
did most effectually by retiring most
Of those who had proven false to their
professions and pledges to private life.
The present legislature was not elect
ed on the dispensary issue and Is a
very conservative body Of men and
with so much political electricity in
the atmosphere and so much thunder
ing against the dispensary 1t may
we'll pause ere II takes any action
The disclosures at Spartanburg will
Undoubtedly cause 1t to do something,
but whether 1t will do anything ef-
fectual or not remains to be seen.
I wish to say here and now. as
though In parenthesis, the result Of
concerned gives me no uneasiness
whatever. The office Of senator does
not belong to me but 1t belongs to the
people and they will have the right
next year to choose my successor and
will bow to their WILL whatever 1t
may be, without a murmur. I do not
believe that the fall of the dispensary
necessarily means my fall. do not
see what association there Is or could
possibly be between the dispensary
question and the position which
have taken upon 1t and my fitness for
the high office which I hold. II my
health continues good I shall ask the
people to continue me in the place,
not because I am the father Of the
dispensary but because Of my services
in Washington. I am not uneasy In
the least. So much for that branch Of
lyour letter.
Now let US come to the dispensary
question and your treatment Of 1t.
You quote with great JUNCTION from the
decision Of our supreme court THAT
liquor Of 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 footing with the
ordinary commodities of life such as
corn. wheat, cotton. tobacco, potatoes,
etc." I wish I had that decision be-
fore me 80 that I could give its es-
sence 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 for the
exercise Of the police power which
rests upon the right Of the state gov
ernment to control or forbid any and
everything which concerns the morals
and health Of the people; and right
here Is where we part company In
dealing with this question: The pro-
hibitionists In general, and you, my
dear doctor, as one of the leaders, are
| thoroughly .imbued with the belief
that liquor drinking Is dangerous to
the morals, good order, health and
safety of the people, and you would
therefore forbid its sale in any way
as beverage and would limit its use
to medicinal, pharmaceutical and me-
| chanical purposes. South Carolina
declares in the dispensary law itself:
| 1.-The manufacture, sale, barter or
lawful use. delivery. storing and keep
| ing In possession within this state Of
any spirituous, malt, vinous, ferment-
ed whether lager or rice beer) or
other liquors. and compound or mix
ture thereof, by whatever name called
or known, which contains alcohol and
is used as a beverage, except as Is
hereafter provided. is hereby prohib-
tied under a penalty of not less than
three nor more than twelve months at
hard labor In the state penitentiary,
or pay a fine of not less than 500 nor
more than $500 or both fine and inn
prisonment, In the discretion Of the
court, for each offense. All alcoholic
liquors in this state, whether manu-
factured within this state or else
where, not having been tested by the
chemist Of the South Carolina college
and found pure and free from poison.
Gus, hurtful and deleterious matters
are hereby declared to be Of a detri-
mental character. and their use and
consumption are against the morals.
good health and safety Of the state" etc.
In 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 question a
religious issue while the supporters
Of the dispensary law consider 1t po-
litical issue and the people OF the
state have six times by overwhelming
majorities sustained our view. You
and your friends hove time and time
again presented your ideas and press
ed them with vigor and ability. but the
voters have not yet seen 1t as you did.
| l would be the last man to lower
the ideals Of our schools. I would be
the last man to throw temptation In
the way Of anyone young or old. /
would be the last man to teach any
child that liquor IS not dangerous;
but is it the duty IF a statesman to
hobble the devil when he can't be
chained, so to speak. or Is 1t his duty
TO simply say he wants him hobbled
or chained and then let him loose?
The dispensary law properly admins
istered does reduce drunkenness. 1t
does conduce to temperance and good
morals, and teaches men the uses OF
liquor rather thar the abuses Of 1t.
That the state board Of control Is un-
der suspicion Of corruption with many
things pointing to the belief that the
suspicion is we'll grounded. that the
local dispensers have been debauched,
because Of the lax administration or
| maladministratiOn, proves nothing.