The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-18
newspapors to break down the dlspen.

-- SaS
sary system. Any number of lies
were told abont any and everybody
concerned with the nd ADMINISTRATION OF
the law and 1t was only after repeated
defeats ab the polls by overwhelming
ma)orlties that any semblance Of de-
cenoy IN attending to the dispensary
q she ohoialS connected With il
ootaioed. The almory of abuse and
SANDER was exhausted but the lying
continued to 60 on; by insinuation,
innuendo and falsehood the system
mas been attacked; and of course, as
founder and father of the ~dispensary,
L have been abused and lied on as M
other man In the States history ever
was.
DEEP AID SCHEME TO DESTROY
In 1902 all political oppositions
ceased and no man was old enough to
offer for Office in the State as an anti.
dispensary candidate. / do not wish
to revive f~ractionalism and l am sorry
to be compelled to have the appear.
ancs Of doing 80, but the truth do.
mands of me this statement that dur
ing the last six years and even before
the majority Of the South Carolina
legislature has been composed of these
who were once anti. Tillmanites or
Conservatives, and If it be true that
bad men have been elected to control
and direct the affairs Of the dispensary
the Conservatives Of the STAGE are re-.
sponsible for 1t. l believe that there
has been a deep laid scheme to de-.
stroy the system by miSmanagement,
and the charge that it ia q political
machine may be we'll sustained by the
fact that these same Conservative leg
islatureS ammended the law to provide
that the county boards of control
should be appointed by the recon.
mendat1On OF the members Of the gen.
aral assembly thus placing It's admin.
iStratiOn In the counties In the hands
OF politicians and their satellites. J.
am aware that many Of the strongest
supporters Of the dispensary now are
men who were and are yet probably
Conservatives while some Of It's most
biLter antagonist are former Reform
ers. 1t, therefore, cannot be chaged
that [ an endeavoring to draw the
old lines which rent the State in
twain, but there Is every Indication to
show that the present onslaught on
the dispcnsary Is being engineered and
led by those who have been, are now,
and will eve be my most bitter politi-
cal opponents. The more venomous
Of these men have not hesitated recent
1y to say In the press and in other
places that they regard the dispcnSary
as the main prop Of Tillman's political
fortune and that If they can pull that
down he will fall with it.
The people are treated to columns
and colulnns Of can't and hypocritlcal
moralizing and sermonizlng on the
rottenness and corruption and evils of
the ~dispeDsary system while the sole
purpose Of the crusade in the opinion
OF the best and closest observers is
that morality and temperance have
no place in the hearts and minds OF
these men but that their only hope
and desire Is to organize a movement
that will result In my political over
throw.
ELECTED ON OTHER ISSUES.
l want to say right here and now
that l had been elected governor twice
on other issues than liquor control and
the dlspensary had nothing to do with
my political fortunes. 1t never con.
tributed In the slightest to my election
to the senate. Thessettlement Of the
liquor question came to me- unsought
and l would have been glad to have
l had nothing to do with 1T. But as the
Issue was forced while I was governor
l L made such settlement Of it as /
deemed best In the interest of temper.
ance and morality among the people
> of the State and the unqualified on.
dorsement which has been given the
; ~dispensary system by the masses IS
sufficient Justification Of the wisdom
or any action. l had won the respec;
and confidence Of the people because
y OF their faith In my integrity and
, character. If l had consented to kcer
, quiet and steer clear Of State politics,
having nothing to do with local affairs
as q politician would have done. !
would probably have Lad less opposl.
tion and might have continued in the
senate without having to fight for the
place. The position Of senator is q
> worry high n and | coveted the honor
because | believed that l could be OF
, some service to the people of the State.
: My record in Washington will show
= whether or not | have been able to &C.
: complish anything worthy the admira.
> ton Of the people and TO keep my hold
! on their affections. | would not re
tain the Office n minute longer than
l can hold 1T with honor and maintain
, my self respect. 1t would be cowardIy
to lose sight OF the public welfare in
the pursuit OF my personal ambition.
l believe the d~ispensary system to be
+, the best for the people and for the
, cause OF temperance and s. believing,
L have acted. | believe now that the
law can be changed SO as to preclude
the possibility of corruption In the
a purchase Of whiskey for the State dis.
pensary, and 1t would rest with the
people whether or not the regulations
and rules governing the local di3pen.
!, saries are observed. No law can ad
' minister itself and when the Crane
jurics fail, as they have failed, to see
. that the d~lspensary law Is enforced ir
r the counties the people themselves are
to blame.
o TIE GRAFT
, No system Of liquor selling or prohi.
/ billion either c1n ever succeed any bet.
ter than the dispensary has succeeded
unless there Is an enlightened and do.
. termincd public opinion which compcls
3 observance to the law. If the legisla.
:, tnro 0E Ifs ppXt uasaion will wall