Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-09-15
ASHLEY OF ANDERSON.
Citizen Josh Talks Wisely Of State Ii.
6IInisaaon

quor Business.
The following from Josh Ashley or
Anderson, Is taken from the Colum-
bia State of yesterday:
After reading the reports of the dis
pensary investigating committee from
day to day, l am beginning to think
that my position on the dispensary Will
be sustained by the people. AS II Is
publicly known / have always been
opposed to the dispensary law. l was
a member Of the legislature when the
law was enacted and / opposed IT ana
gave as my reasons the very things
that the investigating committee have
brought out in the testimony, that
there was room for fraud and that the
liquor machine would at some time
have too much influence over the gov
ernment Can anybody point to sim
gle act that has been passed In the leg
islature since the dispensary law was
passed that was very strongly opposed
by the dispensary officials, with the
exception possibly Of the Brice Dill, ana
that was not passed without rider
that the dispensaryites thought would
prevent the law from being tried.
They thought a little one-half mill tax
would scare the voters off, but 1t seems
the voters are not so much AFRAID OF
the increase Of taxes, for every county
that has had a chance to vote on the
question has decided against the dis
pensary regardless Of the half mill TAX.
/ have believed all the time that the
system was rotten, and have sald SO
publicly, and 1t seems the committee
investigating 1t is proving 1t 70 the
world.
Now as to the remedy that will cure
the sick man. Senator Tillman says
kick out the present board, put In
new one. That has been done two or
three times and this committee that is
kicking up so much dust Is finding that
mere were some things rotten way
back in the good old times. The SEN
ator says to make the governor cnlel
barkeeper and let two OF the other STATE
officers stand by to help him dish II
out Well, we have tried that plan' 100,
and the time has not been so long but
that a few Of us remember that MS
excelleacy, the governor, was accused
of taking rebates. Mr.. Editor, you are
old enough to remember that far back.
7 am sure, Now II seems that none OF
these so-called cure-alls Is the proper
remedy, so now what are the dispen-
saryites to do?
I am not surprised at the results OF
this investigation, but there Is one
thing that Is following these county
elections around that / don't under-
stand. Who employs these lawyers 10
follow these county elections and ask
for iniunctions to prevent the will of
the people from being carried out? Does
the dispensary pay them out OF its
profits? I am very well acquainted
with one Of these "injunction lawyers
and I am persuaded to believe that ne
Is getting pay for his work. So VINO
pays the bill?
There has been another objection
to the county elections. Senator Till
man saws to wait and see what the
legislature will do with 1t next
winter. There will be the same set
of men there next winter that there
was there last winter and what did
they do? Then again, the senator
SAYS II the legislature don't make
the thing decent and almost beauti-
full. we can have a state election next
summer and decide on the dispen-
sary question by putting out dis
pensary candidate. Now, everybody
knows that is not a fair test or any
measure, because the personality OF
the candidates will come in for a
big vote regardless Of the issue
Senator Tillman also says we ought
not to have an election under the
Brice law because the law Is undemo-
cratic. that all the citizens were not
allowed to vote. Are not all quail
fed citizens allowed to vote. and who
made the qualifications so restrictive;
did not the senator have hand IN
the matter? And then again, ala
all the qualified citizens OF Anderson
county have a chance to vote on the
establishment of a dispensary In this
county? Has Anderson county not
always supported the prohibition
candidate and yet we have a dis
pensary put on this county. NOW, II
the Brice law Is undemocratic what
about the dispensary law? =,
About the only remedy that
know for the thing Is to give the
people a chance at It, We have
given everybody else a chance but
the people, suppose we try them.
believe the people have sure reme-
DIV for the dispensary and whether
they cure 1t or kill It, the majority
of the people have a right to give
II one dose anyhow.
Now, as for the dispensary help
ing the taxpayers. 1 have not been
able to see the help yet and know
that the levy for state taxes this year
is one half mill higher than 1t was
when the dispensary law was en-
acted. And yet the dispensary sells
$4,000 900 worth of whisky a year
and turns the profit over to the state,
and vet taxes are higher; where
does the help come in, has anybody's
taxes been reduced? If so / would
like to hear from 1t.
Now, the dispensary, In my opinion,
is a great big snake, and when | get
after a snake to kill 1t. If / can't cut
off it's head 1 make whack at It's
tail: so boys, If we can't cut off its
head, cut off the snakes tail.
JOSHUA w. ASHLEY.
Honea Path, S. c.. Sept. IL. 1905.