Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-10
TILLMAN At SANDY FLAT
DlSpenSary'S Daddy Asks For More
Reform.
BAD SHOWING The WORK OF ENEMIES.


Proposition That County Dispensers
Should Be Elected In Primary
Years Supply Of Liqour to be Bought
at One Time BY Committee Espe-
oiaIIy Appointed For the Purpose
Only Bonded Whisky to Be Used
Charges of Gross Mismanasement.
The campaign meeting at Sandy
Flat, Greenville county. last Saturday,
was attended by about 1000 people.
There were number Of speakers;
but the big gun was Senator Tillman,
who talked about the dispensary.
The crowd listened attentively to what
he had to say, but was not demon
strative. There was very little ap-
plause. The senator's speech, as Civ
en- out to the press before the meet
ing, was as follows:
There is but one important issue
involved in this campaign so far as
state affairs go and as for my own
candidacy 1t rests on the record which
have made since I entered public
life sixteen years ago and the init
mate knowledge which the people
Of the state have Of my character,
personality and qualifications. am
willing to leave 1t there without dis
cusslon or presentation. The fight is
state dispensary VS.. county dispensary
for no one expects the prohibition
candidates, however worthy and well
qualified they may be, to receive very
much support. With all their efforts
(and they have been many and long
continued) the newspapers which
have always fought the dispensary
have not been able 10 drum up can
didate for governor who advocates To-
cal option straight as against dispen-
sary and prohibition and only in
Charleston does that idea have any
men Offering for office under 1t. The
local option offered the people, is be-
tween prohibition and county dispen-
sary and the whole fight is to destroy
the state dispensary first, with no
other purpose than to then obtain the
privilege Of re-opening the old bar
rooms under the new guise Of liquor
stores selling under constitutional
limitations" The real fight is for the
control of the legislature, because the
governor cannot make or change the
laws and can only try to enforce
them. His only influence over legis-
lation would be in the use Of the veto
power. But it is all important to get
strong and good man for governor.
The times distinctly demand one.
Thinks Il Barroom Scheme.
In any event some counties will
stand by prohibition with it's blind IT,
gers and heavy jug trade by express.
Other counties will vote for county
dispensaries and the cities where the
principal newspapers are published
will have the fight on the issue Of
state dispensary with the ultimate
purpose of having the county dispen-
saries turned into licensed barrooms
II the county dispensaries are abol-
ished. The scheme Is to restore the
sale Of liquor to private individuals
Of state officials. Those who clamOr
for county dispensaries instead OF one
state dispensary must demonstrate
how 1t Is easier to prevent corruption
among the thirty or forty county boards
than to stop II In one state board.
have great faith in the good COM
mon sense of the people and do not
believe they can be persuaded TO de-
stroy the state dispensary and leave
each county to purchase and sell It's
own liquor. Yet the State and News
and Courier which have always hated
the dispensary "worse than the devil
hates holy water" are advocating
candidates who favor county dispen-
saries. The only possible good reason
than can be advanced on this line Is
that the prohibition counties under
the constitution receive part Of the
profits which arise from the sale Of
liquor in other counties. This Is un-
just, as everyone must acknowledge
but it can be remedied very easily by
having the state dispensary make no
profits other than few thousand dol.
lars above its running expenses, thus
leaving the counties and the town to
divide the profits between them. This
can be easily done and when we con-
slider the expense Of buying liquor in
retail quantities and paying local
freights on it instead of buying car
load lots and paying through freights
the county dispensary cannot stand
the comparison. But this is not the
greatest objection.
Would Be Immense Leakage.
The leakage or stealage in bottling
Of liquor at each county dispensary
would be immense and I know of no
way that it could be prevented, nor
do know any by which 1t would be
possible to prevent the whisky being
watered, bottles reflled, relabeled
and other schemes of making money
dishonesty, If the system were adopt
ed. 1t is not possible to prevent 1t
and l do not think any sensible man
who considers the question will seri-
ously contend that 1t is. Even II one
half of the counties should adopt the
prohibition blind-tiger- trade pro-
gram it would be better, more eco
nomical and less probability Of cor
ruption and speculation in the pur-
chase and handling Of liquor in the
other dspensary counties, il the buy
ing, bottling and shipping should be
done at one central depot, instead Of
In each county.
1t must not be forgotten, because
it was the understanding (and bar
gain was made) during the fight in
the legislature last winter against the
state dispensary, that the ultimate
purpose is to have Charleston whole
sale liquor dealers supply the county
dispensaries as we'll as the jug trade
by express in dry counties; and while
this would be better than to have this
liquor shipped in from North Carolina
and Georgia, as 1t now is, because 1t
would keen tho money at home 7 do