Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-03
TILLMAN ON THE DISPENSARY
Senior Senator Issues Promised Ad.
dress TO the People.
URGES RETENTION OF STATE MONOPOLY

Views and Desires Reiterated In
Full; But no Special Contribution of
New Liaht-Rrice Law Election Re-
turns Compared With Figures Of
Primary-People Did Not Mean
What They Said When They AboI-
ished Dispensaries-Men Who Sought
The Abolition of the State Machine
Should be Left at Home.
Senator Tillman's promised address
to the people Of the state on the dis
pensary situation appeared in the af-
ternoon papers of last Saturday and
the morning papers Of Sunday. The
full text Of 1t Is as follows:
Fellow Citizens:
It is only from a sense Of the high
est public duty that / feel called upon
to address you at this time. Burdened
as I am with national concerns moth
ing but obligations to the people In
duce me to take upon my shoulders
the additional work of directing your
attention to matters affecting the state
alone. But / have never felt or be-
lieved 1t to be the wish and intention
Of the people Of South Carolina that
my election to the senate should cause
me to lose all interest and concern
about home affairs. I was a citizen
and taxpayer before I ever held any
Office at all and will be a. citizen and
taxpayer after l shall cease to hold Of
fee. Therefore, 1t is unnatural and
improper from my point Of view for me
to take no interest and have no
thought about what is going on in
South Carolina
I have received a great deal Of ad-
vice recently from the newspapers Of
our state to the effect that should
attend to my duties In Washington and
leave others to discuss the direct af-
fairs at home. The common trend
of all of this advice is, that should
discuss national questions in the COM
ing state campaign, be reelected to
the senate, with or without opposition,
and not stir up strife. am warned
and threatened should not heed this
counsel, but In spite Of 1t all I feel
compelled to speak to the people with
my usual frankness and bluntness and
let them determine the whole question.
1 have never sought to dictate to the
people: have only told them the
truth as see it, given my opinions for
what they were worth, and am al
ways willing to abide by their action
whatever that may be. It is so In this
instance. It gives me no concern that
my return to the senate may be jeop-
ardized. There are things more to be
dreaded than the loss Of q seat In the
senate, one Is the loss of my own self
respect have been trusted by the
people of South Carolina and have
been honored by them far beyond my
deserts, have been chosen as their
leader and been followed loyalty. Now,
IL after sixteen years I should from
selfish motives betray their confidence
and allow ambition to draw me aside
from the path Of duty, should de-
serve and expect to receive their con-
tempt and punishment at the polls. !,
therefore, scorn all suggestions Of cow
ardly non-interference in state affairs.
The people know me too we'll to be
fooled by the assertion that It is my
desire to boss or dictate for my sole
purpose is to give them the benefits
of my experience and knowledge and
offer such advice, as In my judgment,
will be conducive to the public well
fare. Then / will abide cheerfully by
whatever conclusion they may reach.
Teach the people and trust the peo-
ple," was Jefferson's motto; teach the
people and trust the people is equally
my motto and that Is all I shall at
tempt to do at this time.
The Resolution Of 1890.
Sixteen years ago there was reso-
luton in South Carolina which gave
the common people Of the state for the
first time in its history that recogni-
ton which was their due and made them
in reality the masters of our public af-
fairs. The old ring was overthrown;
the primary system which gave every
man, however poor and humble, an
equal vote with every other man how
ever rich and high followed; the new
state constitution gave us temporary
immunity from negro domination; the
utmost freedom of discussion In all
political activities was assured; and
under these new impulses the state has
bounded forward like a race horse
along all progressive lines. There are
not wanting however, indications that
sinister influences are at work and that
a few men are seeking to obtain prac-
tical control Of the state government
and to dominate in our affairs. The
corporations have not regained the
sway which they once held but are
gradually getting more and more In
nu,nce and direction in our politics.
There are evidences of more than I'm
cipient rottenness" in the state and II
the schemes of certain men are not
thwarted in the coming primary elec-
;ion, 1t will be only a short time before
another state ring will have fuli
sway in our affairs with its headquar-
tors in the state newspaper office In
Columbia.
There are several things in connec-
ton with our state government that
will discuss in the coming campaign,
but in this address shall treat Of only
two Of the things the people of the
state should earnestly consider now
and take immediate action about.
One Is the settlement Of the whis-
ky question and the other Is the con-
troll Of the Democratic party OF the
state by majority Of all OF the Demo-
Gratis rather than by small fraction
of the voters. The two ideas are inter-
locked and cannot be separated and,
therefore, shall treat them together.
The Whisky Question.
At this time by elections held un-
der the Brice act, fifteen counties In
the state are enjoying the blessings
of prohibition. 1.-TWO have always
been dry) No whisky can be lawfully
sold within their borders. But any
citizen living in those counties has
only to keep his eyes open and look
around him to see what the results
have been. First, let every man who
reads a newspaper printed in those
counties search its columns and see
the advertisements of whisky houses