The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-05-02
THIS ISSUE.

THIS ISSUE.
The most discussed issue up to
the present is the liquor ques-
ton, and probably the one which
will have the greatest influence
in the coming campaign. Candi,
dates will proclaim themselves
for or against the dispensary,
but in either event the people
should have from them an intel
ligent reason. \ man to say he
is for the dispensary and not
give an intelligent reason, or
one to say he is against 1t WITH
out such a reason should not De
sufficient to have weight with
the voter.
We favor the dispensary plan
TO, handling liquor. why: be
cause we believe prohibition is
impossible, but we believe the
dispensary system as now op-
Grated is unsatisfactory, and it
can be operated more satisfac-
torily under county control.
Why? If the system was put un-
der county control with the en-
tire profits remaining in the
the county where operated, the
tendency would be to induce the
people to look after it's better
enforcement than as at present:
and instead of a large proportion
of the profits going into the
State treasury. the whole of the
profits remain in the county
where the liquor is sold.
This is no political question,
it is a business proposition, and
if men differ as to the operation
of the system it is no reason tc
cry them down and brand them
as enemies. Men can honestly
differ on this and other questions,
and also be in full accord on
other questions. We should not
think that our views are com
PEELED to be right, others have
views and may be able to con-
vince us we are wrong, there
fore. we should never refuse to
listen to argument and reason.
We believe the sale Of liquor can
better be managed where the
people have a voice in the selec.
tion Of those who manage it, and
where they can see after it. Just
as we believe any other kind OF
a business can be managed bet
ter by the. watchfuL interest OF
those whom it financially bene-
fits.
1t is because we regard the
dispensary a business, and not
a political proposition, that we
urge those who are so prone to
look upon any and everybody
opposed to State control, as an
enemy and a traitor to demo
eracy, that they make an honest
endeavor for one time, at least,
to he possessed of reason, and per-
NIT others to have opinions as
well as themselves. There are
some men who look upon those
who are opposed to the State
dispensary as traitors to the
Democratic party, and enemies
Of Tillman. Those narrow souls
should remember that an over
whelming majority Of the lower
House of Representatives went
on record against that institu-
ton, not for prohibition either,
but for what this newspaper has
been contending for these many
years county control, with the
right Of the people to ballot
whether or not llquor should be
sold in their respective counties,
and the measure was only de-
feated in the Senate by a very
narrow margin, some FIVE votes,
we think, and we have not the
slightest doubt that a majority
Of those who voted against the
State dispensary are supporters
Of Tillman and expect to vote
for him for reelection with or
without opposition. Therefore,
to be opposed to the. State dis
pensary then is not any indica-
tior Of opposition to Tiilman,
but if it was, that would not al
ter the principle one particle.
Because man will notIlvote for
Tillman does not make him any
the less a Democrat, any more
than it makes Tillman a Repub-
lican for favoring a railroad sub.
sidy, or for being in charge of
the railroad rate bill, selected
by a republican committee in a
republican Senate.
There are a set Of politicians.
who make it their business to in
Game tae passions of the unin-
formed, and when they have
purpose, whether it be a private
grudge, or self aggrandizement
they take advantage of the differ
ences Of opinion on the
various questions, to turn them
to their own advantage, or to
the detriment of those thew
could lnjure, to do so, no SANDER
is too foul for them to utter nor
will they fail to stoop to any
thing to misrepresent, and the
only way to put such chara cters
out Of business is tc get informed
and then act with conservatism