The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-04-03
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and that few men are seeking to oh.
tain practical control Of the state
government and to dominate in our
affairs. The corporations have not rc-
gained the sway which they once held
but are gradually getting more and
more influence and direction in our
politics. There are. evidences Of moro
than "incipient rottenness' in the
state and, if the schemes of certain
men are not thwarted in the coming
primary election, it will be only a
short time before another estate
ring" will have full sway in our af-
fairs with its headquarters in the
State newspaper office in Columbia.
There are several things in connec-
tion with our state government that
I will discuss in the coming CAM
paign, but in this address I shall treat
Of only two things the people Of the
state should earnestly consider now
and take immediate action about.
One is the settlement Of the whis-
key question and the other is the con-
troll Of the democratic party Of the
state by majority Of all Of the
democrats rather than by a small
fraction Of the voters. The two ideas
interlock and cannot be separated
and, therefore, I shall treat them to-
gether.
At this time by elections held un-
der the Brice Act fifteen counties in
the state are enjoying the blessings
Of prohibition (7). Two have al
ways been dry. No whiskey can be-
lawfully sold within their borders,
but any citizen living in these coun-
ties has only to keep his eyes open
and look around him to see what tho
results have been.
First let every man who reads a
newspaper printed in those counties
search its columns and see tho adver-
tisements Of whiskey houses outside
Of the State, then let him go to the
express offices, along the lines Of tho
railroad and see how much liquor Is
being daily brought into those seven-
teen counties. Then lot this citizen
follow up this liquor and find out
who drinks it; but before doing that
turn to the editorial pages Of the
newspapers and SEQ the constant al
lusions to the "blessings Of prohibit
tion,' "quietude, "freedom from
drunkenness" " "peace and good or
der" that are proclaimed. OF course,
there are exceptions to this bright and
beautiful picture as shown in the news
items. about the recent murder in a
blind tiger in Greenville followed by
n similar occurrence in Columbia. But
upon the whole a man would be very
much edited to know how much
money flows into the Golfers Of these
journals from whiskey ADVERTISE
ments, while the same papers are ex-
plotting prohibition and sobriety.
A little calm consideration without
bias or prejudice will soon convince
man Of ordinary sense that the
whiskey traffic now as compared with
the whiskey traffic under the dis
pensary is something like this: liquor
used to be sold by the pint and quart,
mainly through the dispensaries; it
is now sold through the express Of
flee by the gallon and keg, while the
retailing is done by the drink almost
everywhere as in the good old bar
room days. The moonshiners are, Of
course, getting in their work unmo-
Tested. There may be less drunkenness
though I doubt it, under the present
regime than there was under the dis
pensary, but what is the actual con-
dition? The poor man cannot get
his liquor from Georgia or North
Carolina, but must buy it from the
fellow who brings it in by express or
from the moonshiner who peddles it
about the country. The rich man has
no such trouble and it makes little
difference to him whether the supply
comes from thealispensary or express
office. How was this situation
brought about7 Is it by the direction
or under the orders Of the whole
Democratic party9 Oh no! Did it
come to pass by the votes Of the pro-
hibitionistsq No. How then7 Three
elements opposing the dispensary,
prohibitionists, high license mon and