The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-03-07
WHO SHALL RULE ?

WHO SHALL RULE
The suggested conference of
the State dispensary forces
meets with the approval Of Sen
ator Tillman, and we have not
vet seen it denied that the sug-
gestion enamated from his dis
tinguished self. He may not have
gone to any particular individual
and gave orders for the confer
ence and its purposes; he would
not have to do that, neither did
the little girl have to apply a
torch to the dynamite which
blew up He'll Gate, she simply
pressed the button, and the con
nected current did the rest. Till
man gave out an interview from
Washington which was in effect,
an instruction to the State dis
pensary advocates, the kind of a
campaign they must create, and
how they must manipulate to
to win, but his strategy is easily
seen through. He proposes a
s:three-cornered" fght-"There
will be three distinct elements, "
and he says, Il think it will
have to be that way" What does
this mean? Let US see what TIL
man says in his Washington in
terview: every man who offers
himself for the Legislature
ought to be forced, and be will
be forced, to come out squarely
and declare himself one way or
another and. mind you, when he
does declare himself I want him
to stick to it like a man, and like
an honest man. If he is a prohi-
bitionist and wants to down the
dispensary, let him stand up for
his convictions and not be enter
ing into dirty bargains with high
license men; and vice versa, if
he is a high license man, if he
is honest and open and above
board, let him stick out for high
license and not be dickering with
Prohibitionists.
This is his strategem. He
wants his lieutenants to hold a
preliminary conferenceto devise
plans to procure 'stnree distinct
elements" for the coming cam
paign. They must have entered
a Prohibitionist of the fanatical
type, who will, under the plea
of religious principle carry a
large uncompromising element
Of anti-State dispensaryites one
way; then they must procure a
Local Option advocate who will
carry those favoring, leaving
the mode of controlling the sale
of liquor to the counties, another
way, and then, have a Dispen-
sary advocate who will have
driven together by the machine
politicians, including the State
paid consta tabulary, plurality of
the votes, while the majority is
scattered, and its force spent in
hardheaded contention.
The conference, when called,
will, we have no doubt, give in
structions to see to it that State
dispensary advocates are sent
from the clubs to the county con-
ventions, and from there sent to
the State convention, those who
will stand by the State dispen-
sary; if they succeed in carry;ng g
out these instructions, there is
absolutely nothing which will
prevent the machine politicians
from putting a State dispensary
plank in the party platform, and
so word party pledge, that none
but State dispensary advocates
can run for Office OF vote in the
primary. To explain: It needs no
argument to prove the advocates
Of the State dispensary are des.
perate, and that Senator Tillman
is anxiously solicitous for the
continuance Of that institution,
then. in the circumstances, with
the acknowledge leader determ-
med that it shall not fall, and a
crafty set of politicians wishing
to bask in the sunshine Of the
leaders approval, ready to re-
sort to ali manner of means to
hold on to what they have, it is
a reasonable conclusion to reach,
that the contemplated organiza-
ton has for its object the reten-
ton, at all hazards, Of the institu-
ton which has brought shame
upon the State, and, wealth to
many who have had resource to
it. Then, when those interested,
by organization secure the con-
troll Of q convention which has
the power to make a constitution,
rules, and oaths, for a primary
election, will anyone doubt they
will profit by the advantage,
and make it as a part, and per-
haps, the sole eligibility to par
ticipate in the primary pledge
to support the State dispensary.
If then, this is done, the snb-
mission Of the question to the
voters would be a farce, because
none but those who favor it can
vote.
But say some, they would not
dare take such a radical step, il
would bring on a revolution
i l.,