The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-08-03

that there never would be prohibition
now in nearly half of The counties
OF the state if it had not been for
the dispensary law, which, by abolish
ing barrooms and otherwise restrict
ing the evils of whiskey, prepared the
people for prohibition. And he can
see no reason why the other counties
in the State should not have the dis
pensary if they want it till they are
conveinced that the time has come for
them to vote, under the Brice law
which he favors-to abolish it. "I
want the people to run the dispen-
sary and not the dispensary to run
the people," he says. "I deplore the
commercial spirit Of the age, which
has led men through greed into graft"
"The man who betrays trust in pub
lie office is worse than one who is
guilty Of treason in time of war;
Recently MeMahan has attacked
Manning-"attacked" is the way
such thing is usually put, though in
fact it is not an "attack" He says
Manning is supported by the dispen--
sary officials, number of whom have
been proved corrupt and none of
whom are above suspicion. He de-
clares that Manning is in sense the
especial champion Of the dispensary
"machinc" or "clique,' that if elect
ed he will owe his election to this
crowd, which, he says, would be un-
fair both to Mr.. Manning, "who is a
high man, and to South Carolina,
for the governor would be under obli-
cations to the clique.
McMahan believes in the State Of
South Carolina; he believes in him
self; and he believes that it would be
mutually beneficial if the two could
get together on some kind Of bust
ness proposition that would make him
governor. He wants to be the senior
member Of the firm, though, "I'm
no as-you-like-it candidate," he cx-
claims. The honor Of position is in
the way you get it. and how you fill
it,"
Richard l. Manning.
fI suppose my friend, Mr.. Brunson
would tell You there is no good liquor
but only bad liquor, worse and worst
but I feel quite sure, as look into
your faces, that some of YOU take the
position that there is no bad liquor
but good, better and best.' so said
Manning very clevcrly at Chesterfield
While he was only in one Of his little
by-paths, undertaking to make some
suggestions as to how to insure a good
quality of whiskcy in the dispensaries
1t expresses the keynote to Manning S
whole attitude on the dispcnsary ques-
ton. "We all know that liquor is an
evil,' he says, "but if there are peo-
pie enough in South Carolina to drink
up three or four million dollars worth
Of it annually besides that which they
get from the jug trade and from blind
tigers, is it reasonable to suppose that
the people will give up their taste?'
lie declares that since people are 60
ing to have "licker,' those who are
raising this "huc and crv' against
the dispensary should offer something
practical in its stead.' He answers
the charge that he has not always
been in favor of the dispensary by de-
claring that while he voted for pro-
hibition in the legislature of 1898
his county had so instructed him. The
dispensary bill passed. "We recog-
nized the law and saw the benefits of
the dispensary." Now lie believes
"thc dispensary the very best solution
of the liquor problem for every coun-
ty.' He asks the people to give calm,
dispassionate consideration to this
question. He gives a calm, dispas-
sionate consideration to it himself.
Manning is red-headed and he comes
from the Gamecock county; no doubt
he has hot blood in his veins: but
they warm only his heart; his brain
is cool. And however hasty may be
his impulses, hasty speech is not one
of his traits. His ever kindly, gentle
manners have fit companion in his
calm judicial type of mind. Both of
these are with him when he speaks and
are expressed scarcely more in his
clear and simple sentences than in his
genial face, his clear blue eyes, his
soft musical voice and his easy grace
full gestures.
Manning wastes little time in pre-
liminaries, and none at all in empty
compliments. He gets right down to