The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-03-21

timent.
Greenville, March 17.-Mr. NJ. F.
Ansel, candidate for the Office Of gov
crnor Of South Carolina, has given out
the following letter for publication:
Having already announced my can
didacy for the Office Of governor OF
the State of South Carolina, many Of
nv friends throughout the State de-
sire that I give my views upon the dis
nensary question.
!. therefore, take this opportunity OF
again stating my position, and shall
hope to satisfy majority Of the vo-
ters of the State, that my solution Of
that subject is correct.
In a letter published by me in Au-
gust. 1905, I stated my position in sub
stance as follows: In the first place,
I am opposed to the system Of a State
dispensary. l once thought it the best
solution of the liquor question. be-
cause I thought it would minimize
and decrease the sale Of liquor in this
State, but when we consider the great
amount of liquor that has been sold
| by the various dispensaries the past
year, ny hopes have been disappoint-
ed; ana it appears to me that some
other method should be adopted.
in the second place, am in favor
of local county option, as between
prohibition and county dispense
ries; that is, am in favor Of any
county in the State voting upon the
question as TO whether they wish pro-
hibition for that county, or whether
they wish county dispensaries. If
majority of the qualified voters of the
county desire prohibition for that par
ticular county, then I am one who be-
lieyes that they should have it, and
further believe that the good people
Of such county will see to it that the
prohibition law is enforced.
I also stated in that letter as fol-
lows: Personally would like to
see no liquor sold in this State as a
beverage, but it is condition which
confronts US, and the question is, how
best to deal with that condition.
There is no law that can be passed
that will keep some people from
drinking liquor, still I believe it to be
the duty Of the State to pass such laws
as will minimize the use: Of liquor as
much as possible" I stated also in
that letter, as follows: "I am opposed
to the high license system, as it is too
near the old barroom system. and
would not decrease the sales Of liquor.
whatever the restrictions might be-
I have no cause to change my opin-
ion since the publication Of said letter,
but the more consider it the strong
er is my conviction that this position
is correct. NJ
County prohibition has been a suc1S
cess in many counties in the State Off
! Georgia and North Carolina, and in
these counties in the two States
named, where county dispensaries
have been adopted, have heard Of
no complaints.
Why should we not adopt the same
system in our State that has been
tested in those States? We should at
least be willing to give it a trial.
The Morgan Bill' as it passed the
House Of Representatives at the last
session Of the Legislature. had many
good features in it, was on the line Of
the laws Of the States named, and had
it passed, believe it would have Civ
en- more satisfaction 70 the people OF
the State than the present law.
In the several counties in this State
where elections have been held under
the "Brice Law" and prohibition has
been adopted, so far as my informa-
tion goes, it has proved a success and
the stronger will be the sentiment in
its favor. in the minds Of the people.
In short, I am opposed to the sys-
tenn of State dispensary. am in IA
vor of local county option as between
prohibition and county dispensaries. I
am opposed to high license, and am
in favor of such laws as will decrease
he sale of liquors in this Seate
NJ. F. Ansel
Greenville, S. c., March 1e, 1906.