Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1907-01-23

/ that question 1Or themselves. IL .ie
vote is for liquor to Es sold, then let
county dispensarS be operated III
THAT county under the restrictions
now thrown around the sale of liquor
with such. other regulations as the
Legislature may deem best. Let the
county board of control be appoint
ed by the Governor and let the board
SO appointed have charge of the whole
matter for that county, said board to
report to the judge at each term OF
the Circuit Court for that county OF
all of its actings and doings, and
then let the judge hand that report
to tile grand jury for their inspection
and investigation, with such instruc-
tions as lie may think proper. What
ever profit is made will go to the
county. Let the dispensers be paid
salary and not commission on
what they sell. If the vote is for
prohibition, then allow no liquor to be
sold in such county, and pass a
Stringent law providing for the pun
ishment of all "blind tigers and
other violators of the law, and make
it the duty Of the county sheriffs,
deputies, eonstables, marshals, police
men and other peace officers, to see
to it that this law is enforced, and
all violators are brought to justice
and punished.
"i would be glad if no liquors were
sold as beverage, but the conditions
are such at this tine, that I believe
this to be the best way to deal with
the question. -
I stand upon that platform to-day.
and I urge that you enact law abol-
ishing the State dispensary system
and give the people of each county
the right to vote upon the question
of county prohibition or county dis
pensaly.
The best way of controlling the sale
of liquor has Been agitating the minds;
of the people of this country for many
years; the sale of it has been>declar-
ed an evil by the highest courts of
the land and the question for us now
is which is the best way q controll-
ing it in this State.
The State dispensary system was
adopted, and after a trial of l3 years:
a great majority of the people OF
the State have said that they wish
il abolished and that each county
shall be allowed the right to say
whether they will have prohibition on
county dispensaries.
Fhe will of the people is supreme:
! and we should heed their demands.
many Of you were elected upon the
same platform and the matter is now
before you, gentlemen. 1t is for you
to say whether the will of the peo-
pie shall. be carried out or not. Lei
us do our duty without fear or fav.
or.
Bucket Shops.
Another matter that I desire te
l;bring to your attention is the enact
ment of a. law preventing the opera
ton Of what are. known as 8 bucket
shops,, or cotton or stock exchanges.
This, is a species Of speculation that
is taking thousands Of dollars from
this State, is demoralizing our citi.
zens, and is bringing many of them
to poverty and ruin.
The States of North Carolina an6
Georgia have already prohibited them
from doing business within thcil
boundaries, and we owe it to our.
selves and to the good name Of the
State that we follow the example SC
worthily set US. We now have on
our statute books an act declaring
unlawful, contracts for the sale OF
articles for future delivery, made un,
[ der certain circumstances, etc.
Let us now follow this up with an
act prohibiting any bucket shop, OF
cotton or stock exchange OF any other
exchange of like character from doing
business in this State.
Assault, Etc.
further wish to call to your at
tention another matter which con.
slider of grave Importance at this par.
ticular time in our history, and tina!
is the enactment of q law providing
the death penalty to any male person
making an assault upon female with
| intent TO rayish. orantinr the rioh tc
the jury tring the case to fix the
punishment at life Imprisonment III
the State penitcntiary if in theil
judgment the facts warrant less
| punishment than death.
In this day when we read Of sc
many assaults Of this character being
made, it behooves us to wake up tc
the situation and make the penalty
SO severe that the women of this
State may be protected from the
heinous crime and the perpetrator:
punished so severely that all will be
deferred from committing the same
| further recommend that an act BE-
passed providing that in all cases OF
rape or assault with intent to ravisll
the female be allowed to estify ir
private, before the judge, in the pres.
ence Of counsel for the State and de.
| fendant and the defendant himself
md that the testimony so taken shal
he read 10 the jury as the evidence o.
the case. This is the law in, at leas!
one, if not more, of the States of the
Union, and should be the law in this
State.
In this connection, ] think it i'm.
portant also to ask that you pass al
act making it a misdemeanor to pos
or display in any public place o:
on any street or highway indecent
pictures Of females. 1t is an evil thai
has been growing in the last few
years, and one that calls for actio:
l