The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-27
THINK PROHIBITION WILL COME
Mr.. Belhnger Says Temperance
Movement is Growing-Former
Attorney General Discusses
Prohibition Movement,
News and Courier.

/. Columbia, August 23y-Thc Hon. 6
duncan Bellinger, formerly ATTORNEY
General OF South Carolina, who is
now practicing law in Columbia, has
recently made several business trims
to Washington and Baltimore, and
III conversation on his return he stat.
ed that there is a great deal of si"nif
lcance being everywhere attached to
the growth of the prohibition scnti-
ment III this country, especially in the
South. MIR. Bellingcr has never ad
vocated state prohibition. but he is
Democrat and believes in the rule
OF the majority, and he is convinced
that the people of South lOarolina
VIII soon demand the passage Of Il
prohibition law, just as has been done
Ill Georgia and will be done in North
Carolina.
IL believe,' said Mr.. Bellnycr,
that the wiseSt thing for the prohi-
bltlonists to do would be TO enact a
law giving the whole state prohibi-
ton and permitting those counties
which desire to have whiskey sold
therein TO vote it in instead of re-
qulring, as now, the counties which
want prohibition to vote whiskcy out.
Under the present arrangement the
whole burden is on those who oppose
the sale of whiskcy and this should
not be. The present law makes it
necessary for those opposing the sale
OF whiSkcy to get up the petitions for
the election and to wage the cam
paign for prohibition; then after the
election if there is contest, the pro-
hlbltlonists are compelled to put up
funds to fight it. Those who are in
terested, either financially or other
wise, in the sale of whiskey will nat
urally be prepared to spend money to
retain this privilege, but it is hard to
compel the sincere prohibitionists TO
go down into their pockets and put
up the money for such fight.
"My firm and myself personally
have represented the di:ipcnsary fac
ton i'll many Of the contests which
have been brought to test The legality
Of the elections under the Bricc law
and the Carcy-Cothran law, and the
suggestion ! am making will not only
not bring me any money, but if put
into effect, would cost me heavily, but
| am convinced that it is the best
plan TO insure the success Of prohi-
bition in this state. While I was al
ways a dispensary man as long as l
was in politics, my sympathics
throughout life have been with those
forces making for temperance, law
and order, and I admire the sincere
prohibitionist.
"There is no use denying the force
of the sentiment which is growing in
favor of prohibition in this and other
Southern states, and if the prohibi-
tionists are wise they will substitute
for the present unsatisfactory law a
state prohibition law, which will GOV.
er the commonwealth like blanket,
putting on those who want whiskey
sold in any county the onus of secur-
ing an election and Of instituting the
dispensary. The prohibtionists have
the power to DO this if they choose,
and il is to their advantage to do So
Personally, ! should be glad to see
such bill introduced at the next ses-
sion OF the gcnrral assembly by some
sincere prohibilionist. and it seems
to me that it would meet with the
approval Of Gov. Anscl, whose incli-
nation towards prohibition is we'll
known.'
In spcakin" of the contests, which
his firm has conducted to test the var
ious cleciicnS Oh the diSpcnsary in
the last few years. Mr.. Bclinger said
he knew that ht had been criticised,
but that he considered he had done
his state a service if he has assisted
in instructin" the people how elec-
lions must be conducted to be lawful
ly conducted. "L have always stood
for the enforcement and observance
of the law,' said Mr.. Bellingcr, ono
matter what the law is, and shall al
ways do 500
Mr.. Bcllingcr has an intimate ac-
quaintance with the whiskcy laws,
which have been in force in this state
during the last fifteen years. He
was solicitor when the dispcnsary law