The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1907-10-30
THEIRS
ON PROHIBITION
Z Reviews the Whiskey Legislation and
RxpresseA himself on Situation from
Standpoint of a Prohibitionist.

Columbia, october 23.-Mr. G, G.
Featherstone, of Laurens, who for the
last twelve years or more has beer
prominent in the fight for prohibition
in this state, and who in 1898, was the
prohibition candidate for governor, was
in the city today on personal business.
He was asked for his views on the stu
alton so far as prohibition is concerned,
and his reply is Of much interest in
view of the fact that a fight will be
made, largely by the old state dispen-
sary element, to enact an ironclad pro-
hibition law at the approaching session
%Ehe General Assembly.
what do you think is the wisest
thing for the Prohibitionists to do at
this timer" was asked Mr.. Feather
stone. "Should they undertake to have
a general prohibition law for the whole
state; or, with the local option law as a
nucleus. should they strive to improve
on that, and gradually build up a pub
lie sentiment which will eventually
bring about prohibition?"
81 have been studying this question
with great care for a number of years"
he replied.
"In 1893 when, as a candidate for
governor on the Prohibition ticket, |
made a anvas of the state, / advo-
Gated with all the vim of which l was
capable a general prohibition law for
the entire state, and fought most bit
: terly the local option idea.
"At that time l was ten years
younger than l am now. Since her /
have watched with great care the pro-
hibition movements, both in this and
the other states, and have %endeavored
to study the question carefully and con-
servatively, with the view of ascertain
ing what was best for prohibition in
the long run.
"Of course what l and other true
Prohibitionists desire eventually is a
general prohibition law for the entire
state: but those of us who think con-
servatively upon the subject do not
want to rush into a state of affairs that
cannot be maintained. To do so would
be to do irreparable injury and damage
to the cause. When we do get prohi-
bition (and in my Judgment that time
is not far off) we want to get a law
that is so backed up by public senti-
ment that it will not be a farce.
"The only question, therefore, that
presents itself is: How can such a state
Of affairs be best brought about?
"Away back in the sos, when the IL
cense system prevailed in South Carroll
law a local option feature. l think the
gifted and lamented E. B. Murray was
the author of the bill.
"Under its provisions various towns
in the statement ,tt65~SWHSerk-and seteS e
ous %hlSky. Vigorous campaigns were
made, and the prohibition sentiment
was revived and built up. For a num-
Der of years this went on, and the cause
received such an impetus hat in 1892,
A'ghen separate boxes were placed at
the polls, the state voted for prohibi-
ton by a majority of about ten thou
sand.
Then came the ~dispensary law, un-
der which the local option feature was
eventually destroyed. Under it the
sale of whisky was thrust upon. commu-
mites by all sorts of questionable meth
DDS. When dispensaries were estab-
lished they could not be voted out, and
they were established in hooks and cor
ners of the state where, previous to
that time, whisky had never been sold.
"The result was that, without the To-
cal option feature, and by fooling thou
sands of honest Prohibitionists into be-
lieving that the ~dispensary law was a
step towards prohibition, the cause
that is so dear to u hearts received a
blow from which it may never entirely
0
Eventually a local option feature
was grated OF to the dispensary law,
in the shape of the Brice bill.
"What was the result? Prohibition
again received a tremendous impetus.
County after county in the state voted
whisky out, and by a practical demon
stfation showed that such a law could
be enforced as we'll as any other law.
under the Brice law, however, the
state d~ispensary machine still existed.
W. still have a declaration from the
General Assembly that it was the policy
of the state of South Carolina to sell
whisky. That machine fought the
Brice law with all the vim of which
it was capable. In various counties in
the state, where whisky was honestly
and fairly voted out, all kinds of con-
tests on technical grounds were made,
and the will of the people as expressed
at the ballot box was thwarted and
overridden.
"The Brice law, however, was, in
my judgment, a great prohibition law.
1t was the entering wedge. Under it
county after county voted whisky out,
and the practical demonstration as to
the enforcement of the law in those
counties was the strongest argument
in favor of prohibition that could posi-.
bly, be made-worth more than all the
theories that could have been advanced
Hundreds of honest men in the
state who doubted the practicability Of
a prohibition law were converted. Far