The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-30
LIQUOR QUESTION PARAMOUNT
Correspondent of New York Sun Dc
scribes Condition in Charleston
and in South Carolina.
Editorial Correspondence Of the New
York Sum-

York Sun.
Charleston, S. G., July 23.--Soutl
Carolina seems to have Il unique and
special situation of its own. In near
ly all the rest Of the southern states
the investigator hears Of Bryan as a
possibility to be reckoncd with-as
a superstition, as Il problem, as an
anacSthetic. Here nobody considers
him as an unpleasant rcminisccnce.
Democrats are immersed in qlan-
dairy, no doubt, but there is no qucs-
ton OF Bryan. That shadow has
blown over once for all. II is still con-
ceivable that The leaders Of thought
and the contrivers Of political action
IN this state may eventually abandon
to chance the question Of Democratic
leadership for 1905. Having no favor
itc son Of their own and pcrcciving
no candidacy Of special promise in
the immediate ncighborhood, il is
quite upon the cards that they will
refer the South Carolina delegation
to the comsclS of The National Con-
Vention and return to closer con-
temptation Of their local rnmplico
ti"nS, which for the moment arc sulli-
GENTLY absorbing
rs matter Of fact. unless attcn
tlon should be seriously concentrated
upon some nc"rptahl" and promising
ral'lidarN within fine next few mnutn<
In, ,.,l, / ,.il
lural oaptHiuS of lhc r;l'y viii lrayr.
lh" Democracy nl 'Hr@o IT, iu,sN ,ul
for itself. It i not that 'hrv feel NO
interest inlhvnIHItrr On the contrary
they need only the most flrr,in"
"IlmpS"s Of Il real prospect to arouse
them t" instant energy nf action. In
the circumstances. however. discern
'n% II" sion Of hop" upon the horizon
amt having much to rnma O. their snli
lud"S IL home. they seem likely ,n
'"n"r" "ui%id" politics altogether.
hai lrld AT present offers them no
occupation worthy Of their notice.
Th"y see nothing more than rrpcti
non OF the fulillticS and disasters of
IN" last ten years, and they feel little
Inclination to concern themselves in
the details OF disaster. SO far rs ihcy
can tell just now, it may be the Bry
an banner by default.
Mcanwhilc-and here lies the true
explanation of their Indifference to
the national campaign Of next year.
Charleston is in tho throcs of the IL
Gu"r agitation. The diSp"nSary cstab
l1Shmcnt c"ntrivcd by Tilman some
years ago has been abolished by law,
ana yet II remains. In other words.
the dlSpcnSary is no lonyc:. OBLIGATORY.
nor is ii Il state institution, even
where IT survives. Nevertheless. when
ever counties or localities have de-
rlarrd against total prohibition the
dlspcnsary remains rs the only lawful
medium through which the popular
'h'fSt can b" arp"asrd. The idea of
the legislators MAS tn make the liuu-
or traffic Il S"ulc" al revenue in such
counties. towns. etc.. aS minht vote
IN FAVOR of that traffic. thereby
combining The principle of local on-
ii"n with Il pr"vilcnt contribution 10
the public exchcpucr. But the old
prejudice against the diSpcnsarv svs-
tenn has survived the downfall of lhc
objectionable and tryanical features
OF that system.
Although communities are now
Tree TO enrich their own irr,sur;o.
through !iW'nr ur to abstain alto"thcr
from tn" socallrd evil. they seem no
better pleased with the new arron"c-
mcnt than they were with thc old
IN charleston particularly the issue
mas become aru1r. Large quantities
ct wine, whiSkcy, beer and all kinks
OF more or less Intoxicating liuuils
are consumed IN this town. and vct
Inc dl>r"n>AricS are doing very ill.,
II" business. The profits which ,u,ht
to =" mt" the Charleston stron~ how
financing IN" local government and
I" that extent relieving, the tavn,v-
"rS' llnd their way into the pnckri :
OF the Illicit dealers almost cntirclv
tine stuff Is carried into town bv rail
ny express. by water routcS. Hotels
rl'hS and saloons purchase their s,p-
pl'"S IN this way. and the lcritimoi q
sources Of distribution are left vir-
t"ally t" silence and the cobwcbs,
Or course the explanation is 70
found IN the nrCuorinu. human, ::