The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-09-04
THE SENATOR HAS NOT LOST HIS
POLITICAL CUNNING.

News ana COUrlefS correspond
ent: you can say, I'm for pro
hibition against any form of
license. < I don't know how
this Carey -Cothran law is work
ING, but I have told the people
of the State that if you can't
watch one big dispensary and
keep out stealing, you can't
watch thirty Of them.
The Senator's absence from
the State has prevented him
from learning the sentiment of
the masses regarding the liquor
question, hence his guarded ex-
preston. and the man Of straw
set up by him to knock down.
.'I',n for prohibition against any
form Of license" There is no
license issue being agitated, the
matter under consideration is
whether the legalized sale of
liquor shall continue in counties
that want it as now: Or shall
there be a general prohibition
law. The Senator need not lose
any sleep over the possibility of
license, nor need he worry as to
which side is the strongest: we
can tell him, the majority vote
under present conditions is for a
general prohibition law, but he
is too late to lead it. The pro
cession is moving, and the ranks
are filed, if the distinguished
statesman wants place in it he
must get on the southern end
while the column is moving
north, and we think we can tell
him something else, if he will
get into the prohibition ranks,
he will have to salute John L.
McLaurin. of Marlboro, who
has always been prohibltionist,
and if he enters politics again it
will be as a leader in the prohi-
bition cause.
We have a great admiration
for Ex-senator John L. Nc
Laurin, and sincerely believe he
has been unappreciated; his re-
moval from politics was brought
on by the Vaccinations of
shrewd and unscrupulous politi
clans. with the result, the State
and Union lost the valuable
services of a statesman, at the
sametime we do not agree with
him in his views upon the liquor
question. He IS for, and always
has been for a general prohibi-
ton law, while we are for the
present liquor regulation, which
we believe is a greater promoter
of temperance than an indiffer
entity enforced prohibition law
can possibly be; at the sametime
tn law gives the right of local
selt-government. a principle not
given by general prohibi-
ton law. The right Of local self
government is one of the richest
blessings of an American citizen,
and when a community is de-
prived of this right by the
greater number far removed,
and not akin either by contiguity
or environment, it is deprived of
a principle the founders Of
the government gave blood
and treasure to obtain.
While we admire McLaurin's
craftsmanship, and his sincerity
in any cause he viii espouse, we
cannot accept his views on the
liquor question as practical, but
we believe those holding similar
views are in a vast majority. 1t
will be a reversal of things to see
McLaurin in the lead in cause
which the majority are clamor-
ing for, and have Tillman BRING
inc up the rear rank as a high
private, and this is what will be
the result if McLaurin re-enters
the political arena.
Senator Tillman's interview is
only a feeler thrown out to get
his soundings; ex-attorney gene
raj Bellinger threw out his days
ago, and when Senator Latlmer
gets home, it will not be long
before he will put his ear to the
ground. The ways of politicians
are past finding out, and we ex-
pect to see in the campaign next
summer men who have always
been advocates of liquor out
Herod-Herod in their attempts
to hoodwink the prohibition
voters of the State.
We are opposed to prohibition
in South Carolina as long as the
federal government will permit
liquor shipped into the State; at
the same time We favor throwing
around our liquor regulation
laws all the necessary elements
for the upbuilding of temperance
sentiment, and we would advise
against the professions of men
now advocating prohibition who
nave always been allied with the
other side. If the State is to
have prohibition, then in the
name Of common sense have
none but true and tried Prohibi-
tlonlsts on guard, and let these
political fakirs seek other en-
ployment.