Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-01
HOUSE AGAINST DisPENsARY.
Carey cothran Local Option Bill
Passes BY Big Majority.


After a two days battle royal, fol-
commenced with the convening Of the
general assembly, the house on We'd
nesday passed the Carey -Cothran local
option bill, and put itself squarely on
record as favoring the immediate abo-
lition Of the big state central whisky
establishment that has been such a
stencil in the nostrils Of so many peo-
pie. especially during the past few
years.
The one great issue last summer was
whether or not the state dispensary
should be abolished. Following the es-
tablishment Of the state dispensary for
a number Of years, the principal lines
Of difference among the people was
whether the best policy as to liquor
was to prohibit it, sell 1t under state
auspices or under private auspices;
but during the past few years all OF
these questions have been overshad-
owed by the still greater question as
to whether the moral life Of the state
was to be swamped in the corruption
being bred in and flowing from the big
central establishment in Columbia.
There are still Prohibitionists. dis
pensaryites and local optionists: but
the issue last summer was not based
upon these issues. The lines were
drawn between those who desired to
hold on to the dispensary as a source
of graft and political power and those
who desired to put an end to the grafl
and corruption that had fiourished sc
long by destroying its source-by
breaking up the nest.
The fight in the house for the pas
sage of the Carey Cothran local OPP
ton bill last Tuesday and wednesday
took exactly the course that was out
lined in the last issue of The Enquirer
The dispensaryites Of the house realiz-
ing that they were unable to pass the
Richards "purification" bill, and know
ing that the senate would not pass q
Prohibition bill, sought to unite forces
with the Prohibitionists against the
local optionists, and they put up
good struggle. They would have car
ried their point probably had 1t no,
been for the fact that the Carey Goth
ran bill was under the management OF
men who thoroughly understand theil
the smartest leaders Of the dispensary
side.
But 1t was a pretty game, we'll play
ed Mr. Nash Of Spartanburg, Is q
lifelong Prohibitionist and an able
man. The Prohibitionists of the house
were willing to follow his lead because
they knew he was entitled to theil
confidence. Mr.. Nash had prepared a
prohibition bill. After he had intro
duced 1t and 1t had been referred tC
the dispensary committee, several we'll
known dispensaryites approached hin
and assured him of their support. This
was the first tangible evidence he hac
Of trick that was understood to oe
in contemplation. He decided there
fore to ask the committee not to report
his bill until he should make further
request and let the matter go at that
except that he went on to poll the SEN
ate and assured himself that that body
would not vote for a prohibition bill.
The Carey Cothran bill was called
up Tuesday morning and after Mr
Cothran had explained its provisions
Mr.. Richards. the dispensary leader
moved to strike out the enactine
words. This motion was easily voteo
down. and then Mr.. D. L. Smith OF
Colleton, heretofore known as a dis
pensary man, but recently claiming &c
be a Prohibitionist. offered as sub
stitute a bill providing for prohibition
Mr.. Nicholson, an anti-dispensary
man. offered a motion to table the
Smith amendment, and Mr.. Richards
protested against cutting off debates
in this manner, but Mr.. Nicholson in
sisted and the chair put the motion
Up to this time there had been no eX-
planation of the nature Of the substi-
tute further than that 1t provided foi
prohibition and most of the ProhiDi-
tionists voted with the dispensaryites
Eagainst tabling. The house refused tc
table by vote Of 64 to 81.
Upon the reading Of the substitute
4. tl4t roio
Nash prohibition bill in toto. and Mr.
Nash took occasion to make some ex-
plantations.
He told the story Of his bill as out
lined above and suggested that there
had been discourtesy. IL nothing worse
in the manner in which Mr.. Smith had
come into possession Of 1t. He boldly
declared that the dispensaryites were
merely playing a game in which they
sought to make Ii appear that they
stood for prohibition when, as matter
II fact. knowing that the senate would
not vote for prohibition. they were
merely seeking to hang legislation ur
so as To retain the state machine as
1t is. Although reserving the right to
do as he might see proper later on, he
declared that for the present he would
vote against his own bill.
There followed considerable debate
with Mr.. Nash leading the nti-dis-
pensaryites: just as a vote was about
to be taken Mr.. Richards gave Mr.. Nash
to understand that Mr. Carey had
agreed to an adjournment. Mr.. Nash
agreed but Mr. Carey afterward in
formed him that there had been mis-
understanding on the part Of Mr.. Rich
ards, that he. Carey had not suggest
ed an adjournment. On the contrary
he was perfectly willing to go In to
the ayes and noes at that time, and
leave the matter in charge Of Mr.
Nash.
But it had been made clear that the