The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1907-10-30

SVtt Will IL.
"The Carey-Cothran act, however,
in my judgment, has made it easier for
US to take the next great step.
"Under all of the local option laws
that we have had the Prohibitionists
have had to contend with two serious
difficulties: First, the local option fea-
lures were tackled on to laws which
clearly defined the policy of the state
to be in favor of the whisky traffic.
These laws were passed by General AS
semblies which were in favor of the
sale of whisky as a state policy. The
state did not outlaw the traffic.
"1n the next place, being passed by
legislators the majority of whom were
opposed to prohibition, adequate ma
chinery was not provided for the en-
forcement Of the law in prohibition
counties. The enforcement of the law
has also been retarded by some officials
| opposed to it.
"ln addition to this the punishment
provided for violators of the whisky
law was not enough. 1t ought to be in
every case a term on the chaingang,
and not a fine. People pay very little
attention to fines.
Second, the greatest difficulty with
which Prohibitionists have ALWAYS had
to contend under local option laws is
that the burden of securing prohibition
in the counties is on them. Whisky is
in, and they must get it out. Whisky
is entrenched behind strong breast
Works-it is in possession, with all of
its money and organized power, and
upon us is the burden of routing it.
"We must get up the petitions, run
the gauntlet of having them passed on
by officials who are frequently antago-
nistic. All of the machinery is in the
hands of the whisky crowd, and though
the majority of the people in some of
the counties are in favor of voting it
out every obstacle is thrown in their
| way, and it not ~infrequently happens
that they are not able to surmount
them.
Gin my candid judgment, the next
move that the Prohibitionists ought to
make is for the passage of a law that
will shift thisburden.
81 mean a law under which whisky
will be put out of the entire state. Get
the General Assembly to declare that
the policy of the state is opposed to its
sale. Next, for the present, allow
counties under very rigid restriction to
vote it in, if a majority of the qualified
electors desire it's sale in any county.
II do not believe that it would be
wise at this time to prevent the sale of
whisky from being voted in where a
majority of the people of any com
munity are opposed to prohibition. A
prohibition law in each community
would be dangerous to the cause at
large, by reason of it's non-enforce-
ment, until the time comes when we
have an overiowing majority for pro
hibltloli in the entire state. ~
Gin a prohibition conference in CO.
lumbia, several years ago, l suggested
and outlined such a law as | have
above suggested, and my recollection
is that it met with almost unanimous
approval on the part of those present.
"The idea is in line with that advocated
by Senator Otis, of Cherokee, a few
weeks ago.
"Such a law will, in my judgment,
give us practical prohibition in almost
the entire state, and will at the same
time guard against the great dangers
that may come from the non-enforce-
ment of a prohibition law in those coun-
ties where public sentiment is at pres
sent overwhelmingly in favor of
whisky.
81 have reached this conclusion after
the most careful study of the situation
in South Carolina and in other states.
Local option laws led up to and
made possible general prohibition in
our sister state of Georgia.
"Such laws are fast leading up to
the same condition in Tennessee, North
Carolina, Kentucky and other states.
Georgia, for almost a score of
years before she got general prohibi-
ton, had voted whisky out of three
fourths of her counties under local OPP
ton laws. The other states are fast
coming to it under similar laws.
"From a prohibition standpoint, we
are at a most critical juncture in this
state. The wave is moving along so
beautifully at present that a false step
now might prove disastrous-might give
us a backset for ten years. Had we
not better adopt the cautious but sure
method?
Build up public sentiment to the
point where, when we get a general
law, it will be sure to prove a success.
"The Prohibitionists had as well, at
the outset, understand one thing, and
that is, that the enforcement of an
anti-whisky law is not child's play. It's
successful enforcement means a large
public sentiment behind the law. 1t
means, in my judgment, a paid con-
stabulary force. 1t means the levying
of a tax for that purpose.
IAN anti-whisky law is the hardest
of all laws to enforce, for obviours rea-
sons.
eff ] steal my neighbours watch my
neighbor appears as a prosecutor, and
sees that | am convicted. If | shoot