The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-30
GIVES HIS VIEWS
SENATOR TTLLMAN ON THE
LIQUOR QUESTION.
Says He Cannot See Where Prob,
bition Stands ANY Chance in the
Coming Legislature.

SoAiAASo NS11oAoeuASs
The Columbia correspondent Of the
Augusta Chronicle says Senator Till.
imam does. not endorse the movement
headed BY Representatives M. L.
Smith, C.. W. Garris, John G. Rich.
ards, Jr., State Senator Earle and
others of the old State dispensary
leaders to Join forces with tilef pro-
Ishibitionists and push a Statewide
prohibition bill through the coming
legislature, as was attempted with
out success in the last legislature
when the county option scheme took
the place OF the State dispensary sys-
tenn.
"I cannot see that prohibition
stands any chance of success in the
coming legislature" said the Sena-
tor in answer to a question from
your correspondent. With q ma
jority of the counties in the State
holding on to the county dispensaries,
isn't it natural to suppose that the
stand by the present system?"
The Senator added that so far as
he was concerned it was a matter Of
indifference whether a prohibition
bill was enacted or the present sys
tenn was continued.
Two hundred years from now folks
will be wrangling over this same
liquor question:" said he, land it Is
idle to talk Of settling the problem.
l have been seeing the same old
tussel over in Europe. The countries
that have been longest at it have
reached a solution that seems most
satisfactory to them in the adoption
of beers and light wines. During all
my travels through Italy, France and
Germany never saw drunken man,
but plenty Of drinking men. Ov=.
in London. where a big fight Is on
over the matter I saw many drunks.
When I was governor recommend
ed this same substitution OF light
| alcoholic drinks. I wanted to see
| beer given chance. II we could
give the beer privilege to big. re.
sponsible concern that would he
under a heavy bond, say something
like a half million dollars. to sell
beer throughout the State under Ger.
tain definitely stipulated conditions,
we would do much for the cause Of
temperance. and get big revenue for
| the State besides"
Senator Tillman occupies unique
position in the present situation re.
garding whiskey in this State. He
is not with the State dispensary lead
ers in their efforts to join forces with
the prohibitionists He is not with
the prohibitionists, and he is not an
unqualified erdorser OF the county
option scheme. He thinks every
county in the State would be better
off having dispensaries.
II venture to say" said he in
answer to question, that counties
| like Orangeburg. Sumter and Flor
ence, which are retaining the dispen-
saries, are in a much better state
morally than such counties as Green
willie, Spartanburg and others which
have voted out their dispensariea.
and where blind tigers are doing the
business"
When he was reminded that it
appeared to have been proven that
! the police records of the dry counties
had materially improved the senator
said this was only temporary. that
it would only be a short time in a
county going dry before 1t was In
| worse state morally than it had been
on voting out Its dispensaries.
On the whole the Senator did not
| appear to be much interested In thu
situation and answered questions
guardedly.