The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-22
WILL NOT run.
Mr.. Feathersfone Announces His
Withdrawal From Race.
GIVES HIS REASONS.

I1atIOfTn ana therefore,, his Gan.
didacy, This Year Would Not Help
the Cause of Prohibition.-Gov.
Ansel's Latest Position on the Lii
puor Question Stated.
Mr.. C. G. Featherstone announced
Friday morning his withdrawal from
the race for governor. His entrance
into the contest several weeks ago
was before the exact platform of Gov.
Ansel was known.
1t was supposed that Mr.. Ansel
would run on the same platform upon
which he was elected two years ago,
but in a letter to Mr.. Featherstone a
few days ago., part of which is below
quoted, it will be seen that Mr.. Ansel
now occupies the same position that
Mr.. Featherstone announced last fall,
namely, a reverse local option law,
under which the counties will all be
dry until the ~dispensary is voted in,
thus throwing the burden on the peo-
pie who desire the dispensary.
In announcing his withdrawal. Mr..
Featherstone says:
Col. FeatherStOne'S Statement.
Several weeks ago :. ~"nltunced
my candidacy for governor Of south
Carolina, upon a State prohibition
platform.
81 believed then and J still believe,
that the people are tired Of the Ii
quor traffic, and that they are ready
to take a great step forward and
sweep the legalized traffic out Of the
State.
"The announcement of MY candi-
dacy was made at the suggestion of
some of our leading prohibitionists--
men who have been with me in the
fight since the campaign Of 1898.
They believed that there ought TO he
in the campaign a candidate who
would make an aggressive fight, and
were kind enough to suggest that l
ought to lead the movement.
"As I have already stated, person
ally it did not suit me to go into the
fight at this time, but l yielded 10
what I conceived to be a call of duty.
81 did not hesitate to say that II
would be a source of qualification 10
me to be governor of the State, but
the desire to crafty my personal am
bition alone would not have been sur
icient to induce me to enter the race
at this time.
"Shortly after the announcement
of my candidacy it was publicly sug-
gested by Gov. Ansel's friends that he
was also in favor Of prohibition anu
that he would offer for reelection
on that platform.
ut seemed to me that the cause OF
prohibition might be weakened by
having two candidates in the helc,
and that if he would espouse that
cause it would be the part of wisdom
for me to withdraw.
Acting upon this idea and with
the approval of my prohibition
friends, l wrote Gov. Ansel ION Feb.
29) that if he expected to make the
race on tina platform 1 would not
oppose him.
81 am in receipt of a letter from
the governor informing me that he
| expects to advocate the reverse of
our present local option plan. He
says:
my position on the liquor ques-
ton is what 1 call restricted local
option-that is, local option as be-
tween county prohibition and county
dispensary. Those counties voting TO
sell liquor shall be restricted to n
dispensary in the county and tnat
one at the county seat, except in those
counties wherein there is a city Oh
more than $4,000 population, IN
which counties more than n dlspen-
sarv may he established. This is in
accordance with my recommendations
TO the general assembly as set forth
in nv annual message of 1908, is in
the interest of temperance m VIII
minimize the sale of liquor.
wit the experience that I have
had in the past two years in the pro-
nosed elections that were desired in
some counties on the liquor question.
am of the opinion that 1t Will be
better to enact a law by which a
county can vote on the question OF
voting in the sale of liquor as above
restricted, instead of voting it out, as
now provided-that is, make all the
counties dry until a majority OF the
. uualihed voters Of a county vote to
sell liquor in that particular county
and. if a majority of the quallneo
voters vote to sell, that one county
dispensary then be established as
above set forth, with the right TO Vote
] the ~dispensary out at a subsequent
election
".This is practically the plan tina
] 7 outlined in an interview given gu
J last lall.
j State Ready for Prohibition.
"As | see the situation now, DE-
lieve the State is ready to take e
"a greater step towards prohibition
than this; but such a plan WILL prac
h tically. give us th~ree-fourths or more
d of the State for prohibition.
with the policy of the State dc
e clared to be opposed to the trahc
k coupled with the good effect produced
f by the practical workings OF a pro
hibition law, the counties will b