The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-11-05
TILLMAN AGAINST PROHIBITION.
Senator Thinks Movements to Pass
Measure. Will Fail.
co-o+o, ic II, To111

Measure Will Fail.
Senator Tillman, who is in Colum-
bia spending several days with his
friend, DR.. J. w. Babcock, who ac-
companied him on his trip abroad
this summer, does not endorse the
movement headed by representatives
NJ. l.. Smith, G.. W. Garris, John q.
Richards, Jr., State Senator Earle
and others of the old State dispen-
sary leaders to join forces with the
prohibition bill through the cominS
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.
Il can't see that prohibition stands
any chance of success in the coming
LEGISLATURE" said the Senator, in an
answer to a question. with a ma
jority of the counties in the State
holding on to the county dlspen-
saries, isn't it natural to suppose that
the delegations from those counties
will stand by the present system?'
The Senator added that so far as
he was concerned, it was matter of
Indifference whether prohibition
bill was enacted or the present sys-
tenn was continued.
1.-TWO hundred years from now
folks will be wrangling over this
same liquor question:" said he, "and
it is idle talk of settling the problem.
l have been seeing the same old tus-
sic 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 I never saw a drunken man,
but plenty of drinking men. Over in
London, where big fight is on over
the matter saw many drunks. When
I was Governor 1 recommended this
same substitute Of light alcoholic
drinks. I wanted to see beer given
a chance. If we could give the beer
privilege to a big responsible concern
that would be under a heavy bond,
say something like half-million dol
lars, to sell beer throughout the State
under certain definitely stipulated
conditions, we would do much for
the cause of temperance, and get a
big revenue for the State beside"
Senator Tillman occupies a unique
position in the present situation re-
garding whiskey in this State. He Is
not with the State dispensary leaders
in their efforts to join forces with
the prohibitionists. He is not with
the prohibitionists, and he is not an
unqualified endorser Of the county
option scheme. He thinks every coun-
ty in the State would be better OH
having dispensaries.
''I venture to say" said he, in an
swer to question, that counties
like Orangebprg, Sumter and Flor
ence, which are retaining the dispen-
saries, are in much better state NOR
ally than such counties as Greenville,
Spartanburg and others which have
voted out their dispensaries and
where blind tigers are doing the busi-
ness"
When he was reminded that it ap-
peared to have been proven that the
police records of the dry counties
had materially improved, the Senator
said this only is temporary, that it
would only be short time in coun-
ty going dry before it was in worse
state morally from blind tigerism and
other forms of lawlessness than 1t
had been on voting out it's dispen-
saries.
On the whole the Senator did not
appear to be much interested in the
situation and answered questions
guardedly.