The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-12-16
EXTREMES ARE UNWISE.

EXTREMES ARE UEWISE.
The coming session Of the leg.
islature will be called upon to
handle the liquor question; it does
seem as if the people are never
to be rid of whiskey agitation: a
State wide prohibition bill will be
introduced, Notwithstanding the
fact the Prohibitionists made no
issue in the last primary, but to
the contrary elected Governor
on a Statewide prohibition plat
form, with a proviso that coun.
ties not desiring prohibition can
have the privilege of voting in
the legal sale of alcoholic bever-
ages.
If a platform is to be taken as
a pledge, then it seems to US the
Prohibltionists are estopped from
urging an iron clad prohibition
bill under the present adminlstra-
ton. We cannot see how those
processing to represent a moral
issue can, when before the people
seeking votes represent they
favor prohibition qualified
Statewide prohibition Dill, with
a provision to permit counties to
vote in the legal sale, and wher
elected upon that understanding,
turn in and give to the people an
unqualified, iron clad prohibition
bill. 1t does not look honest to
US. 1t has the appearance of de-
ception. Its doing what Tillman
did when the State voted prohiI
bition and his administration gave
the people the dispensary.
When Governor Ansel first
mentioned his platform, and what
his position would be on the liq-
uor question, we took issue with
him, we did not fancy the idea of
changing the present status, as
itlooked to uslike reversing leg
islation only to be doing some
thing. but conditions have chang
ed, and, upon nature deliberation,
we have reached the conclusion,
if the general assembly proposes
to repeal the Carey-Cothran Act,
to IegisIate the State into prohi-
bition, then we think Governor
Ansel's plan the best:
We cannot conceive of the wis
dom of forcing prohibition upon
a county that demonstrates daily
it does not sympathize with such
a law, and that it Will not enforce
it under any circumstances. In
our judgment prohibition law
in such a community brings the
law into contempt, and the long
er it so remains the more does
this contempt permeate the en-
tire body polite, resulting only
in creating laWless out OF other
wise law abiding citizens. With
out a provision in a State wide
prohibition bill to let the people
of community have the privilege
of local self-government, by vot
ing in a liquor regulation sys
tenn suited to their environments
and conditions, it will be coer-
cion, and by the power of might
tie to a corpse Of discomfort a
people who know their needs bet
ter them outsiders.
This liquor agitation year after
year is a great drawback to
sound, progressive law making
There should be an end to it some
time; we are getting weary of |.
men riding into Office with whis
key as a stalking horse. Politic- !
ians It's true, must have some
thing when appealing for votes,
but we think they have ridden.
and are riding this liquor prob
lem until the old nag is back
ed and should he given rest.
We hear not thing about re-
vising our assessing and taxing
system, not a word, SO far as we
know there has there been
been no suggestion to devise q
way by which property is assess
ed equitabiy, the tax-dodger may
not be as great menace to his
community, as the man who
drinks liquor: but he does do a
whole lot Of material damage, by
ais tax dodging: he forces his
fellow man and neighbor TO pay
more than his just proportlc,'
while he withhoids from til o.
nc an i'll gotten gain:
TNi,po spI q cro r,f -},o1-o 1.-o 80 ~