Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-04-23
WILL NOT RUN.
Mt. Feathersfone Announces His
Withdrawal From Race.
GIVES HIS REASONS.

didacy, This Year Would Not Helm
the Cause of Prohibition.-Goy.
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.
III was supposed that Mr.. Ansel
| would run on the same platform upon
which he was elected two years ago.
but in letter to Mr.. Featherstone q
| rev days ago, part of which is below
quoted, Ii will be seen that Mr.. Snsel
now occupies the same position that
| Mr.. Featherstone announced last fail.
| namely, 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', Statcrcnt.
Several weeks ago anu,.cnced
my candidacy for governor of South
Carolina, upon a State prohtnitiol
platform.
Il believed then and | 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
ought to lead the movement.
AS / have already stated person.
ally it did not suit me TO go into the
fight at this time, but yielded to
| what conceived to he a call of duty.
II did not hesitate to say that il
would he source of qualification TO
me to be governor of the State. but
the desire to crafty my personal am
bition alone would not have been suf-
fcient 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 and
that he would offer for reelection
on that platform.
| 1T seemed to me that the cause of
prohibition might be weakened by
having two candidates in the field.
and that if he would espouse that
cause II 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 (on Feb.
29) that if he expected to make the
race on that platform 1 would not
oppose him.
II am in receipt OF 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 l call restricted local
loption-that is, local option as be-
tween county prohibition and county
dispensary. Those counties voting to
sell liquor shall he restricted to one
dispensary in the county and that
one at the county seat, except in those
counties wherein there is city OF
more than $4,000 population, in
which counties more than one dispen-
sary may he established. This is in
accordance with my recommendations
to the general assembly as set forth
in my annual message of 1908, is in
the interest of temperance and will
minimize the sale of liquor.
With the experience that | have
had in the past two years in the pro-
posed elections that were desired in
some counties on the liquor question
am of the opinion that il will be
better to enact law by which 8
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 majority Of the
Iqualifed voters of a county vote tC
sell liquor in that particular county
and, If a majority of the qualified
voters vote to sell, that one county
dispensary then be established a.
above set forth, with the right to vote
the dispensary out at subsequen
election.
This is practically the plan tina
outlined in an interview given ou
last lall.
State Ready for Prohibition.
LAS I see the situation now, l he
lieve the State is ready to take ever
greater step towards prohibition
than this: but such a plan will. prac
tically. give us three-fourths or NOR
l OF the State for prohibition.
! with the policy of the State de
3 clared to he opposed to the traffic
( coupled with the good effect produce,
I by the practical workings of a pro
= hibition law, the counties will b
very slow to exempt themselves fror