The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-12-18
CHRISTENSEN NOT
DISPENSARYITE
Opposed to the Whiskey Traffic, but
Favors Local Option, as Against
State Wide Prohibition.

TO the Editor of the News and
Courier: Kindly grant me space in
Your columns to correct a statement
made in your correspondence from
Gaffney, dated the 18th.
Therein it is reported that I am a
county dispensary advocate, and am
rounding up the dispensary forces for
a legislative contest against the pro-
hibitionists. I am not a dispensary
man. In an article published last
month in the Annals Of the American
Academy Of Political and Social
Science Of PHILADELPHIA I wrote:
1.-THE State did not succeed as bar
keeper. Will the counties do better?
That is a question South Carolina is
solving. It is too early yet to say
what the outcome of this decentrali-
cation will be. Decentralization has
killed the ioness. and her dwaft
cubs are comparatively easy to ham
die. However, they are not lambs.
Whether the present system Will long
remain clean is hard matter for con-
lecture. In putting into the hands Of
public officials the power to purchase
liquor the door for graft is thrown
wide open, and through it at any
moment may enter corruption that
will render the system as evil as the
worst.'
Those are hardly the expressions Of
an advocate Of the county dispensary.
In an interview published in the
News and Courier and other dailles
and weeklies few days ago stated
that I am local option prohibition
ist. I take the liberty Of again tres
passing upon the attention Of your
readers, not for personal reasons, but
to emphasize a most important point
in this discussion between the State
vide prohibitionists or anti-option
lists, and the local optionists.
They would establish prohibition
in non-prohibition counties by decree
Of the legislature. We would educate
the non-prohib;tion counties to the
point where each would for itself de-
cree prohibition. Between these two
ways to a common end is great diff
ference. all the difference, we local
optionists maintain, between ultimate
success and failure.
= Says Senator OTIS, for whom I
have respect and liking: "The way
to stop the liquor evil is to stop and
not to temporise or compromise with
it. - He wishes to carry the citadel
by: one grand picturesque assault. We
point to the experience Of generations
that proves sapping and mining 70
be more effective against this partl-
cular enemy. If the State prolibi-
tion law is passed it will be a hollow
victory in many Of the present dis
rensary counties.
On the other hand, wherever a
county adopts prohibition the gain Is
real, genuine and lasting. We local
opinion prohibitionists advocate the
same course Of action Senator Ott>
and his friends have been following
up to this timte. They are branching
of, hand in hand, with old Stale dis
pensary leaders. and anti-optlonlsts.
". want to BE- a.lc.r,' - tr.:>el the
same road, his county Of Cherokee
took in getting a prohibition that pro
hibits. He says that kind Of prohi-
bition is fine. Then why does he IN
sist in forcing another kind on other
countless
I tell him, and nine out Of every
ten thinking, sober men in this lower
section Of the State will tell him, that
a State prohibition law cannot be en-
forced here with any success at this
time. It is folly for Senator Otis to
assert. as he does, that "two or three
determined men can enforce the law
in any county" There are many
more than that number Of men in this
county who would do all they can to
enforce prohibition here if it becomes
a law, and we know before hand that
our efforts will be futile.
Face conditions. Come down here
and help US educate our people as
YOU did in Laurens and we will do for
ourselves what you cannot force Us
into.
Senator Otis says again: ~ have
seen the results Of prohibition, [ have