The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-10-07
SOME CLUSTERING TALK
FROM REV. J. L. HARLEY ABOUT
THE EDITOR OF THIS PAPER
For Publishing an Extract From and
Commenting on One of His Alleg-
ed Speeches.
Editor Times and Democrat:


ed Speeches.
Editor Times and Democrat:
In your paper of September 25th,
you have some editorials which you
must know are unture. In one place
YOU says: REV. ]. L. Harley says
his father was deacon and ran a
still, and his uncle was deacon
and ran a bar, and all the church
members carried their fruit and 9th
er things to the still to be turned
into brandy" Now, Sir, I call upon
you to tell when you ever heard me,
or knew me to ever make any such
statement, anywhere or at any time
You have known me from my youth.
I am from your own county, Orange
burg, and you know it. You know
that my father was not even a mem
Der of the Baptist church, much less
a deacon. The people throughout
the entire county know that he was
a member of the Methodist church
to the day Of his death.
They know too that he was never
the owner of still in his life.
They all know, and you should know,
at least before you publish such
things, that ! never had an uncle
who kept a bar. You have made
great deal of lot Of stuff that has
been published, and you have re-
published, about what is claimed to
have happened down in BarnWell
county where I was born and grew
up. This, like the other of your
charges, is false, and you certainly
must have known it. The people of
Crangeburg county know that I was
born and raised in Orangeburg coun-
ty.
Now, Sir, all I ask of you and the
other few papers that are fighting
the prohibition movement in this
State, is to publish the truth. Your
attempt to stab the Superintendent
of the Anti-Saloon League and there
by hurt the cause, is understood.
Your attempt to SANDER me and es-
pecially the name Of my deceased
father will not be tolerated. I am
glad that there were two ministers
of the gospel and large congre-
cation of intelligent hearers present
when 1 spoke at Edgefeld. They
know that have been slandered and
misrepresented in this matter.
They know that the whole fabri-
cation was based upon picture I
drew of conditions forty years ago,
when bars were all over the coun-
try, and conditions as they now are.
When I had finished the picture and
shown the contrast, said thank God,
those days are gone and gone for
ever. / said that back yonder in
those so-called good old days, the
officials in the churches had their
bars and stills and it was the custom
for even the children to drink egg
nog on Christmas morning. These
are historical facts and as sad as they
are, SSL liSy GlS u uC.
In regard to the Liquor Dealers
Associations buying the newspapers,
I would like to ask the Editor of
The Times and Democrat does he
deny it? Why does he want me to
specify? Have l ever charged his
paper with such deal? Have l
ever charged any paper in this State
with such a deal? I did not.
did say that the liquor people Were
buying the papers in some places.
I said they had bought whole col
umns in papers and had published
as news, articles against prohibition,
which were nothing more nor less
than paid advertisements. This I
assert to be true. l now reassert
it and can give the names and edi-
tors of some who have refused the
proposition Of the liquor people.
have the form of contract to he
signed by the editor whose paper
is thus subsidized.
Yes, 1 said they had actually
bought preachers. Thank God,
have not had to charge any minister
of South Carolina with selling out
to the liquor trust. But l have
the names of some in other States
who have. If the editor of The
Times and Democrat desires to deny
these things and champion the cause
Of this gang, against the cause of
prohibition, he is at liberty to do so.
/ shall stand by my gun in defense
of my ancestors; in defense of the
church and the right, if l have to
wade through an army of devils neck
deep. There is no use in quibbling
in this matter. We are face to face
with some things that are startling,
but they are true. l have been put
in the position l occupy by the au-
thorities of my church and by COM
mittee composed of men of the diff
ferent churches of this State. l am
here to do my duty and all l ask of
any man or newspaper is to publish
the truth. This l expect and this
l demand.
Jno. L. Harley,
State Supt. Anti-Saloon League.
Those Who Passed.