The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-07-28
Press and Banner.
Wednesday, July %, 1909.
Not Yet Out Of The Woods.

This is the last week In which he dispen-
ssry will be open before the election. AS 10
the result OF the election speculation Is riie.
1t Is 10 be hoped that no sensations Will be
sprung on either side in this. coming election.
One side or the 9th er is going to be defeated,
and 1t becomes US in either event TO submit
to the will of the people.
The managers of the election are men who
are fair, square and honest. They will see TO
1t that q just ballot Is cast. Let US like men,
abide by the result they declare. These man
ayers are appointed to manage the election,
and 1t is sincerely hoped that there will be no
self constituted manager to challenge VOTES
that may be as good as bis.
We are a law abiding people, we have that
reputation. 1t Ia a mark of our civic charac'
ter. Let us live up to 1t.
1t will not be becoming In any one to be so
wrapped mp in the result of this election as
to exhibit pique or spleen should the election
70 against his wishes, That man Is small
who thinks more Of the event of a political
question than OF peace and harmony with
his neignbors.
People who wish to contest elections can
always dnd an excuse to do so. There may
be loop holes in the one just before US IN
which contestors may fasten their lariats.
Contest of elections is more usually promp-
ted by pique than patriosm. The people, as
q whole, may be depended upon to do the
right thing, and IL is the noble part OF The
individual to abide by the result.
Our people are too dignifed and honorable
TO get into a sauabbls over this question,
and we do not think any individual will have
the temerity to draw the county into such a
sauabble over some worthless quibble-to
the subordination TO the main issue.
There are always a few rabbid ranters on
either side of any question: they are on your
side, the other fellow has them on his side
neither represents the sentiments Of the
best people on either side, but we will not
let them disturb our equilibrium, half the
these fellows do not mean what they say. 1t
is only habit.
There will be Incorporate talks on both
sides OF this question. as there always are.
Let us look look on this only ,as a matter OF
course, something attending all political
issues. q
No individual has the right to throw tho
county into q foment on account Of pique.
he may have the legal right 10 do 1t but he
has no moral RICH to 30 act. Things are 60
ing to move on after this election just the
same no matter what the result OF the cleo
ton may be.
8After the vote has been cast let the result
.stand-strife has no end, 1t Is a two edged
sword, a poisoned arrow, Keep 1t down.
One white man is as good as another In this
vote. Let Eus reconize this principle at the
hz-a.-t.- ond -han tive Loot ho Hot hoo haop
cast let the question rest-rest In peace.
This vexlng question will not be finally
settled by this vote. We have not reached
the ideal, we are only feeling in the dark
after truth 1t is likely that neither prohibi.
ton nor the dispensary :s the final solutions
Questions OF this kind are like a swinging
pendulum, 1t does not stop at the center OF
gravity. The momentum 1t gets when II
reaches one end of Its arc carries 1t
back to the other extreme. At present the
dispensary is one Of these extremes, and pro
hibition is the other, and the pendulum still
swings as 1t has u for centuries.
Their is evidence, thank heaven, that the
pendulum is bearing Its center Of gravity.
It does not swing as far as 1t used to swing
only a few years ago it swung out as far as
the opeu barroom in South Carolina; now II
stops short before 1t gets there. 1t stops at
the Dispensary.
But look closely into this law OF nature.
Suppose the Prohibitionist should try to pull
the pendulum toe far, suppose they should
pull 1t way out bevond Its center Of gravity
to absolute prohibition, would 1t stand there9
No more than the pendulum would stand off
its center OF gravity. And the law holds that
the further pendulum is pulled one way the
further 1t will react the other way, II 1t 10
pulled over to absolute prohibition 1t Will go
just as far the other way when 1t seaots. The
same is true Of the open bar and dens OF vice
and crime, when the pendulum swings out
there 1t has gone to the extreme and will not
stand, but will swing back TO the other ex-
treme.
Where is the golden mean, the place Of
rest, the center Of g~ravity9 1t is in the NIL
lineum. 1t is in utopia 1t Is not here. We
are getting nearer and nearer year by year
but we have not reached 1t yet nor will we in
this generation.
So, let those OF either side tread softly and
speak in Ia whisper, the way is still dark
n We are not yet out Of the woods.