The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-08-11
TEMPERANCE RALLY
- LARGELY ATTENDED.
messrs. Cromer, Featherstone and
Smith Made Excellent
Speeches.


A crowd estimated to number be-
tween four and FIVE hundred gathered
here on Saturday to hear the prohibi-
ton speakers, the Hon. Geo. B. Cro-
mer, the Ron. G. @. Featherstone and
the Hon. Mendel L. Smith. Of this
numbr several were ladies. The meet
ing was presided over by the Hon. E.
G. Ridgell. The Rev. B. W. Cronk of
the Lutheran church offered fervent
prayer. Solicitor Geo. Bell Thinner
man introduced Mr.. Smith, the first
speaker, paying high tribute to his
ability and to his worth. Mr.. Smith
discussed the liquor question from
three. standpoints: First, personal
duty, which is purely moral duty;
second, relative duty, and third, a
political duty. Mr.. Smith reviewed
the condition which brought about the
establishment of the State dispensary
and followed it up through all the
years until it's final overthrow. He
declared that the State dispensary
was the strongest political machine
eyer established in South Carolina.
He touched on the scandals which
were brought out by the investigating
committee and stated that in his opin-
ion in less than five years the county
.dispensaries would become just as cor
rupt as the State dispensary, their
father, was. He citad figures to show
that drunkenness and crime have de.
creased in all the prohibition territory.
He said that the liquor question is the
greatest problem with which the far
mer has to deal and urged the farmers
to vote out whiskey and improve the
negro labor. He said that immigrants
would never take the place Of the
negro on the farm. He closed with a
beautiful and touching appeal to the
audience to vote for prohibition on the
18th of August.
: DR.. George B. Oromer was the Sec
oud speaker. He.was introduced by
Prof. s. J. Derrick, of NewberrY Col
lege. whois spending the summer with
relatives In this his native county.
Perhaps no higher tribute has ever
been paid any mau in 90 few words
az was paid DR.. Cromer by Prof. Der
rick, who declared that of all the men
with whom he had ever come in con-
tact there was none whom he admired
more than the man whom he was
about to introduce. He declared that
DR.. Crorner never discussed any ques-
ton without first solving it, and he
never spoke anything but the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth as God gave him the light to see
the truth. DR.. Cromer declared that
it was u question that demanded the
best thought and the best talent of the
best people. He said he had been
working for prohibition for more than
thirty years. He said he was not
working for money, he was not work
ing for political gain because he never
had offered for lblic office and never
expected to enter the political arena.
but he is working for the education of
the boys for the bettermept of society
and tor higher standard of citizen
ship. DR.. Cromer's address through
out was masterful one, couchtd in
the choicest language and he was well
received.
The next and last speaker was Mr..
Featherstone, wEo was introduced by
R. w. Frick, of Chapin, a graduate of
Newberry College. Mr.. Featherstone
stated that az the other speakers had
covered great deal of the ground he
would discuss the matter from the
standpoint of the church members
duty. Mr.. Fe2therstone made tell
ing speech and at the conclusion of
his address. several persons were
heard to say, THAT Mr.. Featherstone
should have been preacher instead
OF lawyer" Mr.. Featherstone de-
clared that he was not going to give
up the fight until the whole of America
was Won for prohibition. All Of the
speeches we're conducted upon high
plane and all received agenerous roond
OF applause. By a rising vote the
thanks of the house were extended
the speakers for coming to Lexington,
and their able presentation of the pro-
hibition subject. All in all, it was the
greatest meeting ever held here.
There was absolutely no sign of wfis-
key.