The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-01-27
NOT FOR PROHIBITION.
LOCAL OPTION SENTIMENT nc
STRONG IN HOUSE.
Many Representatives From So-CaIIed
Dry Counties Will Vote Against
The Prohibition Bills.


tatives. There had been much talk to
the effect that the house would pass
the bill as a matter Of form and "put
1t up" to the senate to kill it. How
ever, the latest news is to the effect
that moses have been counted" and
that II the bill gets through the house
at all it will be only after a hard
fight.
One member Of the house. who Is
the chairman of very important
committee and ranks high in the
membership, said Saturday that he
oelives that the local option people
have majority of 10. but local op-
tionists who have been takine. a poll
of the house say that it will be closer
than that.
There are numbers who are tee-to-
talers and are prohibitionists, too, at
heart who are said not to be enthu-
siastic over passing legislation now
as it would give political. prestige to
individuals rather than promote the
Interests Of a great cause. The pro-
hibition leader of the State, MIR. C. c.
Featherstone, who made a gallant
| tight before the people in 1898 when
the cause seemed almost hopeless, and
the leaders respondent, and yet miss
ed election as governor by only a few
hundred votes, has not, it seems.
come out in fiat-footed demand for
an iron-clad prohibition bill to be
passed at this session. Some of the
legislators seem to think that he pre-
fers referendum. to let the people
themselves vote on the question.
Some who have been studying the
situation have seemed to think that
because county once voted out the
dispensary its representatives will
vote for prohibition bill. This is
said to be a mistaken idea. A prom
inent representative from a Piedmont
county who remained in the city yes
terday said:
my county voted out the dispensary
yes, but it was largely due to the
disclosures of rottenness in the State
dispensary made by Mr.. Lyon and Mr..
Christensen and the other members
Of the committee. We were unalter-
ably opposed to the continuance of
| the State dispensary"
1t was stated Saturday that a repre-
sentative from Aiken had declared
that his county would have to pay no
taxes this year-unless the dispensary
should be removed, for out of the
profits Of the North Augusta dispen-
sary the revenue has been large
enough to run the fiscal affairs of
Aiken county. On the other hand it
is declared that the schools in Edge
field. where there is prohibition, must
suspend this month because of an in
suf1iciency Of funds to run them. Of
course such arguments are specious
when applied to the question of morals
but there has been liquor sold in
Edgefield, according to recent reports.
Il believe in no dog in the manger'
politics." said one representative from
county on the North Carolina bor-
der, which long ago voted a severance
of connection with the old State dis
pensary. I'VE have no dispensary:
although we have a good and suffic-
lent express company service, and the
quantity Of liquor that is shipped in
there from Baltimore and other cities
would astound any one not acquaint-
ed with the facts. If we had a dis
pensary in our town we could sell
enough liquor in nearby North Caro-
lima cities to remove all taxes from
our county, and there would not be
so very much more sold at home than
now comes in by the cypress com
pany.
1--WE have gone on record as op-
posed to the dispensary system, we
have declared against it's operation in
our county, but if the people of Rich
land and Sumter and Georgetown are
satisfied, 1 feel that so long as it does
not interfere with my constituents ]
will have to vote for local option, un-
less it should be proved, and L have
waited for the proof, that the county
dispensaries are going the graft route
as did the State dispensary.-The
state.