The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-07-02

To the Idler. care Herald and
News: They tell me you know every
thing. and | would like 10: You 70 tell
me who had the best OF the following
argument. and if II is a fair sample
Of some OF the arguments that are be-
inc used on both sides Of the liquor
question. over which GOOD many Of
our otherwise sane people seem to
have gone wild:
4 rank prohibitionist-one Of these
fellows who think it is a sin to drink
glass Of walked into a certain
place Of business in Newberry to use
his persuasive powers upon an old
fellow who has been taking his dram
for over fifty years. He proceeded
with his eloquence, and as a climax to
his arguments, he said:
II tell you, old man, the whole
world is bound to be prohibition soon.
It's coming. The wave has swept the
South, and is sweeping the whole
country. Why, on the whole main
line Of the Seaboard, from New Or
leans to some place in Virginia, Alb
beville, to Abbeville's shame. is the
only place where whiskey is legally
sold. With this staring her in the
face, Abbeville is bound to vote out
her dispensary in August. But just
think of the main line Of the great
Seaboard system, with only one place
in that great distance, where liquor is
legally sold"
The anti-prohi squared himself for
the solar-plexus he was about to de-
liver.
YES" he said, land, by jimminy
Christmas, YOU see the Seaboard is III
the hands Of a receiver, too, don t
you?"
Realizing that Greek had met Greek
in the forum Of debate, the prohi
tapped his wings and sailed away,
and the anti spat from his big wad
Of tobacco and went back to work.
Now this is unfair to ask The Idler
to pass judgment on any question di-
rectly While it knows everything
yet The Idler can only maintain that
reputation by declining to decide a
square issue joined like the one con-
tanned in the question under discus
sion. Yet I do not for the life of me
see what the dispensary in Abbeville
had to do with the Seaboard receiver
ship. Now if some Of the people who
ride on the Seaboard to- get to the
Abbeville dispensary had gone into
the hands Of a receiver the explana-
tion would have been easy. All you
have to do to get into the hands of a
receiver is to follow the dispensary
religiously and you will land. It is
only question Of time. I mean, of
course, the man who hunts the dlspen-
sary to leave his hard earned money.
Now, really, / do think this a fair
sample of some Of the things that
pass for argument on the liquor ques-
ton. Mind you, that pass with some
people for argument. I think I have
answered the question to my own sat-
isfaction and I think [ have maintain
ed my reputation.
The preachers tell us that the
world is growing better, and | hope
they are right. I like to think so. [
am an optimist by nature, and have
tried ali my life to look on the bright
side Of life. I have always had great
confidence in my fellowman. But
we'll, somehow l have had great
many things in recent days to make
me stop and stand up and take notice.
I am sorry, too, for as I grow older l
wanted my faith in mankind to in
crease. But now since [ don't have
anything to do but to sit around and
study and watch the actions of men l
have had more time for reflection. [
have watched the actions Of men and
tried to be charitable in my judg-
ments and the more and the closer l
observe the more I am constrained.
against my inclinations, to reach the
conclusion that there is more selfish
ness in the world to-day than there
was even few years ago. But | am
going to try mighty hard to believe
with the preachers that the world is
really growing better.
Every man IL this day seems 10 be
l. ~