The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-06
FEATHERSTONE DISAPPOINTED
But ProhibitiOn Leader Thinks Com
promise is Only Temporary Set
back.

Laurens, March LIN view of the
fact that the Hon. c. c. Featherstone.
of this city, has been connected with
the fight for prohibition in South Car
olina for many years, and is still in
terested therein, and that he is al
ready an avowed candidate for COVER
nor in 1910 as an advocate Of State
wide prohibition, The News and Cour-
Ter espondent called upon Mr..
Featherstone for an opinion on the
outcome of the liquor fight in the
general assembly, which was brought
to a close late Saturday night. While
by no means discouraged by the re-
suit, Mr.. Featherstone made no ef-
fort to conceal his disappointment
that the prohibition forces were COM
PEELED to accept a compromise. His
opinion was that while he had hoped
for more, yet this new law would re-
suit in the acquisition of much more
dry" territory.
Continuing, Mr.. Featherstone said:
II must confess that 1 had hoped
for better things. My preference all
along has been for State wide ref
erendum act. referring the whole
question to the people, for settlement.
This, in my judgment, would have
been better, by a great deal. than the
plan adopted by the general assem-
bly,.
"Our trouble, all along, has teen
that there are in the general assem-
bly, a good many men who lat heart,
are prohibitionists, and some Of them
from dry counties, who felt that they
were virtually instructed to stand py
local option. Some of these would.
in an election, vote for Statewide
prohibition. All of them will vote for
prohibition in an election in their
own counties. But they did not feel
that they were at liberty now to vote
that way in the general assembly.
There are others. Throughout the
State, who are just as good prohibi-
tionists as any of us, but who might
ists." They vote that way in their
county elections. but they do not be-
lieve that the time has come for a
Statewide law.
up to a year ago. felt very much
the same way, but a close study of
the question has convinced me other
wise. 1 now think that the whole
question ought to be submitted to the
people and let them settle 1t for the
entire State However. that result can
and will be brought about later. There
Is no use to 'cry over spilled milk"
The thing for us to do is to make the
best of what we have.
II am satisfied that at least two
thirds of the wet counties can be
voted dry next summer II the proper
effort is made. 1 expect to devote
the biggest part of my time this sum-
mer to assisting the wet counties to
vote whiskey out. I am "in for the
war;
Another great work that we can
do is to organize for the enforcement
Of the law in the counties that are
already dry. have been in the work
too long to be discouraged by fail
ure to accomplish what we had hoped
in the general assembly. Nearly
quarter Of century ago, when first
commenced to work for prohibition,
We couldn't have gotten a half-dozen
men to espouse our cause there. Now,
we have only lost by narrow mar
gin. In fact, we have not lost at all.
We are only delayed for short while.
The sentiment against whiskey IS
growing daily, and when the people
do get lick at it they will put it out
Of business