The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-11
THE wAroHMAN AND sourHRoN AUGUST H. 1909.
LIQUORS DEATH ROLL.
WHAT THE DRINK EVIL DID IN
FORMER YEARS.
A Plea for Prohibition BY One WHO
Knows What Sorrow and Ruin
Liquor Has Wrought i'm Sumter
During His Own Life Time.
Sumter, S. c., Aug. s, 1909.

1t Will soon be sixty years since
first saw ths light in the then little
village Of Sumterville. I have seen it
grow step by step in the face of four
years Of bloody war. which swept
many OF her choicest sons into un-
timely graves; eight years of Carpet
Bag and Scalawag Misrule. which
almost crushed the spirits of the peo-
pie. and drove thousands of the sons
Of our State to other more favored
sections. I have seen ten bar rooms
on her streets, like some Shiny. foul
smelling monster, destroy many Of
her brightest and most generous
hearted men. young and old, and
bring sorrow. disappointment, want
end anguish to many happy homes
until at last endurance ceased to be
virtue. and the State arose and took
the first step to drive this monster
from our land, and whiskey and
strong drink got their death wound.
and the bar rooms were driven out,
and now the State has closed the last
open door that has led countless
thousands to eternal ruin.
on. my fellow citizens of this
grand old State. which now stands
second In this Union as to cotton
manufacture. and Is making wonder
full progress in all her lines Of in
dustry. before you vote to open these
doors again. stop and count the cost,
come. stand by my side and see
through my eyes. what I have seen,
and hear through my ears. what I
have heard. and feel through my
heart. the agony and disappointment
which / have felt. while I draw aside
the curtain which hides the past
years from the younger generation,
and show the awful harvest reaped
by whiskey and strong drink, right
here In this beautiful City of Sumter.
and as In Sumter. so In every other
county Of the State and Nation where
whiskey rules-I shall call the roll of
the dead---of the broken and wreck
ed homes. Of fathers and mothers
gone with gray hairs and broken
hearts to the grave mourning fallen
sons. once their bright and happy
boys--of children robbed of a tender
fathers loving care.-of widows
with their brightest hopes blasted by
the breath of whiskey.-and all this
came by men who sold whiskey for
the money that was in it. Most of
them have gone to their reward
IAN orphans curse would drag to
He'll
A spirit from on high,
But. oh, more horrible than this
Is the curse ina dead mans eye."
Many years ago there gathered Just
beyond the city limits. on the road
to Manning, large crowd of people,
and for what? To see a white man
die on the gallows for killing his
wife while he was drunk. / heard q
minister. who is still living. say, this
poor man said to him in the jai.
whiskey had been his ruin.
few years after this sad scene
on the same road. a little way on.
another such scene was witnessed.
was small boy. and saw this man
come from the Jail dressed In a nice
black suit. enter carriage with the
sheriff. and guarded by troopers, he
went to an awful death and ended
the, sad tale-killed his wife while
drunk and now I call the roll of
the dead. many of them my boyhood
companions. just as fine. manly boys
as now walk your streets, gone to
wreck and ruin from drink.
b. had a loving wife and children.
good home. property. and an hon
ored name. When In drink he said
ne wanted a short life and a merry
one. He got 1t; broke his wife's
heart. and fills a drunkards grave.
T. served with gallantry four years
In defence Of his country. never was
better hearted man than he-a true
friend-died without moments
warning while drunk.
M. Of a fine family. Had a beau
tiful wife and child-a fine plantation
and property; buried his wife broken
hearted and went to drunkard's
grave.
j. All. who aid not love b,mo 7,
first saw him a bright many little fell
low; he was all any one could wish
"a fine boy to be. was a favorite