The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-17
A POOR DEPENDENCE.


good his profession of faith by per-
sonally prosecuting any and every
person whom he knows, of his own
knowledge to be engaged in the il
legal sale Of liquor. Mr.. Liquor
Drinking Prohibitionist do you ex-
pect to swear out warrants against
the men who sell you liquor?"
The above is an observation of the
Sumter Item of the 26th, instant, and
knowing the editor as we do, we can
not see how he arrives at such a con-
clusion. When "Mr. Liquor Drinking
Prohibitionist," enlists in the cause
of prohibition, he does not take an
obligation to taste not touch not,
handle not that which "biteth like
serpent and stingeth like an adder"
he is only to wage war on the legal
sale of that article. "Mr. Liquor
Drinking Prohibitionist," joins the
forces of total abstainers to square
| himself with a popular idea, with the
hope Of driving away suspicion, on
the principal Of taking a Glove "to
kill the scent"
When the fight was on in Claren-
don we were foolish enough to think
as the Item thinks now. "The man
who votes for prohibition will be
morally bound to make good his pro-
fession of faith by personally prose-
cutting any and every person whom
| he knows, of his own knowledge, to
be engaged in the illegal sale Of
liquor" but we have long since
found that idea a dream.
Those who vote for prohibition are
fighting for principle. and it is the
principle alone they seem to be con-
cerned in. The enforcement of the
law Is left to the officers almost en-
tirely, because a man who is so moral
| that he wishes to force morality on
| others, is usually man who regards
| spying" and detective work beneath
his dignity, and will not engage in it.
| Then too, II he is a liquor drinking
prohib, he may also be a liquor SELL
| ing prohib, and in either case they
are breed who do not want the law
against selling liquor forced.
] But Notwithstanding the Items
observations and we presume it's op-
position, the prohibition wave will
| overwhelm Sumter county in August;
we hope so at least, not because we
are convinced that prohibition will be
successfully enforced. but because
this great political question has been
endorsed by the churches and the
various organizations of women--a
force when combined, it's invincible,
especially is it so, when those who
differ from them, for fear of losing
personal popularity, political, COM
| mercial and professional, will offer no
opposition, and permit the wave to
engulf them.
We hope Sumter and williamsburg
both will get into the dry column
| and we are candid enough to admit
| our interest to be selfish. If Sumter
goes dry, thousand of collars now 60
| ing from this county to trade will re-
| main in this county where it natural
ly belongs, and for the same reason
we are anxious for Williamsburg to
| close up it's dispensary that a large
portion of Clarendon now going to
Kingstree and Lake City to buy
liquor, and trade. will do their busi-
ness in this county, the better to en-
| able our own people to pay the in
creased taxation resulting from the
loss of revenue and business.
Sumter and Williamsburg as a
matter of courtesy should vote dry
since Clarendon has made herself a
desert the Sahara should surely ex-
tend to our sister counties that all
| may, from actual experience, have a
practical knowledge Of the efficacy
Of prohibition. But if the grand re-
| suits of prohibition. so tearfully and
eloquently pictured by the prohibi-
| tOnsts, depends upon "Mr. Liquor
| Drinking Prohibitionist," or upon the
good women who give up home and
children, for the privilege of raising
| their voices TO stop the drink evil, we
are afraid there will be disappoint-
ment, because these forces will not
be force to make prophibition laws
| Notwithstanding Times.