Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-05-04
Mr.. sRlcE AND THE COMMISSION
Fort Mill Times Makes Comment and
Chester Lantern Replies.

Chester Lantern Replies.
Some people are so full Of prejudice
and tied so hard to one side OF pro-
position, or else ignorance and con-
temptible filings constitute part Of their
nature, that they never see any good
in the other side. The following edi-
torial, on the appointment Of former
Senator ]. S. Brice Of York county, on
the dispensary winding-up commission,
we find in the last issue Of the Fort
Mill Times:
II Mr.. j. s. Brice can afford to ac-
cept the appointment which Governor
Ansel has rendered him as member
of the commission to wind up the af-
probably will be little or no objection
on the part Of the public. But it is
interesting to recall-assuming that
Mr.. 3rice intends to accept the ap-
pointment-the attitude Of the former
York county senator toward the whole
dispensary matter. During the latter
years Of his service in the senate no
man inveighed more strenuously, II not
more effectively, against the states IL
quor business and all connected there
with than Mr.. Brice. Indeed, IL the
speeches of Mr.. Brice in denunciation
of the "accursed" liquor traffic were
made in good faith, all those engaged
therein, from the highest official to the
humblest bottle washer, were pariahs,
things to be Stunned by every self-res-
pecting citizens, and thenceforth to be
treated as outcasts-from Mr.. Brice's
Mr.. Brice Disseminated; everybody
connected with the dispensary looked
alike to him. Now, however, Mr..
Brice's convictions appear to have
undergone a revision. There Is a diff
ference as he sees 1t in serving the
Commonwealth in the capacity OF
winding-up commissioner and as a
member of the old state board, for in
stance. We confess our inability to see
the point of demarkation. Each posi-
ton has to do with the liquor traffic.
And we can tell Mr.. Brice that IL In
accepting the appointment he assumes
that any considerable portion OF his
fellow citizens will credit him with
acting from a patriotic rather than a
selfish motive he is very much mistak-
en-. The people know that there Is not
one man in five thousand who would
accept service on the winding-up COM
mission, hut for the money there Is In
1t. All this talk about men being will
ing to sacrifice their personal interests
in such a cause for the good Of the
state Is so much moonshine.
The Fort Mill Times believed in the
old state dispensary first, last and all
the time and because its side lost and
the dispensaries are gradually disap-
pearing, 1t is sulking and is ready to
make nasty little insinuations at every
body who. voted and worked against
the dispensary.
Mr.. Brice is a gentleman Of the
cleanest reputation, who would scorn
to touch a dirty piece Of anything.
His reputation Is of the highest kind
and none of the mean little insinua-
tions Of the Fort Mill Times or any
other paper or person can hurt him In
the least.
Such articles are the desperate ven-
lures of the whisky forces. Driven
from cover to cover they are almost at
bay and although they turn and snarl
they will be routed from even this
place. The dispensary is going. Year
by year 1t Is disappearing and may the
day hasten when not rum shop Is
left in the state. AS hotbed for
crime, thievery and devilment 1t has
never been equalled and we hope never
will. But its days are numbered and
at the election this summer the large
majority of those counties still retain
ing the dispensary will vote 1t out.
That the Fort Mill Times should
try to make political capital out of
the appointment Of Mr.. Brice on the
winding up commission, Is not surpris-
ing. A drowning man will catch at
anything and when arguments fail the
dispensary organs are resorting to In
situations to arouse prejudice. And
they will fail now as they have failed
In the past.-Chester Lantern.