The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-02-17
CAPITOL CORRESPONDENCE.
Senate Chamber,

iaSJ Oeen OrOkel Oy the elecGlOn
of Judge Hydrick. This contest
was one Of the fercest and most
unseemly [ have ever experienc
ed, or has ever come under my
observation. It was a political
struggle from start to finish, with
theresultthat politics won. Judge
Hydrick's successor will be So
licitor Sease, and his successor
will probably be a Mr.. Sam Mich
OILS. The fact Of others being in
want of good political jobs
brought to Judge Hydrick's aid
the friends Of Messrs Sease and
Nichols; never before was there
such wire pulling and log-rolling
for the election Of asupreme court
Judge. It reminded me of cross
road primary heeling and in my
opinion did not tend to increase
respect for the judiciary.
Governor Shepperd could have
been elected on Tuesday night.
had Mr.. Cothran withdrawn, but
this Mr.. Cothran would not agree
to. There never was chance for
the election of Cothran at any
time. Then when it was seen that
Cothran hadn no chance the friends
of Mr.. J. P. Carey wanted to run
him, they had every assurance to
win with Carey, but Mr.. Carey
declined to allow his name used
as long as Mr.. Cothran remained
in the fight. Another effort was
made to get Cothran to withdraw
but he would not, and then Shep-
perd withdrew, which resulted in
many Of Shepherds friends vot-
ing for Hydrick and electiug him.
I sincerely hope never again to
witness such another contest
when the Judiciary is involved.
The election for circuit judges
will be disposed of quickly, there
being nc opposition I understand,
unless it be for the successor Of
Judge Hydrick, however Sease
is good for the place I feel sure.
Very few general laws have
been made at this session. and
the measures which will provoke
the most intense interest are to
come up next week in the senate
prohibition, referendum and 10.
cal option. A large part of this
week the House was embroiled
with a flibuster. The anti-pro-
hibitionists have up to now sue
ceeded by tactical moves prevent.
ed the House from adopting a
prohibition bill, but in my judg-
ment they must sooner or later
give up the fight, as the Prohibi-
tionists have demonstrated they
have a small majority, which. if
properly handled must win out.
In the senate the flibustering
was done by the Prohibitionists.
Senator Otis attempted to force
the prohibition oils to the fore
front, these measures were away
down upon the Calendar, and that
they are so far down is not the
fault Of the senate, because Sen
ator Otis the accredited leader of
the prohibition forces, is chair.
man of the committee having
these measures in charge, held
them back and did not report
them until the Calendars were
loaded down with other bills.
which the authors Of them regard
equally, if not more important
than prohibition, so when Sena-
tor Otis attempted arbitrarily to
advance his measures it aroused
the ire of the authors of other
bills, and they refused to advance
his bills.
Senator Otis is a hard and a
persistent, if not a discreet fight
er. Had he permitted the Calen.
dar to be proceeded with in the
regular order, his prohibition
bills would have been reached
easily, but he was determined to
whip lash the senate and ride his
bill over it rough shod, to the ex-
tent that a few of the Prohioi-
tionists resented his stubborness
and declined to obey his demands.
It is as yet not sure how the
senate will finally dispose Of the |
liquor legislation, it is very close
at best, but there is one thins
certain, threats and coercian will
not have a tendency to drive SEN
ators to vote against their inclin-
ations. for one, am not in favor
Of prohibition. under existing
conditions, but as a Representa-
tive of a people who have by their
votes expressed desire for pro.
hibition, I would vote for a state
wide prohibition bill, if in it there
is a provision to permit counties
not desiring prohibition to vote
back the dispensary. My reason.
is this:
After a fair trial of prohibition,
it is found that a worse condition
exists than we had under the
county dispensary system, the
people in such county by major
ity vote get relief. A provision
OF this sort should be agreeable
to the Prohioitionists because, if
prohibition is a success there is
absolutely no danger of the peo-
pie voting the dispensary back,
but if it is a failure, then the Pro
hibitionists themselves will help
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