Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-16
PROHIBITION IN THE SENATE.
Looks Like FiIibuster Will Prevent
Ali Action

A series Of efforts to have the pro-
hibition bills made special orders char-
acterized the whisky fight in the state
senate last week. With the exception
of the bill to provide for the investiga-
ton of the county dispensaries all Dllls
touching upon the liquor quesrlon nave nav
been thus far sidetracked. The Pro
hibitionists were at one time within
close call Of having the measure made
special orders but motion later
caused all special orders to be dis
charged. With the whisky bills were
carried also the lien law repeal Dill,
the Audubon society bills, the railroad
rate bill and several other measures
of statewide interest.
Senator Appelt's liquor drummer
bill' also managed to come up for dis
cussion. This was passed but with an
amendment that changed its tenor en-
tirely. The amendment Of Senator
| Clifton makes it a misdemeanor for a
whisky drummer to solicit orders In
this state. The penalty is $4,000. Mr..
Appelt's bill was for licensing these
drummers at $4,000 for each county OF
the state.
Is the senate going to take a vote
on prohibition? The Prohibitionists say
that they will stay here until some dis
position is made Of the several pro-
hibition measures. On the other hand,
every effort has been made, and up to
this time successfully So to prevent the
consideration of the whisky bills.
There is a very heavy calendar, large
ly local measures, and many OF the
members of the senate object to TAX
| ing up any bill out Of its order.
| The opinion has been expressed that
there may be some sort OF referendum
measure passed, If any OF the bills are
reached. The filibuster Friday even
| ing was on two of the referendum bills,
that of Senator Lide and that OF Sena-
tor OTIS. AS to this referendum mat
ter it has been stated by several OF
the senators that If anything is re-
ferred to the people all three questions
should be as follows: Whisky or no
whisky; then whether there shall be
county dispensaries in the whisky
counties or high license.
Quite a neat turn was made by the
Prohibitionists in the senate Satur-
day when, by proposing an amendment
to the insane hospital investigation
! BILL the discussion was reached upon
the bill providing for an investigation
of the county dispensaries. This was
in the nature of bringing into line those
who are opposed to the whisky meas
ureS coming up for discussion and the
agreement to have the diSpensary bill
| brought up for discussion was made
| in the interest of the expedition of mat
| terS.
But there is likely to be a different
| tale to tell when the effort is made to
have considered any Of the straight
out prohibition measures because the
senate would not consent Friday night
to consider even the referendum meas
ures OF course, filibuStering can be
resorted to on both sides as has al
| ready been done. For instance, upon
any bill that may be called up a sem
ator may gain the floor and talk in
definitely: No motion can take a SEN
ator off his feet in the senate. This
time -honored custom and parliament
| tary rule makes it possible for men,
Der of the upper branch to either talk
a bill to death or keep others from
coming up for consideration without
resorting to other filibustering meth
DDS OF course the ayes and nays
called for on every bill and every
amendment is another resort.
| Will the senators be willing to stay
in Columbia until some action is taken
on the prohibition bills? No time for
adjournment has yet been set. The
Prohibitionists have several times
stated that they are going to stay here
until the whisky measures are con-
sidered and that they will never vote
for an adjournment until some action
is taken upon important bills of state
wide interest.
AS to whether the prohibition bills
will pass the senate or not the opinion
more recently expressed Is that they
will not. However, there has been a
claim made during the past week that
the Prohibitionists have a majority Of
one in the senate. Several of the sem
ators have stated upon the floor of the
senate that they could not say how
they are going to vote. There are some
members of the upper branch who may
vote one way or the other on the pro-