The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-19

cred was whether or not certain colln-
ties should be exempted.
Night Session.
The house. when ii met tonight,
took up the Statewide prohibition
bill. Mr.. Dixon opposed the bill,
and argued in favor OF local option.
No prominent Democrat from Jetfer-
son down to Bryan had ever support
ed or advocated any sumptuary law.
No real eminent writer on Democracy
had ever favored such law. He
said Mr.. Carey had brought the coun-
tv diSpensarieS and he could not see
how lie had progressed so rapidly, as
to now want State prohibition. He
was utterly opposed to Statewide
prohibition.
Plea For Charleston.
Mr.. Cosgrove, Of Charleston. made
an earnest appeal to have Charleston
and other counties exempt from the
provisions Of this bill. He regretted
that no reasons had beeH assigned
why the State really needed this leg
islation. The only reasons heard were
high ideals, but they were not prac=
tical. 1t Was an absolute truth that
under conditions at Charleston, pro-
hibition will fail in doing what is IN
tended. In a matter of principle,
Charleston never counts the cost, and
she is not HOW counting cost. 1t he
thought prohibition would do what
is claimed for it. he, for one. would
favor the law For over hundred
wears Charleston has had a license
system.
Charleston had been conducting all
orderly business until the dispensarv
came along. Charleston had no dives,
but had legitimate family liquor stor-
es. The illicit places, the blind tlg-
ers, came in the wake Of the dispen-
sary. There We're no "blind tigers
before the dispensary. The city OF
Charleston has sixteen miles OF wat
er front. 1t would be ridiculous to
trv ito police it. Charleston has 3d.
900 negroes, and they are not the best
class of negroes. With prohibition,
Charleston will have the worst sort
of low dives, and he figured out that
this prediction was no idle dream. If
he believed prohibition would do any
GOOD in Charleston he would support
it. Charleston has had sixteen years
of actual experience, and knows that
illicit selling Of liquor cannot be
stopped. Prohibition can work no
miracle in Charleston. He related the
experience Of the world that prohl-
bition does not prohibit.
MI. Carey For Prohibition.
Mr.. Carey said he did not intend to
speak. but as it has been suggested
that he was about to abandon his two
vear-old child, he felt it best to talk.
He was practical as we'll as the ora
torical prhibitionist. He came here
committed to the destruction OF the
State dispensary. His policy was to
kill the snake and do so with as many
blows as necessary. The first blow
was when the State dispensary was
killed. He believed the people OF the
State wanted prohibition. and wanted
it since 1892.
He va, as much against The county
dispensarieS Is the State dispenSarles.
He would rather see license han the
State selling liquor, directly or lndl-
rectlv. Two years ago 4 Charleston
committee told him they would rath-
er have prohibition than the county
dispensaries. lie said ii this system
is kept up. dry counties would want
liuuor for the money il the business.
II is now ali matter Of profit. The
State is the unit IN legislation, as
much in the handling of liquor as
in the liew law or murder.
He saw no reason for the exception
Of any county. lie earnestly prodlct-
ed .,Aat in five years the opponents OF
prohibition would be thanking those
who i,asSed the law. lie believed in
removing temptations. To tile old
men he said they could and should
drink near-beer and their soda water,
and then water and water and plenty
Of water. cold water and then keep it
up.
No Exemptions.
On the motion to exempt Charles
1ol,1