The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-20
New Series-Vol. XVIII. 70 %
PROHIBITION BILL PASSES.
VOTE FINALLY REACHED Az
TER CONFERENCE.
By Ballot of So to 40 the S,a,e-,a
BIZ Passed-By Vote of SO tn xS
Ihe Test Vote Was Taken for Clos-
ing Dispensaries.

| Columbia, Feb. 18.-The house l.ss
hisht passed the Statewide prohibf-
ton bill and the bill providing for
the closing of the several county dts,-
pensaries. The vote on these bsrls
was taken after an agreement be-
tween the local optionists and the.
| prohibitionfsts.
The passage of these two bills was
not secured until there had been av.
days OF determined fight on both
sides, and while the result was NOT q
surprise, it is generally believed thar
no agreement would have been reach
ed but for the fear of the members
that they would not have been able
to go home Saturday
The stand taken by the prohibitions
lists that the supply bill should not
pass until the prohibition bill ba0
been disposed of was dropped and
the position taken by the local op-
tionists that there would be mo vote.
on the prohibition bill before Satur-
day was receded from.
Thus both sides conceded points
but not until the bill had reached a
stage when it was impossible for it to
pass the senate unless the members
stayed over next week.
The vote on the passage OF bin sS.
which was the test bill and provided
for the closing of dispensaries of the.
State on July 1, 1909, was IS to 40.
the passage of the general prohibi-
tion bill was So to 35.
II became known early in the morn
ing session that there would be an
| agreement reached, and the vote was
not surprise to either side. The only
question confronting the members
was the adjournment Saturday, and
upon this the majority on both sides
were insistent. Therefore, they were
willing to give the prohibition bn1s
right Of way If the supply bill could
be passed, and realizing that every
county in the State was Interested fn
the supply bill and that an extra ses-
sion would be necessary should it not
be passed, an agreement was reached.
Columbia, Feb. 1S.-There are fn-
olcations OF continued fight on pro-
hibition in the senate, although when
the local optionists in the house
agreed to allow vote taken yester-
day it was generally thought that the
General Assembly would quit work.
saturday. In the Senate however.
important bills are being held up i'm
order to learn the strength of the
State-widers.
In the House all is peace and har<-
mony. No objection was made TODAY
to the passage of the prohibition bfIlx
to third reading and these were or
dered sent to the Senate after M. l.
Smith had the clincher applied. II
is stated that both sides are willing
for referendum, but differ as to-
the kind. The prohibitionists favor
a referendum between state-wide.
law straight and the Ansel idea. rhe.
otner side favors same referendum
with such moderation of the Ausea
Idea as would not disturb the prt-~rr
dispensaries in case those countfes.
afterward vote in dispensaries.
The senate spent most Of the morn.
ing debating the lien law repeal hxls
which got to the third reading e.ss
night. The senate refused to kfu th~
Dill and cut out Senator Cliftons
amendment The opponents of re-
peal tried in vain to get exemption
and then county referendums. Final
iy the debate was adjourned until To-
piphf