The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-08-26

some Of the measures for which |
have stood and is some of the work
that I have done for my State and
people.
During my twelve years in the leg
islature l have served upon some Of
! the most important committees of the
house, and I feel that I am familiar
with our government in its various de-
partments, and am prepared to give
the people of the State useful and in
telligent service. I have served as
chairman of several of the most i'm
portant committees, among them the
ways and means committee. This
committee recommends appropria-
tions and requires familiarity with
the financial conditions of the gov
ernment.
Fellow citizens, there are many i'm
portant questions before our people
today for consideration and I desire
to discuss some of them with you, that
you may know my position upon them.
! In the limited time which We have at
our disposal it is impossible for the
candidate to discuss these matters full
ly and with the Intelligence that their
! Importance demands. We are given
sufficient time, however, to state our
position upon them, and enable you to
cast your votes intelligently.
regret. fellow citizens, that the
whiskey question is to be considered
at all in this campaign. 1t has been
the disturbing element in our politics
| for the past twenty years and until the
people of the State are sick and tired
of it. While it's Importance cannot be
questioned, there are other questions
of equal importance and they are
many. I propose to state my posi-
ton briefly upon this question, and
then pass on to other and mightier
subjects.
I am a prohibitionist from practice
and principle. I believe that the next
legislature should enact Statewide
prohibition law, and If I am elected
governor of the State, I promise to
enforce the law without fear or favor
and to the very best of my ability.
have always been a prohibitonist but
advocated the State dispensary as the
method of control best calculated to
effectually destroy the old bar sys-
tenn, and prepare our people for state
wide prohibition. voted for the Brice
act giving the right to county to
vote and declare itself as between
prohibition and the state dispensary.
I have always opposed the county dis
pensary system, because believed it
to be a relic of the old bar system,
and a far more dangerous system than
| the State dispensary. / have declared
in every public and printed utterance
that I have. made that when the time
was ripe and sentiment was suffi-
GENTLY strong to enforce prohibition,
| that I would vote to overthrow the
State dispensary and declare for
Statewide prohibition. I have kept
that promise and wish the overthrow
of the State dispensary. I have work.
ed and voted for prohibition both in
the legislature and in my private ca
pacity since. I have been unanimously
elected by the prohibitionists of the
legislature at the past three sessions
to lead the fight for them, and did so
with all the ability and earnestness
at my command. I was one of the
joint authors of the Statewide law
at the sessions Of 1909 and 1910, and
we succeeded in passing the bill
through the house, but the senate kill
ed it and gave us compromise bill
with reversed local option and is re-
sponsible for the conditions existing
in this State today. Six counties are
selling liquor under that law, and
are nullifying the will of the great
majority who have declared against
the SALE This is undemocratic and is
wrong. These six counties are selling
at the rate of s2,000,000 worth of Ii
quors a year while the twenty odd
counties only sold s4,000,000 worth
last year. Good democracy is majori-
ty rule. An overwhelming majority
Of our people have declared against
the sale of liquor. They have declar-
ed that it is inimical to the cause Of
righteousness to engage in the sale OF
liquor. If it is wrong to sell liquor in
Spartanburg and Union it is wrong tr
sell liquor in Georgetown and Beau
fort. If prohibition is for the best in
terests of the people of Cherokee and
York it is for the best interests of the
citizens of Charleston and Richland.
A majority of the people of South Car
olina are in favor of a Statewide law,
so we should have it. Let US give
prohibition fair trial, and I venture
the assertion that our people will nev-
er return to the sale of liquor in any
manner, shape or form.
Fellow citizens: The Whiskey issue
is clear cut and unmistakable. Local
option as between county dispensaries
and prohibition or prohibition for our
entire State.
While I am uncompromising in my
advocacy Of prohibition for South Car
olina, if elected governor I Will not
veto q local option Dill should the
legislature pass it. I think it proper
for me to take the position, for this
question is an issue before our people,
and their voice should be supreme. I
believe in the rule of the people, and
coo1-on c>iro1,