The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-09-18
PROHIBITION A STATE ISSUE.
Mr.. Harley Ready for State to be
Entirely Wet or Entirely Dry.

Spartanburg, S. c., Sept. II, 1913.
| Editor The Bamberg Herald: AS so
much has been written for the papers
| of our State in regard to the recent
LIQUOR elections, and as there seems
| to be an impression in the minds of
the people that prohibition sentiment
| is on the wane, am asking space in
your paper for a plain statement of
| facts which seem to have been over
looked by all those VINO have been
| writing.
First: There were seventeen coun-
ties in South Carolina which had the
right, under the law, to vote for the
re-establishment of the dispensary
which was voted out four years ago.
In eight of these counties the dispen-
saryites failed to secure the names
of one-third of the qualified voters
on their petitions and no elections
we're ordered. In Abbeville county
the vote was overwhelmingly against
the dispensary. This leaves nine of
the seventeen safe for prohibition.
In the other eight counties where
elections were held only about one
third of the vote was polled for or
against the dispensary, and according
to the returns, it was almost tie in
each of these counties. This means
that only about one-sixth of the quail
fled voters expressed themselves in
favor of the return of the dispensary,
while the other one-siXth expressed
themselves against its return.
This raises the question: Where
does the four-sixths who did not vote
stand?" l am free to say, knowing
the facts as possibly no other man
in the State knows them, that a
large majority of these non-voters
stand for Statewide prohibition.
They are disgusted with the county
option plan and refuse to vote unless
We make state issue.
The argument in counties like Lex
ington, Barnwell, and Sumter, with
vet counties adjoining, was The wet
counties are selling the liquor to our
people and are getting the revenue
while we are getting the drunks and
court expenses" Everybody knows
that this is true and has such weight
that this is true and has such weight
with a number OF men that they
either vote wrong or do not vote at
all. Nevertheless, even in the eight
counties now under discussion, trick
cry had to be practiced to even call
the election in some instances.
In Dorchester county, negro men
were put in the field with petitions
in order that a sufficient number of
names might be secured to call the
election. When this petition had
been filed it was examined by four
dispensary men, the election order
ed, and the petition was sealed with
sealing wax and locked up in an iron
safe. In order that that famous doc
ument might be brought to light and
it's contents be made known to the
public, the anti-saloon league had to
pay a lawyer $50 to secure writ of
mandamus from the court to that
effect. When the petition was open
ed before our committee it was found
to contain the names of many who
we're not Democratic voters. I have
a certificate from the board of regis
tration of Dorchester county stating
that on one page alone they found
the names of forty-eight negroes.
1 am stating these facts that the
people of South Carolina may know
that the superintendent of the anti
saloon league knew what he was talk
ing about when he stated few
months ago that the liquor people
were appealing to negroes and for
eigners in their desperation to recov-
er lost territory.
In Lexington, Sumter, and Will
liamsburg prohibition won and
should be put down as dry territory.
These three counties now have con-
tests before the State board. There
are other reasons which might be
given why prohibition seems to be
on the wane. One is that large
number of voters claim that 1t is
impossible to enforce the law under
the present state administration, that
blind tigers have no fear because they
feel sure of pardons, if convicted.
The governor refuses to appoint pro-
hibition men on the dispensary board
of control in Orangeburg county, but
appoints men who are in sympathy