The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-12-16
CAMPAIN LAUNCHED
FOR PROHIBITION
To Ask for an Election In
September.
COMMITTEE APPOINTED
FOR EACH PRECINCT
Petitions will DO Circulated All over
tho County in Conjunction with 9th
er Counties MemOrializing the Leg.
islature to Order an Election.


Pursuant to a call issued several
days ago by several citizens interested
in the campaign already launched in
Columbia for statewide prohibition, a
meeting Of representative citizens was
held in the court house Monday morn
Ing wherein the hopes and aims of the
prohibitionists were discussed and
plans formulated to wage determined
campaign in this county. The sense
of the meeting was that immediate
plans should be confined to the active
circulation Of petitions among the
qualified voters and other citizens"
memorializing the legislature to or
der an election on the question of
statewide prohibition to be held in
September 1915. The meeting went on
" record as endorsing the movement for
statewide prohibition, SO the activi-
ties, of the organization will doubtless
be extended SO as to embrace the ac-
tive conduct Of the campaign preced-
ing the anticipated election.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. G. B. Bobo. Permanent organ
ization was perfected by the election
Of Mr.. Bobo as chairman and Rev. T.
w. Munnerlyn, of Gray Court. as sec
retary. Mr.. Bobo stated the cause Of
the meeting, saying that 1t was intend
ed as part Of the general campaign
already inaugurated to bring about
statewide prohibition in South Caro-
ts7ina.""He mentioned the conference Of
prohibition leaders held in Columbia
on October 22nd, when it was definite
ly decided to launch the campaign in
1915 at a time when the people would
be free from political excitement, thus
ensuring the unbiased and unpreju-
diced discussion and vote on the mea-
sure which It's social rather than po-
litical aspect demanded. In the fall
OF 1915, he said, there will be no cleo
ton of any kind and the people will
be free to consider the case without
having It confused with political is-
sues. He stated that the plan agreed
upon was to circulate petitions in ev-
cry county OF the state memorializing
the Legislature to order an election on
the question In September.
The question being given to the
meeting for discussion. Rev. H. L.
Baggott introduced a motion endors-
ing the movement for statewide pro-
hibition, at once placing the organiga-
tion in sympathy with the movement
already begun. The motion was Sec
onded and passed. A motion intro
duced by Rev. J. r. It. Major was pass
ed providing that q committee Of three
citizens be selected in each voting pre-
cinct to circulate the petitions al
ready drawn up and now in the hands
OF the chairman. An executive COM
mittee, composed Of Messrs. C. B.
Bobo, A, G. Todd, j. f. Tolbert, John
D. Childress and NJ. j. 0wihgs, was
elected to appoint these precinct com
mittees and to look after other work
generally undertaken by executive
committees. The executive committee
was selected from the city Of Laurens
because OF the central location.
In the discussion Of the probable
spirit in which the legislature would
receive the petitions for an election in
September. Ex-Representative H. s.
Blackwell stated that from his experi-
ence in the legislature he felt that a
petition numerously signed, showing
that considerable body Of the peo-
pie desired to express themselves on
the question, the legislature would
consider itself obligated to order the
election.
DR.. L. M. Roper, formerly OF this
county but now OF Petersburg. Va,
was present at the meeting and dur
ing, an Interim while committee was
comforting, spoke Briefly on the cam.
paign recently waged in Virginia
where the prohibitionists won the
election by large majority He said
that the Virginia prohibitionists did
what the South Carolina prohibitions
lists have started out to do, hold
the election at time when po-
litical issues would not compli-