The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-29
THE STATES REFORMATION

The following editorial appearing
IN The State Christmas morutng ar
gues complete change i: font in the
matter OF prohibition, Or, rather this
coupled with the entire absence of at
tack on the prohibitionists during
several moons. How newspaper with
the standing The State has in South
Carolina can afford to line up with
this liquor gang, composed as It is
tot 80 many men like It speaks of in
the editorial reproduced, is hard to
comprehend. and we believe that both
The State and The News and Courier,
tne two notable, and only examples
OF daily newspapers In the State, who
oppose the referendum of the liquor
Question to the voters Of the State at
special election to be l,ld sor.s
time next year. will finally line up for
1t. and como out with the South Caro-
lima congressman who presented such
a solid front IL Washington when the
matter was voted upon recently.
The following editorial is commend
Cd FOR the perusal of our readers.
Whatever may be ones opinion OF
the merits OF the prohibition amend
ment proposed In Congress and its
present fate. one is embarrassed in
scassius il. the extreme difficult.
IN Gefendtng the manufacturer and
sale OF intoxtcants flows from tho
netnods and character Of the sellers
and manufacturers.
That the whfskey business Is q most
iniquitous and corrupting influence in
american politics is ipdisputable.
when Mr. Bryan brings forward that
Indictment, no one can anewer it.
Were wine. whiskey and beer mer-
chants and makers no more than
merchants and manufacturers, were
their behavior towards the govern
ment OF kind similar to that OF cloth
sellers and makers, Legislative assault
uFon them would muster armies of
voters and newspapers in their de-
tense. but they are. as q rule, as ac-
tive In politics as in business. They.
are Sports" and "heelers," their shops
are the headquarters and commissair-
at Tor the worst md most deprayed
political movements.
In European countries the case is
different. The wine merchant in
Paris is no more q politician than
is tho glove merchant He is o mer-
chant and nothing else. In Now York
ne is o Tammany Congressman's lieu
tenant or in Philadelphia his gros-
shop Is an. outpost for Boies Penrcse's
iar spreading and carefully organized
gang" - =
Should national prohibition prevail
IN Congress within the neJt few years,
the victory will be due 10 the en-
forced neutrality OF tho voters who
question Its wisdom and expediency:
who are disgusted with the whiskey
traffic not 80 much that II is q traffic
In whiskey as that whiskey 10 sold by
such trafflckers. .s8.- =
. To be sure. there are numbers OF
wine and whiskey merchants In the
unt:ed states who do not belong 60
this class. One may buy -four. cOiee,
ra1sins and rye liquor by the case
from the same shop In Baltimore and
the seller is the same type man that
sells flour. coffee. and, raisinB and NO
rye liquor In Columbia. That type of
seller unfortunately does not define
and fix the character OF the whiskey
businefss It is the galoohkeeper and
the brewer who owns the saloon who
dedIe the business and, pursuing q
policy conceived In stupidity and sure
ly carrying them to diBaster. under.
take to ,defile tho government making
It subsidiary to Whiskey interests,
In South Csrnlint q few years ago
o number OF excellent citizens, In
tensely rese,itful against prohibition,
helped 70 eto In o State government