The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-09-01
PROHIBITION.

PROHIBITION.
We predicted some weeks ago 'na'
the whiskey trust would not allow the
election in this State to go by de-
fsult. Their crowd has been busy TOR
sometime trying to make the people
believe that prohibition would have
q walk-over in this State. The ell
fort has been, first to create IN the
minds of the prohibitionists of this
State a feeling of security, and there
fore a lethargy in their efforts, and
secondly, to arouse the entire liquor
interests in the State, just prior. TO
the election to 60 to the polls and
carry the election by storm.
AS we have said in these columns
before, there are a great many peo-
ple in this State, who will vote against
prohibition because they do not be-
lieve in it.. We must respect tn
opinion of these people; though we
cannot understand their position. But
the prohibitionists may rest assured
that these men are not spending their
time in fighting for liquor. A great
many men Of this class do not drink;
personally they care little whether
liquor stays or goes.
The people who r attempting TO
organize this State. and to keep 1t
in the whiskey column, are the blind
tigers and the whiskey trust, their
employees and friends. The people
of the State had as well realize it.
No anti-prohibitionist in Abbeyille:
county is going. around hiring lawyers
to fight prohibition, and the prohibl-
ton election; they r content, here
to vote against prohibition. They
have no Interior object to serve. The
people who want prohibition defeated
in this State are the people who want
to sell liquor in the State. Selling
liquor is their business, and you may
rest assured that these people will
not see business taken away without
an effort on their part to retain it.
They are busy, and they will keep
busy until election day in an effort
to reach the voters and to persuade
them to go to the polls and vote for
liquor.
It is to the credit of even the liquor
crowd that not a man IN the State
can be found who has the face to 60
around the State and speak for
liquor. The time was in South Caro-
lima when men would not hesitate to
do this; but that day has passed. But
the liquor people shall try to reach
the voters in other ways. They will
spend money in advertising; they will
present figures to prove that a State
and a county and a man can get rich
by spending all that the citizen can
make for liquor. The figures of the
liquor trust will prove whatever the
liquor trust wants to prove, you
may be sure of that. But we are not
afraid that the people will be de-
ceived by the money spent by these
people in advertising and in other
ways.
We do fear, however, that the peo-
pie of the State will allow themselves
to be lulled into a state of security,
and the people of the State will be
taken unawares. 1t is time now for
every man in Abbeville county to
look up his registration and poll-tax
and other tax receipts, and get ready
for the fight. We must remember
that this is a statewide election. Char
lesion and other counties will roll up
a heavy vote against prohibition. no
doubt. The people of. this county
must make the majority in this coun-
ty so large as to nullify the result in
some county on the other side. We
can only win by every man putting
mis- hand to the wheel. Get ready!