The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-07-02
MANNING EXPLAINS
LIQUOR SITUATION
says Campaign is Against Law.
less Element, Not Charleston.
ASKS SUPPORT OF PRESS
ieiis Editors He Will Fight Vigor-
ously for Law Enforcement as
Long as He is Governor.

Chick Spring Special to Charleston
News and Courier, June 3O.-Tbe
event of this, the closing day of the
lorty-hrst annual meeting of the
South Carolina Press Association.
was the address delivered before the
association this morning by Governor
Richard l. Manning, in which the
governor dealt fully and frankly with
the liquor situation in Charleston and
with other matters connected with
his Administration, especially the ap-
pointment of DR.. c. Fred Williams as
superintendent of the State Hospital
for the Insane.
That part of his address dealing
with the enforcement of liauor laws.
particularly in Charleston. claimed
probably thirty minutes of his time.
Tor the governor gave the editors a
comprehensive view Of the situation,
its requirements, it's possibilities and
Its difficulties. He stressed three
ideas. First he urged that whole
sale condemnation of Charleston for
and unwarranted. Reviewing briefly
the Charleston situation and the wav
II has been brought about. he made
1t clear that the present campaign for
law enforcement in Charleston is NOT
a campaign against the city or it's
people, for whom the rest of the
state should have the most affection
ate and kindly sentiments, but 4
campaign against a iawless element.
who are in conflict with the best in
terests of the city of Charleston, as
we'll a with the laws of the state.
and who have neither the sympathy
or the support of big part of Char
leston's people.
WITH IMPARTIALITY.
Next Governor Manning, while as
suring the editors that there shall
be no difference in the application of
the law so far as l am concerned to
Charleston and to any other place,
went on to explain to them why it
was impossible to secure sweeping
results in Charleston over night
The long-standing antagonism to the
dlspensary law, the large number of
tigers, as evidenced by the fact that
over four hundred revenue licenses
had been issued for Charleston, the
ease with which liquor could be Sc
cured by blind tigers, so that it was
not necessary for them to keen large
90
business. the opportunities for snug
Cling liquor into the city by water.
the refusal of the grand jury to find
true bills against blind tigers re
gardless of the law and the evil
dence,' were all discussed by the
governor as showing the practical
dlthculties OF the situation.
ASKS SUPPORT OF PRESS.
Thirdly, the governor appealed to
the press, which for years has clam
/ ored for better enforcement of
laws, that it give him now that in
telligent and patient support which
$ based on understanding. He was
not discouraged, he said. and he
urged his audience and through them
,he people of Charleston and the
people OF South Carolina, not to be.
The enforcement of the liquor laws
IN South Carolina, and especially in
Charleston, is being stressed because
OF the braZenness with which this
law has been violated and because
he law itself makes it the special
duty of the governor to see that it is
respected 1t makes no difference
whether the governor is in sympathy
with this law or any other law, If IL
has been put upon the books he ia
sworn to uphold it, and the speaker
said he wanted his fellow citizens to
know that there would be no weak
ening on his part. Turning to what
has already been accomplished in
Charleston, he called their attention
to the fact that some sixty revenue
licenses have been surrendered; that
other blind tigers claimed to have
! cult the business; that the hotels
and clubs have abandoned the open
bar, and that he had received album
dent assurances Of the sympathy and
support of q large and influential