The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-03-20

Anti-SalOOn League Sends out InfOr-
nation Concerning Fight on Liquor

Spartanburg, :. c., March Is, 1915.
Editor Daily Item:
We think it best to say few things
to the friends of prohibition just at
this time If ever n State had a rea-
Truly we have had wash day. Both
the bills presented by the Anti-Saloon
League ana introduced by our friends
in the house and senate at the last
session of the legislature passed by
overwhelming majorities
The Anti-Saloon bill, taking advan-
tage Of the Webb law, went into effect
March 18th, and was Il surprise to
blind tigers and clubs. The tiger can
no longer get liquor and beer in case
goods, nor by freight. This forces all
! liquor packages through the express
office, in one gallon lots, once a
month, and virtually destroys the jug
trade in regard to beer. AS liquor and
beer can be stored only in private
homes, liquor in the social clubs is
thing of the past.
The referendum bill means that
South Carolina will vote the 18th of
next September on the prohibition
question, making the State the unit
instead Of the county. If the State
votes dry. it will be dry by October
1st, for there will be a rush for a last
supply and every dispensary will be
empty in two weeks. That will wind
up the liquor business in South Caro-
lima and it is joyous to think about.
This should stir the heart of every
man and woman to action This is
the gOal-the end we have prayed and
hoped for so long. But brethren and
friends Of our cause, this means
work, more work and harder work.
Every county in the State must
have good central committee at the
court house and a precinct commit
tee at every precinct. The liquor
forces are already organized and for
several weeks have been circulating
most pernicious literature.
We are to be congratulated that
nearly every local and daily paper is
with us in the fight. 1t is hoped that
: we have nothing to fear from vicious
attacks at least from any paper in the
State.
Our principal trouble will come
from perniciOus methods that the IL
quor trust and it's friends will employ
among negroes, the foreign element
and the ignorant. Our friends must
be on the alert, looking after the reg.
istration of voters, distribution of lit
erature, and organization. The Anti
Saloon League will do all it can, but
) we need your help. Our work just
at this time is in the Piedmont Sec
ton. We have already organized sew
eral counties and have the names OF
committeeman on file in our office
Each man on a county or precinct
committee will receive in the near fu-
ture our manual Of instructions. Ap-
peals for help have been coming in
from different parts of the State. As
soon as we have completed the work
of organization i'm the upper counties
we shall begin in the middle and
lower parts of the State
If our friends who have already
made subscriptions to our work will
send in their dues it will aid us much
in distributing literature as we'll as in
other ways. We are getting good as
Of WoffOrd college and Hon. Hariot
Clarkson of Charlotte, n. c., in our
public meetings on Sunday. We have
ALREADY arranged with DR.. James Can
non, Jr., of Richmond, Va, the lead
er of the Virginia forces last Year, to
come to this State in June.
We had hoped to make South Car
olina the 16th dry State, but three
other States have gone dry by legisla-
tive enactment, to become dry jan
uary 1, 1916, so we must be content
to take the 10Th place
Our slogan is Three to one for
prOhibitiOn." Send this down the line
and work to that end. Our motto is
Reorganization, agitation, education,
victory!'
(Signed) j. l.. Harley,
State Supt. Anti-Saloon League.