The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-12
W. D, GRlST REFUSES TO
SUPPORT QUART Oh PINT

a
am not tying up with any parry.
that tries to compromise" says MI.
w. D. Grist, editor of the lorA'l'io
enquirer, to Mr. }. K. Breedln, sup ~
intendent OF the anti-saloon league, IL
reply to a letIer from Mr.. breeui-'
urging Mr.. Grist to come out strong
lv edltorIally" in favor % "a reouI-
ton 10 a quart, Will s>ne.ai tlshl-
eA-ng OF loose places.
81 have not Liked the way the anu
saloon league has conducted itself III
uolitics, says Mr.. Grist. 1T mas
seemed to assume that fighting Blease
was fighting liquor.
A striking sentence in Mr.. Grlsl 5
letter is tnat right today Cole Blease
is a better prohiuitionist than Rlcnard
l. Manning" and that tine prohlol-
ton laws wsre better enforced ID
York county during mis- administrator
than during the administration OF any
previous governor within my recoi-
lection. which goes back to Danlel
Chamberlain
Mir. Grist has occasionally supported
prohibition, in the columns OF MS pa
per, the Yorkville Enquirer, one OF the
leading newspapers not only of South
Carolina, but nWSpaper which at
tracts attention throughout the coun-
try on account of its real merit. his
letter to Mr.. Breedin, just on the eve
OF the session of the general assembly
in view of the liquor discussion which
will engage a considerable part of the
time of that body, will be read with
general interest througout the State.
me correspondence is as follows:
2. Il. Breedin's Letter.
"Mr. w. D. Grist, York, S. C..
''My Dear Mr.. Grist:
"The food of liquors of the Christ
mas week has so disguised every one
that we have our best opportunity
to strike for either absolute prohlDl-
ton or a drastic reduction. l think
a reduction to quart, with general
tightening of loose places, about as
far as may be expedient. oSme who
are willing for that are willing to
concede three gallons Of beer. l think
that dangerous concession.
"This is not beer drinking State.
and I think the result would be to
make beer popular and respectable
and to promote beer parties at every
crossroads.
please come OUT strongly editor
tally in the next two issues and the
cumulative effect will accomplish
much.
Cordially yours,
"J. K. BREED1N.
Z The Answer.
Mr.. CRISIS reply is as follows:
"Mr. J. K. Breedin, Superintendent
Anti-Saloon League, Columbia, S. c.
Dear Sir:
@'I have your letter of the 2Sth.
II am for prohibition first, last and
all the time; but | am a free lance
On this subject as on most other ques-
tions.
~ have never been in toucn with the
anti-saloon league, or affiliated with
it in any way.
''My reasons are like this: Whether
am a newspaper man or not, I have
no desire to be ANYTHING else, and the
idea that any kind Of an organization
suggest my editorial conduct is posi-
lively unthinkable. My gospel is that
a newspaper should be the freest thing
on earth, and | try to live up to that
gospel.
@'When Howard Carlisle introduced
the gallon-a month bill, something
told me editorial intuition,) that the
idea had its origin with the mail order
liquo~ houses, and although l have no
proof it would take some strong
sworn testimony 10 prove otherwise
''To me. any kind Of concession
to either liuuor or the liquor inter
est is unthinkable-worse than that it
is-we1l won't say.
''I have not liked the way the anti
saloon league has conducted itself in
politics.
at has looked to me like 1t has
StOOQ more LOT the Olu So-CdIleu Cou-
servative crowd than it has for pro-
hibition. 1t has seemed to assume that
fighting Blease was fighting liquor,
and it seems to try to line the prohi-
bitionists up against Blease on that
theory.
"I have made as much sacrifices for
prohibition as any man in South Car
oline. The Enquirer once was des->
troyed by an incendiary fire in. 1850
because of our opposition to liquor.
az have been thugged and almost
killed because of enemies growing In
directly out of the same thing
az am everlastingly keeping my eyes
skinned, even now, on the lookout for
former tigers and prescription-selling
doctors who hate me because / viii
not allow thom to become respectable
in the wealth they have ACCUMULATED
through violation of the liquor laws.
Right today Cole Blease is a bet