Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-12-13

Unquestionably were tho lines to
bo drawn tightly on the question Of
prohibition or Democracy, our State
would split. There are many Demo-
crat, who would stand by The Demo-
cratic party even to going to the
length Cor depth) Of cspousing the
liUour cause. There arc also many
who would separate themselves from
the De aOcralic part should that par
ty become the eXpur.- mt Of the prin-
ciplcS advocated by the liquor elc-
mont. There is another portion of
the party that would "sit on the
fence" never letting it be known how
they stood as between a great mora!
question and party aniliation, dodg-
ing the question and seeking TO de-
ccvc the public by claiming allC-
glance TO both sides. This is the poll
tician class. Personally, the editor
OF this paper considers this class the
most dangerous aud most dospica bic
Of Anymore so than the open ndvO-
cate OF liquor
It is equally uMQucstionahlc ac-
corHing 10 our belief, that such a di-
vision would be an unhappy and fate
full OcCurreuCC---nO do we believe
that Southern Democracy will ever
stOOp TO aligning itself with the
Liquor interests for the sake OF Win
ming elections in the various States.
Nationally, the proposition is to
us unthinkablc The Democratic
party is absolutely helpless without
"thc solid South" and for the nation
al party to adopt liquor platform
would mean the DETECTION OF such Il
large portion OF tho marty in the
South as TO render the South's aid to
tho party II negligible quantity.
True, there is a large per centage
OF the people Of the South who op-
pose prohibition, not so much on the
grounds Of moral issue, but on the
misguided belief that prohibition is
a moral principle that abridges the
individual liberty Of tho citizen. The
prohibition laws are to our social
life what the Ten Commandments are
and always have been and always
will he warnings against the doing
Of certain things that are detrimcn-
tai alike 10 tho individual and 10 tho
community and TO the nation. "'rhou
shalt nOt!' These arc the awful and
harrowiug words that bring out the
strength that is contained in The Ten
Commandments. The prohibition
laws are simply additional com
muLdmcnts' growing out Of the con-
aitiONS incident to i.tttcr-day civili-
ZatiOn. sO-callcd, that demands ihat
which is harmful and detrimental.
BOth OF tho great parties Of our ma
lion know that when they mrdllC
with the liquor or prohibition GucS-
iinn they arc handling the dynamite
that is sure to blast them. Therefore
there Will be no party alignment on
the side OF liquor. either by the Dem
Ia, u.
would amount 10 party suicide~--no
more ana no less Therefore we need
nave no fear, We think, OF facing the
proposition Of either deserving tho
Democratic party in order TO hold to
our moral principles as prohibitions
i2r#, nor vet OF having TO swallow Il
IGuOr platform to retain our Dem
ocraCy. The principles involved in
tho prohibit on idea arc too deep
rooted ana grounded in our nation
TO ADMIT ni party interference. Per-
S0naliE should the ti,Nn come when
thc Democratic party might adopt an
anti-prc hibition platform, that would
mark inc date Of our refusal to vote
the Democratic ticket, even though
We have never voted any other
And there arc enough others of the
same way Of thinking to cifcctually
scotch any thought in the national
parties OF making such a change Of
front.
We may never have prohibition
party in power in this country. but
mat partN--a largo clement within
~" honNs Of the two Great po''lfcn1
parties OF our nAtUn-has 1ccum-
rhshcd more for national righicous-
moss and political cleanliness than
either OF the two parties that have
exercised control these many years.
1t constitutes "the invisible power
behind tho throne"
On, ,,t1,t oil, 4