The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, August 15, 1905, Image 5
LETTER TO TILLIAN
FROM GEO. B. CROMER
HE PROTESTS AGAINST INTRO
DU CTION OF FACTION.
Tilman is Charged With "Shifting
cf Ground."-The Duty of a
Worthy State Leader.
The State.
The following "open letter" to Sen
a.tor Tillman from Hon. Geo. B.
Cromer. of Newberry. has been re
ceived by the State for publication:
Hen. B. R. Tillman.
Dear Sir: I protest against the in
troduction of the tom-tom and the
spirit of faction into the movement
by which the merits of the dispen
sary are to be tested. The tom-tom
is the instrument of the juggler and
factionalism is t+e resort of the poli
tician. The people of this state have
the rig:ht to expect something higher
and better from you. Your recent
letter to Mr. Higgins was a calm.
sane and judicial statement of your
attitude on the dispensary question.
but for this very reason it was dis
tasteful in certain quarters, and you
were accused of straddling. You gave
that letter out a- an expression of
views. and. my name having
.)een kindly stggested by you. I was
asked :o answer it in the New Voice.
I declined t0 do so for the simple
reason that in this county we wisn
to test the dispensary question on
its merits and. e:-efore. desire to
exclude every nossibie phase of
"Till man: in.
Shifting Of Ground.
in the Higgins letter you recog
nized the widespread and well-found
ed belief that the dispensary is cor
rupt in its administration, and that
the present agitation is an expression
of popular dissatisfaction. ' But in
your Edgefield speech you shifted
your ground. and took the position
that the movement is political in sig
nificance and is a covert attack upon
you.
In the Higgins letter you said that
the remedy for the coruption rests
with the legislature: that in the last
legislature the friends and enemies
of the dispensary got together and
did nothing but appoint a committee:
that ever since you were governor
you ihave given advice and made sug
gestions. but that your opinion has
had no weight with the legislature:
and that if the next legislature does
not apply the remedy. you will help
to kill the dispensary.
In your Edgefield speech you said
tnat if the next legislature does not
adopt certain suggestions that you in
tend to make. - u will help to elect
a legislature that will. And you said
by implication at least, that you will
go to the "Reforiners" for that leg
islature.
I appeal from Philip drunk to Phil
ip sober-from the temper of the
Edgefield speech to the tone of the
Higgins letter. In Newberry there
ino disposition :o make an attack
upon you under cover of a movement
against the dispensary. It is not a
political movement. It was begun
in an off year in order that it might
be a test of a zreat moral question.
unclouded by personal and political
considerations. It is not a move
ment of the politicians. but a move
ment of the people. You have dloubt
less noticed that the countes that
were strongly "Conservat:ve" are not
in the movement.
A Duty to South Carolina's Youth.
I do not question your right to
take part in the discussion. Inde
pendently of the fact thTat you are the
author of the system in this state.
it would be strange if you were to
remain sii.ent. By yirt ue of your high
office and of your great influence it
is your duty to speak. but to speak
sanely and tempeiiately as you did
in the Higgins letter. You owe- a
great deal to the youmh of this state.
votr owe them the best that you have
to give. W\hen the dispensary was
first nut on trial there may- have b-en
good reason for an appeal to a fac
tion, but that reason no longer ixists.
Thie system has been on trial for m'ore
-than 12 years. It will soon be voted
on by :hou;sands of men who were
-cnly eight or ninu' y-ears old when it
w~as adopted. When you speak n.ow,
we are entitledl to have ynn speak
from the point of view of statesman
Besides. v-ii .ave to munh sargac
ity to fear That this movement against
the dispensary can endanger your po
litical future. You occupy a large
place in the history of South Caro
lina for the last 15 years, and for a
number of years no rival has challeng
ed your primacy among the political
leaders of the state. Ben Tillman. the
senator representing South Carolina.
can well afford 'to discard the metsh
ods of Ben Tillman the partisan lead
er. I do not mean to be offensive.
Yon know of my appreciation of the
distinguished services that you have
rendered this state in a number of
directions. But I do earnestly pro
test that you have no righ' to befog
this question by lowering it to the
plane of partisan politics.
It Debauches Morals.
That tie administration of the dis
pensary system is corrupt any fool
can see as he runs. But I go farther
than that, even at the risk of having
you charge me with cant and hypoc
risy. ' No mat,ter how high your pur
pose may have been in adopting the
system, in its origin it seems to have
been a cunningly-deviser scheme to
chloroform the public conscience. No
Jesuirical attempt to debauch morals
by using the end to justify the means
could have been more successful, if
the system has been honestly adminis
tered. The corrupt administration
will save us Irom the system itself.
What It Teaches the Children.
Governor Hock of Kansas. tells me,
are rearing a new civilization
here. I believe there are more than
a '1uarter of million of young people
who have never seen a saloon. Pro
hibition is the only logical attitude of
law toward the liquor traffic, and the
whole country will some day recog
nize the fact." "What sort of civ
ilization are we rearing in South Car
olina? Our supreme court, in its
famous decision upholding tihe consti
tutionality of the dispensary law, laid
down the following as a fundamental
proposition and said that if this pro
position is not true the law is uncon
stitutional. "That liquor, in its nature,
is -dangerous to the morals, good or
der. health and safety of the people,
and is not to be placed on the same
footing with the ordinary commodi
ties of life, such as corn, wheat, cot
ton, iobacco, potatoes, etc." Kansas
says to her children, "The liquor traf
fic is dangerous and ought to be pro
hibited." South Carolina says to her
thousands of school children, ''The
liquor traffic is dangerous to the mor
als, good order, health and safety
of the people, and therefore we will
sell liquor and get all the money we
can for the schools." You may call it
cant if you will, but in effect here is
an insidious attempt to wed public
edlucation to the liquor traf6ic. It is
an unholy alliance and God will put
them asunder. We cannot afford to
lower the ideals of our schools. We
must nIot pois.on the fountain that
nourishes the heart and brain of our
people.
Vicious and Dangerous Scheme.
The business of the saloon keeper
wias becoming disrepu.table in this
state. andI saloon keepers were begin
ning to find it difficult to justify the
business in the eyes of their children.
The dispensary system attempts to
make the traffne respectable and repu
table. How can de children in nur
scVols answer the sophistry of the
argument. that whatev'er contributes
to the support of the schools is good
and wise? I lav it down as little
short mt an axiom. that any' restric
ive scheme that Lakes control of a
rafBic that is dangerous to the morals
of the people and controls it in such
a way as -to make it reputable, is a
vicious and dangero~us scheme.
Better Things Than Money.
Let me suggest an historical paral
lel. A great leader wvas commanded to
go down against the Amalakites.
standing for immorality, and destroy
them and theirs utterly. When he
ws called t-o account by the old
prophet and asked what meant the
lowing of cattle and the bleating of
sheep. his lame excuse was that the
people had kept the best of the sheep
and oxen -to sacrifice to the Lord.
The prophet's answer was as swift
and withering as lightning. "Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice."
Sacrifice i~ good. but there are bet
ter :hings than mere sacrifice. The
pr~er:::. n ' a great state wvas corn
re' :: extjr-:ssed at the ballot box.
traffic. And when called to accoun:
it makes the pitiful plea that while
it has not destroyed the traffic
managed it so as to get money for
the taxpayers. Money for the schools
is good, but there are better things
than money for the schools. The
blight of God's curse falls upon the
people that resirt to methods that dull
the public conscience and lower the
tone of public morals.
Appeal That a Patriot Might Heed.
Senator Tillman. the dispensary
syster cannbt help you, and you can
help it only temporarily. It is wrong
in principle and corrupt in practice,
and its doom has been written. By
throwing your powerful influence
against the present agitation you may
save the dispensary for a while. but
it is tottering and must fall. It is
fortunate for you that your reputa
tion rests upon achievements that will
endure. You recall. do you not, the
desire of Jefferson that his epitaph
should remind posterity that he was
the author of the Declaration of In
dependence, and of the bill for re
ligious liberty. and the father of the
University of Virginia. And so his
name is handed down, riveted to civil
libert. and religious liberty, and
higher education. three things that
can never depart from the earth, or
from the love of men. And von. what
would you be remembered by? There
is \\iinthrop. and there is Clemson:
well may you- heart swell with hon
orable pride. And there is. I will
nut name the 'third thing. What true
friend would link your name wiih the
dispensary? What bitter enemy could
desire a worse fate for you than to
have you raised to that bad emi
nence? A wise solution of the liquor
problem is one thing: the dispensary
is another.
What The People Want.
I have very little political ambition,
and no taste for public controversy.
You need not remind me that it is
none of my business to take care of
your reputation. I know that. :But
in a quiet way I have for many years
been doing my best, little as it may
have been, to develop strong, clean,
brave manhood in this state, and it
saddens me to feel that you are
I about 'to let the pride of opinion and
the fervor of debate stand in the way
of a fair and open test of a great
moral question. The people do not
need advice, they need free opportun
ity to vote.
Respectfully,
Geo. B. Cromer.
Newberry, S. C., Aug. II, 1905
W OR K
BY A
Newberry
Steam
Laundry Co.
Just received
2car loads of
Buggies.
I car load of
Wagons.
and a lot of up
to-date and first
class Harness.
All to be hacd at
REASONABL.E PRICES at
A T. BROWN.
Season Tickets Via. C., N. & L.
The Columbia, Newberry and Laur
:ns railroad offers Season Tickets to.
the following points, limited untif
October 31st, 1905:
Asheville, N. C. $7.o=
Alexander 7.35
Arden 6.75
Biltmore 7.0
Brevard 7.9a
Flat Roo]- 6.3c
Fletchers 6.6r
Hendersonville 6.40
Hot Springs
Murphy II.3C
Saluda 6.oc
Swannanot 7-35
Tryon 5.6c
Waynesville 7.80
Lake Waccamaw 9.3
Wrightsville 11.70
Carolina Beach I1.55
Georgetown 8.3c
Conway 10.10
Isle of Palms 7.90
Sullivans Island 7.90
Waterloo 1.95
Cross Hill
Glenn Springs 4.45
Spartanburg 4.10
Greenville 4.05
Parties wishing to purchase tickets'
to points beyond Spartanburg wif
please notify me before the trains are
due, that I may arrange to have ticks
ets ready on their arrival.
For schedules or further informa
tion phone or write,
J. W. Denning, Agent.
Wliat a BarIuI I
A bargain is where a
purchaser obtair.s an
articie at a lower price
than the same article is
usually sold for, or be
low its regular market
value. Now I seldom
use the word bargain,
because it has beers
abused so, but you wil
find that this definition
applies to everything
I offer at a reduced!
price. I am offering
some bargains in pic
tures and pocket books:
Call in and see for your
self and you can calE
them bargains if yotr
wi h, but I call them a:
"sinch" for .you. My
prices are one-fourth
off of the regular price-.
"Ti.e B est O)ne
FIFTH ANNUAL
-: TO :
ATLANTA, GA.
The New York of the South.
-VIA
C. N. & L. and S. A. L. R'YS.
Monday, July 31st, 1905.
$200 ROUN
L onger Return Limit than Ever'
Before.
LEAVE. ROUND TRIJP'.
Little Mountain 8.00 a. mn... . $2.25
Prosperity . . . 8.15 a. mn.. . . $2.00
Newberry . . . 8.30 a. .. . .2.00
Kinards . . . . 8.50 a. mn.. . . 20.
Arrive at Atlanta at 3.00 p. mn.; As
turning, special train will leave Atlant
at 9.00 p. mn. Tuesday, August 1st.
Tickets good to return on regular
trains up to and inciuding Seaboard
train No. 32 leaving Atlanta 1.C0 p. m..
Thursday, August 3d.
For further information and tickets,.
call on any C.N. &L. Agent or
J. W. DNI4InG Ag't Newherry. S. (.
Notice of Election in Newberry
County on the Question of
"Dispensary" or no
"Dispensary."
State of South Carolina,
County of Newberry. j
WHEREAS, the following request
and order has been received by the
Commissioners of Election for the
County and State aforesaid:
OFFICE OF COUNTY SUPERVISOR,
Newberry, S C., July 29, 1905.
Fred H. Dominick, Esq.,
Chairman Commissioners of Election,
Newberry, S C.
Dear Sir:
Whereas, a petition of one-fourth of
the qualified voters of the County of
Newberry has been filed with me as
County Supervisor of Newberry County,
asking for an election on the question
of the removal of dispensaries in the
County of Newberry. Now, by virtue
of the power and authority in me vested
by an Act of the General Assembly, ap
proved on the 25th day of February,
1904, (Acts 1904, page 495) I do hereby
request and order that you call an elec
tion, submitting the question of "Dis
pensary" or "No Dispensary" to the
qualified voters of Newberry County;
said election t' be held on the 29th day
of August, 1905 and to be conducted
as other special elections.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) J. MONROE WICKER,
(Official Seal),
Supervisor Newberry County.
Notice is hereby given that an elec
tion will be held at the several precincts
established by law in Newberry County,
on Tuesday, August 29th, 1905, upon
the question of "Dispensary" or "No
Dispensary.'"
Polls at each voting place will be
opened at seven o'clock, a. m., and
closed at four o'clock, p. m.
The following named persons have
been appointed managers of said elec
tion:
Newberry: W. T. Gaillard, Jno. A.
Summer, Thos. Tarrant.
Helena: B. F. Goggans, J. S. Chal
mers, T. G. Williams.
Newberry Cotton Mill; J. A. Senn,
M. P. Williama, J. M. Guin.
Mollohon Mills: W. 0. Wilson, T. M.
Schumpert, E. Shealy.
Garmany: B. B. Leitsey, T. W. Folk,
Ben F. Cannon.
Mt. Bethel: J. D. Nance, James Ste
phens, S. J. Cromer.
Glymphville: C. L. Leitzey, J. H.
Smith, John A. Cromer.
Maybinton: B. H. Maybin, T. A.
Hawkins, J. J. Thomas, Jr.
Whitmire: F. W. Fant, J. L. Evans,
W. C. Scott.
Cromers: A. C. Sligh, R. L. Abrams,
T. E. Chandler.
Jalapa: H. M. Mayer, A. L. Waters,
Eene Hitt.
Longshore: A. J. Livingston, S. E.
Senn, J. W. Wilson.
Williams: J. B. Scurry, J. S. Werts,
J. W. Matthews.
Utopia: W. L. Buzhardt, J. M.
Nichols, A. L' Thrailkill.
Prosperity: L. C. Merchant, Geo. F.
Huntar, N. A. Nichols.
Hendrix Mill: G. E. Dominick, E. T.
Mayer, W. W. Shealy.
Slighs: C. B. Eargle, E. E. Sligh, J.
W. Long.
Central: J. P. Sheelv, J. L. Stock
man, BS. Wicker.
Little Mountain: J. K. Derrick, J.
N. Feagle, A. C. Wheeler.
Union: M. C. Moore, M. L. Long, J.
D. Quattlebanin
Jolly Street: "Jno C. Wilson, T. E
Stone, J J. Kibler.
Pomaria: G. B. Aull, J. G. Long, B.
H. Counts
Walton: W. B. Graham, J. L. Crooks,
'T. H. Cromner.
St. Philips: W. F. Koon, M. L.
Wicker, W. T Dickert.
On the day of election, the managers
must organize by the election of a
Chairman and a Clerk, if necessary,
which Clerk shall be some person other
than one of the Managers, as no pay
will be allowcd to the same person act
ing in both ca'pacities. The Chairman
elected is empowered to administer
oaths.
The Mar.agers have the power to fill
any vacancy, and if none of the Mana
gers attend, the citizens can appoint
from among the qualified voters the
Managers who, after being sworn, can
conduct the election.
At the close of the election, the Man
agers and Clerk must proceed publicly
to open the ballot boxes and count the
ballots therein, and continue without
adjournment until the same is com
pleted, and make a statement of the
result for the said office and sign the
same.
Within three days thereafter, the
Chairman of the Managers, or some one
designated by the Managers, must de
liver to the Chairman of the Commis
sioners of Election, Fred H. Dominick,
the poll list, the boxes containing the
ballots and written statements of the
result of the election.
One of the above named Managers
for each precinct must call upon the
Chairman of the Commissioners of Elec
tion, Fred H. Dominick, at his office on
Law Range, Newberry, S. C. on Thnrs
day, 24th day of August, 1905, to re
ceive ballot boxes, poll lists and in
structions n t{oMaiNfy.
Chairman.
M. J. LONGSHORE,
J. B. DERRICK,
Commissioners State and County