The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, August 24, 1905, Image 5
AN OPEHJLETTER.
From Hon. George B. Cromer to
Senator B. R. Tillman
ON THE DISPENSARY.
- s. Mr. Cromer Appeals to Senator Tillman
to Leave Out Factional Politics
When he Discuses the Whiskey
Question, Which He Claims
Is a Moral Issue. ^
The Hon. George B. Cromer, former
president, of the Newberry College, has
addressed the following open letter to
Senator B It. Tillman:
The lion. B. it. Tillman.?Dear
Sir: 1 protest agiiust the introduction
of the torn*torn and the spirit of faction
into the movement by which the
merits of the dtsDensarv are to he test
ed. T.ae tom-tom is the instrument of
the juggler and factionalism is t^e re
tort of the politician. The people of
tills State have the right to expect
something higher and better from y< u.
Tour recent letter to Mr. Higgles was
a calm, sane and Judical statement of
your attitude on the dispensary question,
bui^ for this very reason it was
dista8< fufln certain quarters, and you
were accused < f straddling. You gave
that letter out aa an expression of
your views, and, my name having been
kindly suggested by you. I was asked
to answer It In the New Voice. 1 declined
to do so for the simple reason
that in this county we. wish to test
the dhpen ary q lestion on its merits,
and, therefore, oesire to exclude every
possible phase of "Tdlmanism,"
In the Higgins letter you recogniz
ed the widespread and well-founded
belief that the dispensary is corrupt
in its administration, and that the
present agitatiou is an expression of
popular dissatisfaction. Hut in your
Edgetlold speech you shifted your
ground, and took the position that
the movement is political In significance
and is a covert attack udou you.
Ili the nfiggins letter you said that
the remedy for the coriuptiou rests
with the Legislature; that In t.he 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 have
given advice and made suggestions, but
that >our 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.
BY IMPLICATION.
In your Edgetield speech you said
that if the next Legislature does not
adopt certain suggestions that you Intend
to make, you will help to elect a
Legislature that will. And you said,
by implication at least, that you will
go to the Reformers for that Legislature.
1 appeal from Fhilip drunk to Philip
sober?from the temper of the
Edgetield speech to the tone of the
"I r I i 1 4 ... ^ T "NT -? r*. Vi IMS... fhm./. 1.
Ill^i tin iUtlA'l. jlli nonuoujf uucic ir>
no disposition to make an attack upon
you under cover of a. movement against
the dispensary. It is not a political
movement. It was begun In an olT
year in order that it might be a test
tf a great moral question, unclouded
by personal and political considerations.
It is not a movement of the
politicians, but a movement of the
people. You have doubtless noticed
that the counties that were strongly
4'Conservative" are not in the movement.
1 d > not question your right to take
part in toe discussion. Independently
of the fact that you are the author
the system In this State, it would be
strange if you were to remain silent.
By virtue of your high olll le and of
your great irdluence it is vour duty to
speak?but to speak sanely and temperately
as you did in the Biggins letter.
You owe a great deal to the
youth of this state; you owe them the
best that you have to give. When the
dispensary was iirst put on trial there
may have been good reason for an ap'
peal to a faction, but that reason no
longer exists. The system lias been
on" trial more than twelve years. It
will soon be voted on by thousands of
men who were only eight or nine years
- v - -1 TIT U
oia wnen it was auopieu. v*nuu yua
speak now, we are entitled to have
you speak from the point cf view of
statesmanship and not of partis in politics.
l^rU)ANGBH TO TILLMAN.
Bel v'jPyou have too much sagacity
to f&a'that this movement against
the dispensary can endanger your political
future. You occupy a largo
place in the history of South Carolina
for the last fifteen years, and for a
number of years no rival has challenged
your primacy among the political
leaders of the State. Ben Tillman, the
Senator representing South Carolina,
can well afford to discard the methods
of Ben Tillman the partlsin political
leader. I do not mean to be offensive.
You know of my appreciation of the
distinguished services that you have
rendered this State in a number of directions.
But 1 earnestly protest that
you have no right to befog this ques
tlon by lowering it to the plane of
partisan politlos.
feu That the administration of the dlsflP
pensary system is corrupt any fool oan
W see aa he runs. But 1 go farther than
W that, even at the risk of having you
charge me^ith cant and hypocrisy.
No matter how high your purpose may
have been in adopting the system, in 1
its origin it seems to have been a oun
ningly-devised scheme to chloroform
the public conscience. No Jesultioal
attempt to debauoh morals by using
the end to justify the means oould
have teen more successful if the system
had been honestly administered.
The corrupt administration will save
us from the system itself.
Governor liooh, of Kansas, tolls us:
"We are rearing a new civilization
bere: I believe there are more than
a quarter of a million young reople
who have never seen a saloon. Probi
bltion is the only logical attitude of
law toward the liquor traffic, and the
whole country will some day recognize
the fact." What sort of civilizatii n
are we rearing in South Carolina? Our
Supreme Court, in its famous decision
upholding the Constitutionality of the
dispensary law, laid down the follow
ing as a fundamental proposition and
said that if this proposition is not true
the law is unconstitutional: "That
liquor, in its nature, is dangerous to
ttie morals, good order, health and
safety of ti e peop-e, and is not to be
placed on the same footing with the
ordinary comm' dlties of life, such as
corn, wheat, cotton, tobacco, potatoes,
etc. Kansas savs to her chlldr n:
"The liquor traffii is dangerous and
ought to be prohibited." South Carolina
says to her thousands of tc ?onl
children: "The hquor traffic ia dangerous
to tbe morals, good order,
health and saMy of the people, an
thert fore we wbl sell l'.quwr and ge?
all the money we cm for tbe schools."
You may oall it cant If you will, but
in eileot here is an ioaldioua attempt
10 wt*d public education to the liquor
tn ill >. It is an uuholy alllauco aid
God will put theoa ai under. Wo cannot
afford to lower the idt als of our
schools. We must not poison the fountain
that noui lbhea the heart and brain
of our people.
WAS HHXJOMING DISKKPUTAHLH5.
The business of the srloon keeper
was becoming disreputable in this
State, and saloon keepers were begin
nil g to tind it d ffic.dt to justify the
business In the eyes of tlielr children.
The dispensary system attetr.pis to
make the tratll j respectable and repu
table. How can the children In our
schcols answer the sophistry of the
argument that whatever contributes
to the support of the school is good
and wise? L lav it down as little short
of an axiom that any restrictive schemethat
takes control of a tr3 tilc that is
danger* us to the morals of the people,
and controls it in such a way as to
make it reputable, is a vicious an.1
dangerous scheme.
Let me suggest an historical parallel.
A great leader was commanded to
go down against the Amalakltes.
standing for immorality, and destroy
them and theirs utterly. When he wa>called
to 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
lightning: ''Behold, to obey is better
than sacrifice." Sacriiice is good, bui
thr reare better things than mere sac
rltice. The Government of a great
State was commanded by the moral
sense of the people, expressed at the
ballot box, to go down and desfcroj
the liquor traffic. And when called to
account it makes the pitiful plea that
while it has not, -stroyed the tratllc
it lias managed lb jo as to got moue>
for the taxpayers. Money for the
schools is go 3d, bub there are better
things than money for the schools.
The blight of God's curse falls upon
the people that resort to methods that
dull the public conscience and lower
the tone of public moials.
it cannot help you.
Senator Tillman, the dispensary system
cannot 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, hut it is
tottering and must fall. It is fortunate
for you that your reputation 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 Independence,
and of the bill of religious liberty, and
the father of the University of Virginia.
And so his name is handed
down, riveted to civil liberty, and religious
liberty and higher education,
three things that can never depart
from the earth or from the love of
men. And you, what would you be remembered
by? There is Wlnohropand
there Is CJlemson; well may your heart
swell with honorable pride. And there
is?I will not name the third thing.
What true friend would link your
name with the dispensary? What bitter
enemy could desire a worse fate
for you than to have you raised to
that bad eminenceV A wise solution
of the liquor problem Is one thing; the
riisnensrirv Is another.
I have very little political ambition,
and no taste for public controversy.
Yi,u 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 1 have for many years
been doing my best, little as It may
have been, to develop strong, clean,
orave manhood in this State, and it
saddens me to feel that you are about
to let 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 opportunity to vote.
Respectfully, Gkohok B. Cromkk.
Newberry, August 11, 1905.
Ijoat Mis Hand,
As a result of drinking Asheville liquor
in two great an abundance and
sleeping beside the railway track David
Payoock, a Union, S. O., negro, Is
In the Mission Hospital minus his left
band, says the Asheville Citizen.
> ?
V hi
*
HE DENIES IT.
Senator B. R. Tillman Replies to
Dr. G. B. Cromer's Letter.
DEFINES POSITION.
Says He Hag Not Nor Does He Intend to
Appeal to Factionalism, but Asserts
that the Leaders Are Fighting
Him While Fighting the
Dispensary.
The IIou. George B. Cromer.?My
Dear Sir: As your "open letter" appealed
In Toe Sunday News and lutoda>'s
State I presume you expect an
vn-awer through the same medium.
I desire, In the beginning, to -express
my appreciation of ytuf kindly
and complimentary alio dons to my*eif.
1 value them mure highly became
in the past you have not been
my political friend.
I have read joir letter carefully
*.nd hove er d avored to Judge your ar
guments and weigh the p .iut.s you
present us sanely as may be. It Js
lot always possible for men to agree,
veo though both are actuated by the
highest and purest motives, and it Is
' ben fore natural that you shouM
misjudge me in some things and disa
gree with me In others.
Now shout the appeal to factionalism*
I fll 11V fth?nlllt".r>lt7 l.liul. 1 haiio
made such an appeal or intend to
make such an appeal, and In justification
of the truthfulness of this statement
let me remind you of what 1
sa'd at Elgetiold. To quote: "1 do
not wish to revive factionalism and 1
am sorry to have the appearance of
doing so." "I am aware that many
>f the strongest supporters of the dls
peusary now are men who were and
are yet probibly Conservatives, while
some of its most bitter antagnists are
former R.-jfotm?rs. It, therefore, oanuot
be charged that 1 am endeavoring
to draw the old lines which rent the
Stale in twain." Again, "1 want
this matter settled entirely apart
from my personal and political for
tunes. It is a much greater question
for the people of South Carolina as to
how they shall wisely and best govern
the sale of l'quor than as to
whether 1 or some one else represents
them in the Senate. I kuow there
are many m m who will vote for me
regardless of their former political affiliations
and of their present attitude
on this question, and it is probable
that there will be many who will be
aggrieved at my activity in dealing
with the question."
ONLY A CASK OF SKLF- DEFKNCJBJ.
When a public man is viciously attacked
wi.h slander and abuse
and there is every indication of
a purpose to press that attack in the
next Democratic primary with a view
to his overthrow, it seems to me it is
perfectly legitimate for Liui to give
notice to his fric ds and his enemies
alike of what is going on, and let all
understand that he is prepared to
tight. This is all I have done and so
far from expecting to make a plea to
the Reformers as >ou charge to he my
purpose by "implication," 1 have ex
pressly salt! that the old lints cou d
not be drawu and I want the issue
settled entirely apart from my personal
and political fortunes.
When I wrote my letter to Mr.
Iligglns I merely alluded to the "true
in7*ardness" of this movement, which
1 then realized was being engineered
bv my Inveterate political enemies.
You seem to be aggrieved because I
have shifted position fr m the "sane
and juiiclal attitude of the Higgins
letter," and now take the ground that
the movement is political and a covert
attack upon me. Your assertion is
too sweeping, my dear Doctor. The
"movement" against the dispensary
ammg the people arises from the dissatisfaction
with the management
and strong belief in corruption which
exists, but while the people are fighting
the dispensary either to purify or
destroy it, the leaders are lighting me.
You may not be. In fact 1 know you
are not, and probably there are many
others who have not such feeling or
purpose, but look at the numerous
evidences of the political purpose and
significance of the movement in the
minds of the leaders. One of those
who attended the Prohibition Conference
in Columbia declared it to be the
Intention to "tilt the State up on
edge and spill out not only the dispensary,
but the existing political
status." The Darlington News declared
that the "dispensary was so
intimately interwoven with Senator
Tillman's political fortunes that the
destruction of the. one nrmant t.ha ria
struction of the other."
The mass meeting held at Yorkvllle
on the 7th of this month, under the
leadership of the author of the Brice
bill, discussed and abused me a great
deal more than they discussed the dispensary
or prohibition, and each and
every speaker opened his mouth in
many respects to me in the harshest
and most Insulting manner. Since it
will not be dented that the anti-dispensary
forces are an Incongruous and
In many respects antagonistic aggregation,
ministers of the Gospel, doctors
of divinity, advocates of high
license, the old bar room system in its
essence?blind tigers, who want free
liquor for the money they can make
out of it, and yet with this army in
motley, led by^men with all manner
of opinions, and marshalling its foroes
for my destruction, you, my dear
I.!-- /
Doctor, tell me tbat I must remain
quiet, oontinue the same "calm, judicial,
sane attitude assumed In the
Illgglns's letter" and not let the people
know what Is going on.
TIIAT "CHANGE OF POSITION."
I stated in that letter if the Legislature
did not apply the remedy for
the existing evils in the dispensary
management that 1 would help kill
the dispensary. Moro mature thought
and a better understanding of the
purpose of the anti-dispensary leaders
led me to givo notice that if that Legislature
did not apply the remedy I
would *ppnal to the people to elect a
Legislature that would.
Is there auything wrong In that?
Anything Immoral, or unstatesman
like? If 1 had remained steadfast In
that position would not all the intlueDces
that are possible be brought to
bear to keep the Legislature from
doing anything, especially dolug
things which I suggest? If the Legislature
now in otllce could be thus Influenced,
cajoled and coerced to res'st
reformatlou under the specious plea
that It was at my dictation and 1 had
quietly fallen In ranks to help kill the
dispensary without lirst appoaling
from the Legislature to the people, do
you not see that 1 would have tied
my owu hands and surrendered at discretion
to my worst enemies?
L had to deal with one "driftwood"
Legislature once, and I appealed to
too people to reform it, which they
did most effect ually by retiring most
of H ose who had prevjn false to their
professions and pledges, to private
life.. The present Legislature was
not elected on the dispensary issue,
and is a very conservative body of
men, end with so much uoliMcal elec
tricity in the atmosphere and so much
thundering against the dispensary, it
may well pause ere It takes any action.
The disclosures at Spartanburg will
undoubtedly.cause It to do something,
hut whether It will do anything elTectual
or not remalus to be seen.
1 wish to say here and now, as
though In parenthesis, the result of
this tight, as far as I am personally
concerned, gives mo no uneasiness
whatever. The ollice of Senator does
not belong to me, but It belongs to
the pe.oplo and they will have the
right next year to choose my successor,
and 1 will bow to their will, whatever
it may he, without a murmer. 1
do not believe that the fall of the dispensary
nocL-Hsariaby means my fall.
1 do not sec what association there is
or could possibly be between the dispensary
question and the position
which I have taken upon it and my titness
for the high ottlce which 1 hold.
If ray health continues good 1 shall
ask the people to continue me In the
place, not because I am the father of
the dispensary, but because of my service
in Washington. I am not uneasy
in the least. So much for that
branch of your letter.
LiqUOR DIIINKING NOT IMMORAL.
Now let us come to the dispensary
sary question and vour treatment of
it. You quote, with great uuctlon,
from the decision of our Supreme
Court, "That liquor in Its nature is
dangerous t<? the morals, good order,
health and safety of the people, and
is not to he placed on the same footing
with the ordinary commodities of
life, such as corn, wheat, cotton, tohncrvi
tvif-.utv.nu " t t
, oi,u. A yrifiLl X llcXU
that decision before me so that I could
give lbs essence in brief form rather
than Lake an isolated sentence. You
are too good a lawyer not to know
that the State could have nothing to
do with the liquor tralllc were It not
fur the exercise of the police power
which rests upon the right of the
State Govornorient to control or forbid
any and every thin# which concerns
the morals and health of the people;
and right here Is where we part company
in dealing with the question.
The prohibitionists In general, and
you, my dear Doctor, as one of their
leaders, arc thoroughly imbued with
the belief that liquor drinking is dangerous
to the morals, good order,
health and safety of the people, and
you would therefore forbid its sale iu
any way as a beverage and would limit
its me to medicinal, pharmaceutical
and mechanical purposes. South Carolina
declares in the dispensary law
Itself:
"The manufacture, sale, barter or
exchange, receipt or acceptance for
unlawful use, delivery, storing and
keeping In possession within this State
of any spirituous, malt, vinous, fer
mented, brewed, (whether lager or
rice beer,) o* other liquors; any compound
or mixture thereof, by whatever
name called or kuown, which
contains alcohol and is used as a beverage,
except as is hereafter provided,
is hereby prohibited under a penalty
of not less than three nor more than
twelve months at bard labor in the
State Penitentiary, or pay a line of
not less than 8100 nor more than 8500,
or both line and imprisonment, in the
discretion of the Court, for each ofAll
? 1 I H * ....
juurte. ah aiuonouc liquors in tills
State, whether manufactured within
this State or,else where, not having
been tested by the chemist of the
South Carolina College arid found to
be pure and free from poisonous, hurtful
and deleterious matters, are hereby
declared to be of a detrimental
character, and their use and consump
tion are against the morals, good
health and safety of the State, etc."
In the judgment of the Legislature,
which enacted the law as a compromise,
the dispensary system would
bring about the best results. You
and your friends make of this question
a religious Issue, while the supporters
of the dispensary law consider
it a political Issue, and the people of
the State have six times by overwhelming
majorities sustained such
view. You and your friends have
time and time again presented your
ideas and pressed them with vigor and
ability, hut the voters have not seen
it as you did.
LIQUOR MONKY IN THK SCHOOLS.
I would he the last man to lower
the Ideals of our schools. I would be
the last man to throw temptation In
the way of any one, young or old. I
would bi the last man to teach any
child that liquor is not dangerous;
but is it the duty of a statesman to
hobble the devil, so to speak, when
ho can't be chained, or is it his duty
to simply Hay he wants to see him
hobbled or chained and then let him
loose? The dispensary law nroperly
administered does reduce drunken
ness. It dors conduce to temper inoe
and good morals, and teaches men the
uses of hqu >r rather than the abuses
of it. Tnafc the State board of control
is now under suspicion of corruption,
with many things pointing to
the belief that the suspicion Is well
grounded, and that the local dlspen
sers have been debauched, because of
the lax administration or maladministration
of the law, proves nothing.
I'ope long Rinco epitomized this whole
subject In that well known couplet:
"About forms of law, let fools contest,
That law which is best administered is
best."
And our not agreeing on the dispensary
question and the li iuor question
comes from the fundamental dif
ferenoe of opinion as to how it is b sb
to p >11 co the liquor traillc. The l'roliibltiODists
declare It is sinful to
drink In moderation, wine or whiskey,
while a large majority of ui cannot
see any foundation In morals or religion
for any such c intention. Everybody
recognizes tho evil of drunkenness,
and now to miulmlza or to nrovent
it is the whole question. You
I.IUIl .1. - 1 ~ I *
n*\y muuiniii UilU 1 ttrty KtMl Uy
bonded officers, under stringent regu
lutions, In the daytime only, and have
the law enforced. The profit which
is an incident and not a purpose In
this sale, to go where it is most needed;
that is, into the school fund of
the State. It would make no difference
if it went into the fund of the
general treasury, and the school fund
increased from other sourc28. Hut
that is a subterfugo. No one drinks
any more or patronizes the dispensary
because the prolits go to the school
fund. I cannot see any harm or sin
in obtaining revenue from a tratllo
that is irrepressible. The United
States Supreme Court protects each
citizen in the right to import for Ills
own use, and no law of the State can
prevent it. The poorer and more ignorant
classes, who cannot thus obtain
liquor, have beeu. and always
will be supplied through some local
agency, no matter what the law
against selling liquor may bo.
THE EXAMPLE OF KANSAS.
You quote Governor lloch, of Kansas,
but von do no discuss or explain
the olllcial statistics in regard to
drinking and the payment of the
United States internal revenue license
by retail dealers In that State. There
are 110 saloons In South Carolina for
the young to see any more than there
are in Kansas. God forbid they
should ever return. Some of yourcolaborers
in this light against the dispensary
system, your allies and counhcllors,
are the editors of papers which
have always fought the dispensary
and are now scheming to get high
licenses after prohibition has failed,
as it will fall. There is not a civilized
Government In Christendom as far as
1 kuow that does not derive a revenue
from the sale of liquor and prohibition
was an unknown thing until about
sixty years ago. The United States
Government received last year from
this source upwards of $170,000,000.
L think there are only three States at
this time that cling to prohibition.
Iowa and Vermont had it some years
ago, but they have abandoned it foi
local option, with the right to vote in
saloons if wanted, and that is what Is
hoped for here by your culef sponsor*
of the press.
One word more and I am through.
Let us see about your historical paral
lei about the great leader who wa*
commanded to go down against the
Amalekites. The Hebrews of old,
true to their instincts of thrift slew
the abominable tribe, but saved the
host of the sheep and oxen, as Saul
claimed for sacrifice, and you go or
to state as an historical fact that "the
Government of a State was commanded
by the moral sense of the people
expressed at the ballot box to go down
and destroy the liquor tratlic. And
when called to account 11^ makes the
pitiful plea that while It has not destroyed
the tratllc It has managed it
so as to get money for the taxpayers."
Your parallel is not a parallel at all.
I'fCOFLE DID NOT OKDBR PROHIBITION.
The people of S >uth Carolina have
never instructed its Government to
prohibit the sale of liquor. In the
separate box provided by the Democratic
ex cuiive committee in the
rv\r ? I lo rv\ o % ? ? a# 1 Q f kO
ivguuuuiativ; 11uja>i jr ui ioi/6, lilO yui.L
stood, as 1 recollect, 35,000 for prohibition,
25,000 against It, while 32.0C0
did not vote on It at all. (I quote
from memory.) That election was a
side show and you have no right to
magnify its significance.
This is a government of majorities
and no majority of the people has ever
given any such order, while when the
question lias been passed on since directly
and positively a half dozen
times, the people said that the dispensary
law was a^ better and more
sane solution. Isa't it about time to
stop alluding to that election. The
dispensary system does not rest for its
support upon the money that it bring*
in. It rests on the claim of its do
fenders backed by experience of oui
people and statistics, as afferdlnn
more protection against the vice ol
drunkenneas than any other system
prohibition or lloense either.
If it has done this in spite of mal
1 administration and mismanagement
what would it not do if suoh men ai
Dr. Cromer and his friends would give
to the enforcement of the law their
great moral support?
We do not ask endorsement, but in
a Government where a majority rule*
we have had a right to expect co-operation
and assistance, and we have
not had It yet. "Render untouaesar
the things that are Caesar's," was the
command of the Master Himself.
When the statute has been practically
annulled by t ie board of directors,
when the restrictive features have
been allowed to drop Into issue, have
the Prohibitionists lent their assistance
by standing up boldly for the
law? Had they done so we would not
be now where we arrfl
jkkfkkson's autiiohity.
You have licen kind enough, ray
dear sir, to remind me of JefTarson's
epitaph. You declare the people do
not need advice, but they need an opportunity
to vote. Allow me to remind
you that one of Jefferson's maxims
which was the very embodiment
of Xjlvll liberty and true Democracy
was "teach the people and trust the
people."
You want the people to vote now
while they are angered and bewildered.
1 want them to vote "sanoly"
aii.er tnev nave itcara tho raots ancl
arguments, and I want all of them to
vote* who have an Interest In this
matter. Under the Brloe Act tills Is
not allowed.
APTEALS TO 1118 KKCOU1)
You mentio led WlntLirop and Olemson
as among the things hy which 1
wcu'd be remembered. You left off
some others that 1 presume to add,
not. from a sense of egotism, hut simply
to keep the record straight.
(1.) The emancipation in 181)0 of
tho people from dry rot, cmsed by
only one party and the demonstration
that we could have the most free
and open discussion of poll tic il questions
without danger, followed by tho
Inauguration of the State Democratic
primary system.
(2 ) The Constitutional Convention
and Its work, largely the result of my
untiring and earnest efforts, and my
work In that convention In behalf of
common schools, and the disfranchisement
for the time being of tho
negro majority legally.
(.'{ ) Last, the Inauguration of the
sale of lhpior hy bonded otbeers under
the dispensary system. 1 will not say
that your vision Is clouded by fanaticism,
hut If it he true that he who
makes two blades of grass to grow
where only one grew before Is a public
benefactor, then Is It not equally true
that he who conceived a scheme hy
which drunkenness was reduced, temperance
encouraged and decency and
good order Increased, and withal
made the demon whiskey contribute
to the education of the Ignorant
masses, need be ashamed of his work?
11. R. Tillman.
Trenton, S. C., Aug. 14, 1905,
TWELVE MEN KILLED
Hy a Largo M?mh ot Stono Falling
Upon Them.
A mass of limestone weighing
thousands of tons slid from a side of
the quarry of mill A of the Lihlgti
Portland Cement company at 0,*m
rod, Pa., at noon Wednesday Just live
minutes before time to quit work.
Twenty-seven men were at work in
the quarry, which is 1,000 feet Ion#,
150 feet across and 100 fe jt deep. Tno
' heavy rains of the past two days had
1 softened the earth and caused tne slide
1 of rook.
Where the fallen mass slipped away
' a smo >th, nearly perp jodloul ir wall
wa* left, rising sheer 100 feet above
1 the bottom of the quarry, while the
entire quarry Moor was covered wlta
1 broken, jigged rock. Oily nine of
1 the men got a way safely, four of whom
1 escaped by running up ou a mass of
rock at toe opposlt side of the quarry.
Tne remaining 18 were huidled
' in a spaci ten feet square, and 12 of
1 them were killed and six injured. Two
5 of the latter may die. All of the
men are Slavonians who lived In shanr
ties close to the quarry.
Two men who saw the side of the
1 quarry quiver shouted a warning to
1 tne men. The men misinterpreted
! the called and failed to moved out of
' z ?ne of danger until It was loo late.
! With a thuuderciH roar the mountain
1 of roc* fell, pinning the men fast.
The r scuers found six men huddled
s In one place, four standing and t wo
lying down. Three were alive and
; one died before lie could be gotten out.
Five physicians were summoned who
gave the jnjured first aid on the scene
and then had them hurried in wagons
1 to the Alleatown hospital. The dead
1 were laid on boards and carried to the
stock house. Eight bodies were recovered
before dark, at which time
1 two more were exposed to view and
1 two others buried deep in the pit.
The lattei's bodies may not be reaohed
1 until Thursday.
Most of tho men killed or Injured
' are single. Others had families in the
1 old country. A number of women
from the foreign colony ran to the
| quarry when the news of the accident
reached them and their moaning and
1 anguish were pitiable.
, A Small Vote.
The Columbia Record says Union
s county last week voted out the dig*
> pensary bv 701 to 410. In the last
> primary 2,075 votes were cast. In
i the last general election, in which
i there was no interest whatever, the
vote was 1,651 or 473 more than were
' oast In tfe dispensary election. Only >
: registered voters are allowed to vote,
f We have no reas >n to believe that the
result would have been different, but
the foot Is that less than half of the
- white men of Union over twenty-one
, years old expressed an opinion on thla
a most important question