Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1880-12-23
The Opponents Of Whisky, Move for a
Reconsideration. and Gain a GIeat
yictbry.

Ion by Dr. Gary 10 RECONSIDER inc V0se
whereby the bill to further regulate the
sale Of Intoxicating liquors in this State
vas continued to the next session yester-
day. Themotlon to reconsider was adopt
ed and the bill was again beforethe House,
Mr.. Simcuton of Charleston moved to
continue t..e bill to the next session. Upon
this motion the vote stood, yeas 81
nays g..
For several moments after the nnounce
ment of this vote it was impossible to Sc
cnre order, the excitement among some
of the members was 80 great.
Mr.. Murray of Anderson then moved to
strike out all after the enacting words OF
the bill and insert the following as o SUBJ,
stltute, the effect OF which was to place
before the House almost an entirely new
bill, the provisions of which seemed to
meet the approval of q great many mem
bers who had opposed the bill introduced
Yesterday. The new bill Is as follows:
SECTION l.. Be It enacted, DC, That
from and after the passage of thus act, no
license for the sale OF sp%irituous or intoxl-
cating4iquors shall be granted in South
Carolina outside of the incorporated cities,
towns and villages Of this State, and 1t
shall be unlawfutfor any person or per-
ons to sell, such liquors without u license
so to do.
SEC. 9. No license for the sale Of intox-
icating liquors shall be granted by any
municipal authorities. In uny city or vii
lage in this State except upon the payment
by tine person applying for the same to
the treasurer of the county in which such
city, town or village is situated the sum
of $500 IN addition to the license charged
by such city, town or village, for the use
OF such county to be applied to the ordl-
nary expenses OF the county Provided,
that hereafter no city, town or village shall
charge any license for the sale OF wines,
malt liquors or cider, and no State license
shall be charged by any county where nc
other spurious liquors are sold on the same
premises. :.
SEC. .. That hereafter the sale OF all
bitter. or other beverages OF which spirit
nous liquors form an ingredient be and the
same are. hereby prohibited within the
limits OF this State, except i'll the lncor
porate limits Of cities. towns and villages,
where they shall ,only be sold under the
same terms as Intoxicating liquors, as pro-
vided form Section , hereof.
SEC. t. Any person violating the provi-
sio:ls Of this Act shall upon conviction
thereof be fined in the sum of not less
than 5000 or imprisoned for a term of not
less than six months, or both fined and
Imprisoned in the discretion of the Court
trying the case.
This Act shall rot take effect in any
county, city, town or. village until the Ii,
censes now granted shall expire.
| Upon the substitution OF this amend
menJ discussion arose, and was .partici-
patel in by several of the members.
MIR. Tlllinghast thought the bill, as
amended, the best measure that could be
passed. 1t was, in his opinion, the enter
ing wedgeby which total prohibition might
in time be reached
Mr.. Black favored total prohibition, bnt
if that could not be done he was in lavol
Of the next best thing. and he hoped The
bill rs amended would pass.
Gary said that be desired to appear upor
the record as being unQualiiedly opposed
to the unrestricted use Of Intoxicating
drinks. AS o member of the medical pro
f.sslon he was familiar with the terrible
effects upon the human constitution of the
improper use of alcoholic drinks, and be
hoped that the bill would pass without
one dissenting voice, as it aimed at TIT
good OF the whole people.
Mr.. Hutson said he had not favored TIT
bill which had been continued yesterday
because be thought it defective. The bill
before the House, however, was a goo;
measure and was calculated to protect 30
ciety against those who traficked in alec
hol to the ruin Of their fellow men. H'
hoped that the municipal authorities O
the cities and towns would co operate witt
the General Assembly in their efforts t
protect society at large. He did not be
lieve jim attempting to reform individuals
by legislation, but something was .neces'
sary for the preservation OF society as
whole; Saturday night, in the section h
lived, mas made a perfect hell by the in
4toxiaStion Of the negroes, and If some
thing was not done it wdald render an ex
odus9of the white people from that local.
ty necessary.
Mr.. Simonton said that Il the bill pro
hibited totally the sale OF, intoxicating Il
ouors in the State he would support i
heart and soul, and If he saw u means b,
which such a law could be enforced b,
would support it. He could not, holdinJ
the views that he did, consent to make
source of revenue Of a traffic which wa
recognized as an evil. Once the Stat,
licensed this traffic there would never b
a chance OF getting through a prohibitory
law. Tie municipal taxes now imposed
on liquor dealers were used for the supper
of the cities and towns, and If this add
%.tional tax was imposed it would fall Leav
lest upon the poorer classes Of the commu
nifty, who would be unable as the richie
classes to pay for pure liquors, and would
be taxed by the barroom keepers or els
given adulterated and poisonous drinks
which would work far more injury than a
present. He moved to strike out the sec
ond section of the bill.
Mr.. Werner said he was. sorry 10 see tina
the fercest opposition to this measure
should come from the County Of Charles.
ton, whence had come the longest petition
for some legislation Of this kind. The
question was simply whether the Genera
Assembly would submit to the power o
the whlskey. dealers. or have the bravery
to say to them that they proposed to heec
the prayers Of the widows and orphan.
andlmpoverished menand women OF South
Carolina, and do all in their power to wipe
the curse Of whiskey from the face OF the
land.
Mr.. Dargan said that he had opposed
the radical. measures proposed yesterday.
The passion for strong drink could not be
legislated out of existence, but he thought
it might be modified by encouraging the
use OF malt liquors, wines and cider. Let
the alcoholic liquors, he said, be taxed
doubly, and let the malt liquors and vine.
be free. This bill, he thought, would dc
much good, and would prepare the way
for the passage OF a prohibitory law. He
thought the feature Of the bill turning
the money into the county treasures was
~eminently proper. He could not appreci-
ale the argument that this tax would fall
heaviest on the poorer classes. 1t was
clear to his mind that if malt liquors and
wines were exempted ttom taxation, ana
brandy and whiskev taxed double, the
poor man would naturally be induced to
drink the cheaper and less injurious bev-
erages. This, in his opinion, was the pro-