The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-26
Gov. Perry on tho Retailing of spirituous
Liquors,
Greenrulc E,nterprira nna afoun,ninecr.

GreenriUc Ei,teyprtse and MoHntainee7.
The Legislature OF South Carolina have
passed an act prohibiting the retailing OF
spirituous liquors. except in Incorporated
towns. Now, II th;5 was wise and good
law for the country, why would it not be
for cities, towns and villages2 There Is ten
times more intoxication and retailing in
these Incorporated towns than there Is in
the country. The temptation to drink, and
intemperance, too, is fur greater. The evil
also is of much greater and of more ruin.
GUS consequences, There are hundreds and
thousands OF persons living in the country
who never drink except when they come
to town and are tempted there, by bar
rooms and grog-shops and intercourse with
friend5
: Every man goes home, In tho Incorporated
towns, 10 eat his dinner, and why should be
not, also, to drink spirits when he wishes to
do 80? He IS not SO likely TO get drunk at
home as he Is at O bar-room or grog-shop;
and If he docs, his family will take care of
bim and not let him expose himself as o
brute On the streets. Experience and his
tory prove that very few nersnns drink to
excess ut home. All tho drunkenness we
hear os in courts Sf justice originate in
these bar-rooms and grog-shops.
The judgra Of South Carolina have re-
peatedly said on the lench that nine-tenths
of the crimes tried in their courts originated
In irtoxication! IF so, and di diunkenness is
caused by the temptations OF the bar-room,
why should these hannts and instigators OF
ruin, vice and misery be licensed at all in
an enlightened, civilized aud Christian
community? Gambling houses, and hous-
es Of prostitution are prohibited by law
under severe penalties; and it may be a
question whether they are any moro defnor-
alizing than drinking saloons and grcg-
ahop5.
1t is said that tho retail license is the
source OF great revenue to the incorpora-
ted towns, and relieves the citizens of heavy
taxation But lot MS consider how much
It co9tS the com munity TO arrest, try and
feed in our iaiis all tho criminals caused by
drunkenness. 1t will overrun the amount
received from these licenses, independent of
the crime, misery and paupcfism caused by
them.
There isno denying The fact that intem
perance has become q monstrous, growing
evil in the United States-greater thar in
any other country In the civilized world 7
Mr. 14eydell said some yeara ago that In two
yeae spent IN Europe he never saw q
drunken 1tftaIl, whilst not q day passed over
many. persona intoxiaatedi The great cause
Of this difference Is that in Europe they
have lig';s wines and beeras beveFt 5c. and
IN America our common beverage Is corn
Ehiskey, which will make q man drunk
before his thirst Is quenchedi IudRe Burke
deF!nred to a South Carolina jury In tho
trial OF case that Corn srAistsy gave a
man 9 propensity to ssedIr It certainly
does TO fight aid quarrel and break the
peace, to commit murder, faansIaughter
and other heinous cFimesl
We. all know that drinking cannot DO
entirely suppressed. but licensed tempta-
tons TO drink should be stopped. 3hey
have stopped retailing in the towns OF Lati-
rera, ChaEl tie, Manning and many Others.