Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-07-13
Prohibition.

votes q prohibitory constitutional amend-
mont. 1t reads as follows
@"Secton &c. No person shall manufacture
for salo sell or keep for salo rs q beverage
any Intoxicating liquors whatever. including
alc, vino and beer. Tho General Assembly
shall. by law, prescribe regulations for the
endorsement of the provisions herein con-
tained, and shall thereby provide suitable
penalties for violation OF the provisions
thereof"
This popular vote is significant Of tho
great progress made by the temperance elo>
ment in tho past few years an indicatco that
prohibition is likely in II few years to become
national question. Kansas has lately
Z adopted the Maine law and put it on trial
and the public pulse in The Northwest and
portions Of tho Fast is strongly anti i-lquor.
1t is especially significant when VIC consider
tho large foreign population Of Iown. as this
clcmcnt has been generally quoted rs op-
posed to such restrictions. According to the
census Of 1880 tho voting population OF that
State aggregated 4lG,C5S Us follows: Native
whites 2S7 $50, foreign born whites I26 lO3,
colored 3.025. 1t is often stated by anti
prohibitionists that such laws arc constantly
violated and arc injurious, as they rctard
immigration and development. The small
comparative increase Of population in Mnne
during tho last thirty years is cited ne
proof OF suoh assertions. May we not at
tribute this rather to the bleak climate and
ungcncrous soil Of Maine, rs compared with
tho new States rather than to her liquor law?
1t would seem that it was not prohibition
which has dwavfcd her increase Of popula~
tion, when VIC sec tho Western States, the
homo Of immigrants, taking the lead in pro-
hbition. I. is thought that Nebraska and
Minnesota, tho latter having foreign born
mojority of voters Of nearly $4,000, will try
tho prohibitory amendment next in tho West,
while Connecticut, whose voting population 10
nearly ono half foreign born, will try it in
tho East. Wc mention thcsc facts because
many contend II prohibition should prevail
in South Carolina its effect would be to drive
off immigration and check the general pros
pcrily. We could not 80 urguo from the
action in Kansas and Iowa.
The question Of prohibition is one Of diRi
Guilty. That liqlor used rs beverage is on
evil, all will admit. That it Stays its hcca-
tombs annually in our towns. Cities counties
and States is matter Of statistical record.
So, too, it bcgcts idlcness, poverty and crimo,
with their attendant misery. 1t leads its
victims to the jail, tho scaifold, the poor
house, or if these be escaped, to litc Of dis
honor and q grave Of eternal death.
Can it or should it be stoppcd2 AS mat-
ter Of conscience the largo mass Of the people
would answer yes, but as q matter Of per-
sonal interest and profit. many would say no.
So tho matter stands and the work Of dcatl,
and decentralization goes on under tho pro-
tcction and by tho permission Of the law.
Tho activity. however, of tho temperance
party bctokcns an increasing warfare against
it with prospects Of final success. This
warfare is not by sociotcs nor in particular
localitios but it extends over this broad land
and across the waters into England, France,
Germany and wherever Christian civilization
exists and lie taking deep root among drink
ing as we'll as sober men, among those of the
world as we'll as Christians. its abuse has
become m evil of such magnitude that the
people arc beginning to feel it necessity to
rise up and put it down. For this very
reason those who oppose prohibition as such
should favor every reasonable measure
which merely restricts the salo Of liquor as
tho surcst meano 10 prevent prohibition. AS
its evils increase, opposition to it's manufac-
turc and salo will grow stronger, while under
restrictive laws the evils Of it's abuse might
80 diminish rs to destroy NIL opposition to it.
There aro thousands to-day who like liquor
and would be glad to be able to buy it cheap
and easily who would voto for prohibition as
measure likely to promote religion, moral
ity and education and as q measure which
would secure us good and permanent gov
ernment.
Tho News and Courier, in speaking Of tho
vote in Iowa, says 1--WE learn that tho
country people and farmers nearly all "a.
vorcd it and in the town tho churches cxertcd
a strong influence in its behalf. The large
towns voted against it, but wero oycrborno by
the several districts, where total abstinancc
is moro commonly practiccd and the evil o
intcrperanco is moro keenly and justly ap
preciatcd."
Doubtless similar feeling prevails in thi,
and every State Of the Union. Intemperat,
mon, who 1.-Two in the country ard for month";
follow their work without desiring or ever
thinking Of liquor, on coming into towr
where IT in sold, often find themselves temptct
to drink to oxcess, got into brawls, los
their money and are often Judged in tn,
calaboose md fncd. When they got sobc
and reflect on their folly thcy find themsolvo
poorcr in puree, feeling worse in body mn