Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-05-11
Liquor Screens Sunday Selling,
&c.

thing OF common use. Its uso 10 barrooms;
TO- out Oft the view Of The public to what is
passing within, is an old custom, but under
tho late Acts Of the Legislature, one likely to
full into disase. We see from the New berry
Herald that most Of the saloons have re.
moved thom in that town. through tear OF
prosecution. We think this the better and
eater course, Us their use IL q violation of
law and might cause the proprietors of
saloons to be put to some cost and moon.
venience.
While wo soy this, we admit the law,
now about to be obeyed, was enacted in 1885
In much stronger terms and hus stood on tho
Statute books in ono or another form ever
sinoo. We admit further We nover hoard Of
an Indictment for it's violation, though for
tortyasix years it has been oponly and daily
violated. The fact is, wo cannot 500 the
wisdom OF good Of such law, either as
a corrective Or preventive of liquor drinking.
Liquor speaks for itself whether, sold openly
or behind q screen. Those who use it to any
extent have reel in their walk, thickness
in their speech, .moll in their breath and a
glibness of swearing in their tongue which
tells of its presence as strongly as ocular
proof. In Wow, however, of the great tom
perance boom now spreading over tho country
and tho re-enactment Of tho law, its violation
might cause somo friend Of temperance, from
his idea of tho public good, to prosecute its
violation, and it also gives to an enemy of a
person selling liquor u chance to prosecute
for revenge.
The Act Of 1885 enacted that "cvcry
vendor or retailer of spirituous liquors, who
shall clandestnely. or bohind or within any
scrcon, booth or other place Of concealmont,
exchange, give, deliver, sell or retail any
spirituous liquors, shall, on convintion, be
fined not less than 6fty dollars nor moro
than two hundred dollars, according to tho
discretion of tho presiding Judge" This
Act was amended and continued in force by
the act of 1874. In The Revised Statutes,
adopted Inst winter, the law requires that
o'ory person taking out locnso for the sale
of liquor, shall sell tho same in room
fronting public street, without any screen,
curtain or other device for preventing the
passing public from fully viewing what
may be transpiring within. The section
containing this provision does not prescribe
any penalty for it's violation and from this
omission two questions arise: lat. Whether
tho revised code operates as q repeal of tho
Act of 1885, and if it doee, then I'd, whether
the general penalty prescribed in Section
1917 "that any person violating any Of tho
provisions of this Chapter shall on oonyic-
ton, be finod not less than two hundred
dollars or imprisoned not less than six
months" Without discussing this question,
We hardly think the Legislature intended to
punish so severely such trhing violation OF
the law, especially when the same and other
sections proecribe other penalties for various
violations.
Tho Sunday law ii references to liquor
selling has been on our Statute books in somo
form since 1851, when the general law as to
laboring on Sunday, selling goods or permit,
ting parties to loaf and drink about public
houses on Sunday was passed. 1t was
enacted in 1874 ''that any person who shall
sell any spirituous or malt liquors. vino or
cider on Sunday shall be subject to fine of
not loss than ten nor moro than two hundred
dollars or to imprisonment not less than ten
days nor more than two months" Tho
revised code makes tho ponalty the forfeiture
of license ard eubjection to punishment, as
for selling without license. and further do.
privcs the party convicted of the right of
obtaining license to sell for Two years from
tho date of tho conviction.
We arc thus particular in noticing these
laws because of the great excitement upon
the liquor question in this and other Statcs
for several years. In Ohio, whore there is
one saloon to every two hundred and twenty.
three citisons, tho peoplo are almost ready to
take up arms, because late statute, now
being enforced, has taken from them the
dear privilege ~ of loafng and got,ine
drunk on Sunday. In our State it i. not tho
fear of q now law, but now fear of the old
law which troubles the mind of saloon
keepers. Tho law on tho subject hero IL
boary with ago. 1t existed before our birth,
but has always been dead letter. except in
observance. 1t has no moro power,
no moro thorns now than before The only
question hore is, has the opposition to liquor
selling become so strong, or has the moral
sentiment become 30 elevated as to domand
and work out it's enforcoment7 This ia all
and 1t is question every ono must answer
for himself If hc sells liquor in violation
Of those provisions of law he runs tho risk of
prosecution. It may be he can in the future
as in the past do so rs safely as it has been
done for half century. 1t may be he can
not.
Logan. (Ohio) Hooking Sentinel.
Hooking valley News.