The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-10-18
: Z 70
LOC.jL Op7JON.
What Should tho People of Winnsboro do
in Tho Premises {?

DleSSrS. ,E'ditors: 1t is allowed to
every Incorporated city, town or viii
laec, by tho local option law passed a
few years ago, for number of citizens
amounting to onc-hird Of tho voters
Of each city, town or village, to pcti-
ton the council to call 4 special cleo
ton to decide the question Of 'Iicciisc"
or "no liccnsc". The Legislature I'M
doub'cdly saw the bad effects Of these
tippling houses and passed the law to
prevent, if the people Of the different
sections saw fit, tic opportunities
offered to those who arc unable to re-
strain themselves from indulging in
l'accianalian rcvclrics which bring
such misery and disgrace upon them
selves and families. Another law has
also been passed making the bar
Keepers guilty of misdrmcanor and
liable to II fine and imprisonment if
they sell any Intoxicating beverage to
minors, habitual drunkurtls or insane
persons. This has been found to be
Il dead letter on our statute book, for
'hc Keepers Of these nctarious pests
Knowing as they we'll do that the
father, mother, wife or relatives of
these uniortunatcs arc unwilling to
ilaunt TO the world, through the courts
and columns of newspapers, The dis
grace anh ruin of those SO nearly aud
dearly related, but rather try f. con-
ccal from the world their misfortune
and spend their days in vain efforts
cndcavorinS to reform these dcvNtccs
who have poured in the silent midnight
hours deep anH danning libations at
the shrine Of the god of wine. This
they know aud take all, anlnue Of; they
! feel secure in their iniquituuA practice,
dealing out the poison that SaEs the
fountain Of youth and health, ,lcgrad-
lug Tie image Of God himself To- The
level Of beasts. Thus we see there is
no hope from this law. Let u%, then,
turn 10 the other, til al which with
wisdom strikes at the root of the evil
This, lis Wc understand il, leaves Il 10
the option OF the people whether there
shall be licenses granted or not. None,
We dare assert, but those who have an
!ntcrcsi in this ab0minabIc business
which rCaps in one fell swoop mind,
bodvantl the immortal sou;;ora Il few who
are Hrnu 10 all feeling OF pity for sui-
i'rin" humanity will raise their voice
or llil II band to stay the death Of this
hydra that is dealing such destruction
III our midst, carrying all who come
! within its mad vortex Of Cncrvulinr
pleasure on TO certain ruin, regardless
! nl age CT sex, as uurclrnlinH once il
obtains Il hold as The iron wedge of tho
Greek necessity. Why should small
class OF men reap a golden harvest bv
the ruin and misery Of by tura greater?
Is it consistent with human ideas Of
right and wrong? Can it be recon-
cilcd with any Of those maxims Of
morality we hear Sabbath and Sah-
bath thnntlcrcd forth from the pulpit
oy the ambassadors Of God, dcnoulIc-
! ing wrath against thosc who violate
] Ills divine dccrcrs and promising re-
wards to all who obey him? We have
no fear reconciliation can be made
any more here than oil and water can
be ,niXcd or lalschood triumph o'cr
! truth.
Mcssrs. Editors, VIC known there are
considerations Of no little moment with
many in this age when the question Of
dollars and cents enters SO largely into
the computation of success. Let us
therefore turn with regret, for it is
with rr@rct that we are compelled to
turn aside, from appealing to the higher
and nohler passions that are implanted
in the breast of man TO cnmlc unT
lnvci4lr to the basrr desires for gain,
but this is the case. Can the town
AFFORD to DO away with the granting Of
! licenses? is the first question asked, if
the subject is broachcd, by many who
have son. going hcadlony to pcrdtion
II the revenues Of the towH arc insult.
Gc!rnt TO carry or the work necessary
with the present levy Of taxes let more
be raised by extra taxation. Who
would brgrudgc the small uittancc of
a few mills more on the dollar, which
would only be required for Il few
years at most? This would ONLY be n
temporary cvi! which is forgotten as
soon as removed, leaving no lasting
ctlrct except for good; whilst that
which it would eradicate leaves u per-
mancnt blight upon those who have
Tel! il" communicating influences. Some
again would say, "lf the town was
Only ont Of dr6l | would vote for pro-
hibi'i"n.' This appears TO be con
Vlhcih% TO their mindS, but these very
: ores Will, without conpunction, attend
meetings and vote an appropriation to
buy Il $1,000 engine or build new
ROAD, not because these require no new
drblS, curtailin% Of expenses or extra
' taxation, but because its returns cam
bc valued in hard cash, or POSSIBLY
they arc Of higher IMPORTANCE thai,
saving the future men of this comn,t,-
nifty from becoming drunkartis. We
mean not to arraign the action Of the
citizens for doing this me, itorious work,
which is Of such advantage to the pub:
lie and reflects SO much credit upon on,
town, but only to show what efforts
can he made to remove an evil that is
an c!csorc to every one and in which
every one takes an interest alike, for
all arc in an equal degree concerned,
+ while that which is covered rs it were
. by the cloak of srcrcsy, and only seen
at times, and then BY the few (yct all
know Of iD, is passed UNDECIDED and
l,:t to do lis Internal work in silence,
dealing its deadly blows like the COW.
ardly hand of the assassin ut tho very
vita!s of society, hcaping in one indit-
criminhtc mass tho innocent and guilty.
The money spent upon education
brings but small return, because the