The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-05-07
TaE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
Tho Way tho People Used Whiskey In the
|. Good Old Days of long Ago.

Good Old Days OF long Ago.
Mr.. EDITOR: The subject matter of
License aud no License, Prohibition and
no Prohibition, is going at such rate
that l feel like would be glad il I had
the language and intelligence to write o
few lines for your columns, provided
they could get place there. ="
To begin with, will endorse what our
Seuator, Maj. J. B. Moore, has said in
the third place as TO his views on The
subject, in the INTELLIGEEcER of the
18th Of February last. citizens,
l will say l was young and now am old,
and l will speak that / do know aud
testify TO that have seen. That to day
l could point out and show the very spot
of ground on which stood three or four
still.houses fifty years ago, within three
or four miles of each other.
Well, what next? In all of these
places whiskey was made, and brandy
when there was fruit crop. These
distilleries were allowed to make and
sell any quantity above quart without
any tax or license to make or sell. Very
frequently people would carry in corn
and have it distilled On shares-one. half
for The other-carry it home and use it
whenever they chose. In those days, old
Rock Mills was business place. In
connection with tho mill was a cotton
gin, wagon shops, smith shops, tailor
chop, still.house and store in which
spirituous liquors were kept and sold.
This place was carried on by iayerick &
Lewis. At that day and time q retail
business in spirits paid small tax.
Well, how did things 60 on at Rock
Mills7 l can tell you, and no mistake
about it. Occasionally you might see @
few of older men little tight, once and
while one drunk. Sometimes little
stand skull fight, but no harm done. Such
q thing as young man getting drunk
was seldom known.
Well, now let me tell you little
about the way of managing and carry
ing on things and business in the neigh.
hc:hood in reference TO whiskey or
liquor. 1t was hardly ever otherwise if q
man had any thing to do, and needed and
asked some of his neighbors to help him,
in ninety cases out of one hundred
that man would have jug of whiskey
on hand, and it made no difference
whether man had q house. raising, o
log.rolling, corn.husking or what else,
the work was. done and the whiskey was
drank, and drunk man on those occa-
sions was rare case. have been
present on many of the above named
occasions when q number of persons
present would not drink q uingle drop.
will ask the question, how 10 it now,
and why IL 1t SO that 30 many of our
people, old and young, IN the church and
out of the church, are given up aud
addicted to this useless and wicked habit
of drunkenness. Idon't know that can
give the true answer To the question I
have asked, but know Of no better rule
in this matter than to judge the future
by the past. Now, what is some of the
past. For number of years back there
have been many organizations, or bodies
associated together called temperance
societies. have said called temperance
societies, and still say the same thing.
My honest and humble opinion is, III at
more than one.half Of the male members
Of these associations are drinking people,
to greater or less degree; and further
my opinion is to make broad sweep,
that every effort, plan or scheme that has
been Eesorted TO and adopted has only
aggravated and increased the abuse of
spirits in our land. l base my opinion
thus on the ground of free agency. You
may reason, argue or persuade man to
dc most anything, but whenever you say
TO your friend or neighbor he shall do so
and 80, whether he likes it or not, that
very moment that man will resolve not
to do that very thing, unless the civil
law forces him. So you see, fellow.c .citi.
zens, that all these plans and schemes
adopted for the cause Of temperance says
indirectly TO those that take little too
much occasionally, that we will make
you quit drinking by having 1t put out of
your reach. And does not The single fact
of the bar.keepers at Anderson being
taxed to the enormous sum of $500 or
90 90 per annum, prove to demonstra.
tion that the same amount or moro is
used. 1s the cause of temperance bene.
fitted or improved? I say 1t is not, and
will aay mora than the, don't believe it
ever win be any better, 80 long "a our
people fo!!ew their present course. =
In conclusion, from what have said
Como may come to the conclusion that I
know a remedy for this great evil--in.
temperance. I call 1t an evil, aud 80 the
abuse Of spirits Is grent evil indeed. 1
do not know that ! have remedy for
this great evil. If I were to give my
views and ideas on this subject, in order
10 remedy the evils connected with the
abuse of spirits, the great majority Of
the people of Anderson County would
be struck with wonder and surprise to
hear such views OF ideas coming from
man of my age and standing In the con.
munity and In the church! = Not at .all
boRsting of my standing in State or
church, although i feel sToud, and I
think Thankful. thnt I.ncnlinx nm hnnora.