The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-05-14
The Other Side.

Nh. EDITOR : In your issue of May
7th, Z see an article on License or no
License, Prohibition or no Prohibition,
in which the writer has fears for the
welfare Of the country if prohibition
measures are pressed to final success.
He begins by telling how it was when he
was young, and comparing that time
with the present..
Now, Iknow the writer and would not
provoke discussion, but wish to present
the other side. In the days Of my child
hood my grandfather made his own
spirits, and the house was never without
a supply, though he neve. drank it to
excess, for he was staunch Seceder, and
regarded the law of God and man. But
il, you will compare the society of that
day and this, you will see vast differ.
ence. In the first place, the population
was not half so dense, and boys we're
only boys until they were of proper age.
They regarded their fathers commands
and example more than at present, and
the habit Of public drinking had not
become so common and dangerous to
society Besides, the colored people
were in a condition not to have free
access to it as they have now, which is
one of the strongest arguments in favor
of prohibition.
The writer speaks Of the members of
so-called temperance societies, and am
sorry he wrote of them as he did, for
although be it said to their shame, that
some of them drink, yet some Of our best
men and women belong to those societies,
and because some Of them violate their
pledge it cannot disgrace the whole, for
they are accomplishing and are destined to
accomplish great and valuable results,
land I may be excused for saying here
that / am not member of any such
society. I would invite him to visit
Hart County, Ga, and ask any response
BILE citizen what has been the result of
prohibition in that County, and about
two.thirds of the Counties of the same
great State. Has it been to increase
drinking7 No. They will tell you their
towns are free from drunken men, and in
the neighborhoods where the stills
abounded most the men are never seen
under the influence of whiskey, as they
we've so oftan-so OFTEN before. There
are some things I know, and that is one
of them. The ambition of a great mum.
Der of men, even young men, before the
prohibition law over there, was to devise
some plan to get whiskey for some occa-
sion-often the occasion of some dis.
graceful row. or dangerous conflict. Now
the state Of society has been improved
beyond computation in these localities,
and prohibition has contributed no small
part to these results.
He advises the city to prohibit the
sale of whiskey. Thus far We agree, but
when he says make it unfortunately
free, as it was forty or fifty years ago, ]
am surprised at the idea coming from
sober man, as he claims and I know him
to be. Why, sir, if such was the case
our corn.cribs would be almost emptied
of their contents and carried off between
lights 10 the nearest boiler. Our society
would become uncomfortable, our labor
worse than worthless, Courts and prisons
would be full to overfowing. This is no
high drawn picture, but the facts sustain
the argument, and challenge any man
to search the records of wet and dry
sections and report the facts as they exist.
Well, he says whiskey is scarce now. So
it is in the country, and would to God
with all reverence) it was much more 80.
He says that men who go to town on
business, &C., often get two much whiskey,
thinking they may not lave the chance
soon again; but my observation is that
some men who 60 the most are the often
est caught, and those who 60 seldom
scarcely ever imbibe to excess. He con-
tinues by producing good deal of
Scripture to prove that all things are not
only good, but very good, which all men
allow that believe the truth.
He says that Christ miraculously made
wine on certain occasion but remem-
Der it was to be used as an article of
food at supper, and not to get drunk
and carouse on. Think you ChrisHwould