The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-05-07
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
The Way the People Used Whiskey In the
|, GoodlOld Days Of Long Ago.

GoodiOld Days OF Long Ago.
Mr.. EDITOR: The subject matter Of
License and no License, Prohibition and
no Prohibition, is.going at such rate
that I feel like I would be glad if I had
the language and intelligence to write a
few lines for your columns, provided
they could get place there.
To begin with, I will endorse what our
Senator, Maj. J. B. Moore, has said in
the third place as to his views on the
subject, in the INTELL1GENcER of the
18th of February last. Fellow.citizens,
I will say I was young and now I am old,
and I will speak that I do know and
testify to that have seen. That to-day
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 a 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 hares-one.half
for the other-carry it home and use it
whenever they: chose. In those days, old
Rock Mills was a business place. In
connection with the mill was cotton
gin, wagon shops, smith shops, tailor
shop, still.house and store in which
spirituous liquors were kept and sold.
This place was carried on by Maverick &
Lewis. At that day and time, a retail
business in spirits paid a small tax.
Well, how did things go on at Rock
Millss I can tell you, and no mistake
about it. Occasionally you might see q
few of older men a little tight, once and
a while one drunk. Sometimes little
istandskull fight, but no harm done. Such
"a thing as a 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
borhood in reference to whiskey or
liquor. It was hardly ever otherwise if q
man had any thing to do, and needed and
asked some of his neighbors to help him,
lin niuety-nine cases out of one hundred
that man would have jug of whiskey
on hand, and it made no difference
whether man had house.raising, a
og.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. I have been
present on many of the above named
occasions when q number of persons
present would not drink a single drop.
Twill ask the question, how is it now,
and why is it so that 80 many of our
people, old and young, in the church and
out of the church, are given up and
addicted to this useless and wicked habit
of drunkenness. Idon't know that can
give the true answer to the question I
have asked, bu. / 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. I have said called temperance
societies, and still say the same thing.
My honest and humble opinion is, that
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 resorted to and adopted has only
aggravated and increased the abuse of
spirits in our land. base my opinion
thus on the ground of free agency. You
may reason, argue or persuade man to
do most anything, but whenever you say
to your friend or neighbor he shall do so
and so, 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-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 it 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
500 per annum, prove to demonstra.
ton that the same amount or more is
used. Is the cause of temperance bene.
fted or improyed9 I say it is not, and l
will say more than that, I don't believe it
ever will be any better, 80 long as our
people follow their present course.
In conclusion, from what 1 have said
some may come to the conclusion that l
know a remedy for this great eyil-in.
temperance. I call it an evil, aud 30 the
abuse of spirits is great evil indeed. l
do not know that have remedy for
this great evil. If I were to give my
views and ideas on this subject, in order
to 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 or ideas coming from a
man of my age and standing in the com:
muuity and in the church. Not at all
boasting of my standing in State or
church, although l feel proud, and I
think thankful, that I'occupy an honora.
BILE place amongst men and in society.
T mean, am sober man.: We'll, what
are some of my notions and ideas on the
subjectY The first thing to do would be
to not only allow the sale of spirituous
liquors within the corporated limits Of
Anderson City, but allow it to be made
and sold in Anderson County by any one
that chose to make it-just as it was
forty or fifty years ago. That was the
right and privilege of our, people in
those days, and it's, I believe, the just
| right of the people to-day. But this
| right of making and selling has been
taken from the people Of tie County,
and the sale of whiskey exclusively
given to the incorporation Of Anderson