The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-28
THAT BEpLAM.

THAT BEDLAM.
MR. EDIroR.-In the last issue of the
rrxrs We notice the friendly controversy, If
controversy II may DO called, between your
self and "Gleam, = in regard to the effect of
license or no license, in the town Of GAff-
ney. From the tenor Of your remarks
: both are. strong advocates of the cause Of
temperance; one disclsimiug that he ever
touched a drop Of the soul destroying s.us
the other proving by his words that approx
innate "the SMELL Of FIRE aud birthstone" as
nearly as the English Language will permit,
that he will got no "quick through ticket
on whiskey's account. Yet we are sorry to
eco you two champions Of the grand cause
OF temperance differing all because in your
editorial you called the little town Of Gaff.
ney ''Dedlam'' and has taken the council
to task for granting license for tho sale of
intoxicating liquors.
Now, had our friend "Gleam' only con-
suited his dictionary aud reflected little as
to the meaning Of Bedlam, which Webster
defines as "a mad house, or q place whore
crazy persons are kept" he must have read
ily observed that the word was used by you
insa very vague and indefinite manner.
EThe idea that Gaffney was a place where
I crsy people are kepti You doubtless
: -nonotz .tthe4e- wss-mass disorder.
10 the town than before licenses wero
granted, which fact would seem true, or
else why the extra police fsrce and station
house?
The drinking aud drunkenness about
the town may be no greater than before
yet more liquor is used by the people from
the country. When the town was dry the
whiskey. drinking farmer would return from
town with his wagon; his driver and at
tsndants all sober.
Now somebody comes homo with new
songs on their lips, their breath smelling Of
''spice" and something else nice, with au
extra bottle or two for good ginger stew,
with So or $40 left behind for bad or dis
orderly conduct. Nothing Of this kind oc-
curred before licenses were granted, so far
as our well meaning but weak-kneed coun-
--trx folks-were concerned II the town
-rs..sail conld not prevent the sale Of liquor
in Gaffney, they certainly did right in sign
ing the license 70 have it sold by law, and
We have no doubt that their action in this
matter was exactly correct since the petition
was sigped by majority Of the best citizens
Softhe town-men who stand rs high socially,
! morally and religiously, as any in any town
and church in the land.
Now, in short, Mr.. Editor, yos and your
friend "Gleam'' differ about this way: You
have been readiug and thinking q great
deal about the evils of The liquor traffic, and
the action of the good people and worthy
council Of Gaffney have given you tho
material to coneret.ly olothe your thoughts
In words that burn. Friend "Gleam," on
the other hand, In his efforts to defend the
good name Of the town, falls in the error Of
basins his opinions upon what he hears and
/. observes outwardly, for il is not reasonable
4 TO suppose that man who. never took q
siyink Of whiskey or drank q glass sf beer,
ever frequsnts pieces whsge whiskey aud
q beer are sold, nor even associates with peo-
pic who sell the Intoxicating cups, aud Of
I. son.se, is not a proficient judge, Of tho eff
feots Of license. OUTSIDER.
While I endorse most Of "Outsider's'
letter, there is structure feel called upon
to make: He says. "if tho council could not
prevent the sale of liquor, and backed by n
majority Of the best citizens" they did
exactly right to grant license. am in
formed from truthful source that the
majority Of the good people Of Gaffney
proper did not favor the license Of barrooms,
but the whiskcy men with q pretegt OF
getting Limestone within the corporation OF
Gaffney had o new charter procured, extend
ing the corporate limits so as to embrace sll
the country around, including all the dwell
2 ings Of every olnss, giving them the votes
for whiskey Of the vile population that
y always hoyen ~. ~ --s.V-S SUuucII, NJ
.-4sass,alisy not in favor Of these traps Of
"a tacs, ipfan,y and death being opened up
z,cAC MIR once quiet town. 81
SS. SSOutsider," NO man has right to do
w%SsASnot even to counteuance sin; and is
not kSban as much right in the sight of
High Heaven to lioenee the administering
Of deadly poisons, to seal nnd t, kill, as to
license another to deal TO his fellow being
apoison that lakes the homes, food and raj
mspt from hesrt-broken wives and mothers
astheipless children, and siuks its victim,
soul and body, in he1?
Four-fifths Of The expenses Of our courts,
four-6fths 6f the crimes committed, four
dfihs Of the inmates Of our prisons and
repitentiaries are from the effects of liquor,
and DO hope that The rays of light aud
: truth will penetrate the moral vision Of
"Gicsm" until he has the power OF dircern-
ing aud hghtsng evil wherever found.
ss EDiroR.
wHITE WiSEzsD- -wasEED-wHZTE
These terms express extreuos from