The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-08
THE LIQUOR BUSINESS.
A Comparison of the Laws OF souil
Carolina, Past and Present.

A Comparison of the Laws OF South
| Carolina, Past and Present.
Editor Press and Banner:
1 very much admire the stand you have
! taken In regard to the "Evans BILL" U
course IL Is not necessary tO e3hort you Y
stand there. "And having done all things
In view of the great interest just nov
awakened in temperance legislation, the 1ol
lowing resume OF South Carolina liquor legls
latiou from Its earliest existence until nov
may not fail OF interesting some OF your read
ers. 1t is copied from recent Cyclopedia q
Temperance.
COLONIAL PROVISIONS.
unlicensed taverns and punch houses, and fol
ascertaining the rates and prices OF wines
and other liquors. II Is not now TO be found
The act of 1886 e Stats at Large lS) provided
talning license OF the Governor. upon penalty
OF IS. Those selling liquors under one gallon
were retailers. The license fee to retail wine
was f5 10 retail punch f3. This act did not
who sold rum or other liquors to their work.
men, or who supplies their neighbors out ol
their houses. This was 10 provide revenue
for the support OF the Governor.
houses commenced with these words
|"Whereas, the unlimited number OF taverns
tap-houses, punch houses, and the want OF so
briefly, honesty and discretion In the owners
and masters OF such houses have and will en-.
courage all such vices as are the productions
OF drunkenness" This act substantially re-
p6ated former laws.
The act Of 1896 Id, ll3. adopted and enacted
the government Of public houses. Peddling
liquors was prohibited in 17O3. I'D, 1857.
Sales by planters excepted by former acts
| were by act of 17O9 3D., 33O limited to sales
7 q
time these laws were re-enacted for the term
OF each Governor, but IN I'LL DID,, 3G3) the act
was made permanent.
EARLY STATE PROVISIONS.
BY the act OF 1888 a 3D.. 565) licenses were
put at so shillings and In Charleston at f5
more, and the penalty for selling without IL
cense was put at ESQ. By another act OF the
slo % and ss respectively. BY the first OF these
acts an Import duty OF I'D. was levied on every
gallon OF liquor imported, which duty was by
the latter act differentiated as TO each kind OF
I The act Of 1891 Il Id, 26S) gave the power OF
gran ting licenses TO the County Courts then
created. After their rdisestablishment by the
act 9: 1893 3D., 209) that power was given to
BY act of 1871 Is ID, 399) the power OF IL.
censing liquor selling was vested In Commits
sioner OF Roads. at discretion, the proceeds 10
be used on the roads; Tavern Licenses cost
mot 1T tavern) SIS. Selling without license
was fined 500.
sales OF liquor within one mile OF places OF
during 5 by rssaa oi
3D., SS9(
THE SCREEN LAW OF 1889.
BY act of 1895 3D., 52S) licensees were re.
quired to give bond IN $1,000 10 observe the
law, and were required 10 Keep their places
without screens or obstructioDs, 50 the vend.
ing should be done openly, on penalty OF $50
| to 800. A $50 license fee was required.
the written order Of the master, was punish
ed by imprisonment not exceeding six
months and fine not exceeding $lO0. (Laws
1884, 3D., 489) and those licensed were first re-
entered DEFENDANTS place without the article
and left with 1t. that fact was sufficient evil
dence.
The act Of lS49 claws, p $50 granted retail
recon mendation OF at le,,st three respectable
| freeholders OF the neighb0rhood, or In incor
porated towns by six, they were strictly re-
quired 10 have tavern Recommendations foI
travellers. Bond In sl.UO was required. II
was made unlawful for any ono licensed tore
tail liquors to sell such liquors In quantities
less than one quart, nor dio retail license au'
thorze the drinking Of such liquors at the
place where sold.
| WAR PROVISIONS.
Distillation from grain was prohibited and
punished by forfeiture of apparatus, imprls
fine Of 81 900 10 5000; but agents to distll for
medical purposes only, under the Governors
direction, might be appointed by the Cover.
nor. This act was extended to dstlllatlon
the permits before granted by the Governor
were revoked, and the Governor WAS author.
lied to license only one or more such agents
for the same purposes, and then only II liquor
tx>kh uic hav Sn0h &c
(not To exceed one In each judicial district.
were subject to strict limitations
SINCE THE WAR.
1870.
A general license law Qs72. No. 1861 included
| licenses to sell liquors. The tax on tayernt
and saloons 10 retail was graded according tc
rental value Of PLACES, at sS75O to $n5: BY by
eral law relating 10 the granting OF licenses
were declared t0 be applicable 10 the incorpo
rated limits of cities. towns and villages
This law with some additions is now In force
These additions. together with tie passing
and sometimes afterward repeating OF Local
prohibitory laws. have furnished the liquor
legislation since 1874.
great deal has been said recently about
South Carolina going In TO the liquor busl ess.
A perusal OF the above will reveal the fact
that by means OF licenses II has been part.
ner in the business from its earliest history
BY the passage OF the Evans BIZ It has Just
simply dissolved copartnershi lby the way q
good riddance) with the saloon keeper. and
from henceforth proposes TO run the business
alone.
Through these years the State has been
gradually approaching prohibition. One
more turn Of the temperance wheel and that
for which 20 many hearts long, so many lips
pray, will have come to pass. That this re
naming revolution OF the wheel Will be made
ere this century dies away. I verify believe.
In the meanwhile the duty of prohibition
lists is plain. Keep out dispensaries where
you can, and where you can't, use every effor,
TO have the law regulating them enforced.
Lever, 8. G. G. w. Davis.