The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-07-05
Wilt IT BE A FAILURE?
The Col ambia State, OF June 3Otb,
makes the following prediction in regard

failure do more to pull down Tillmanism
than any other agency could possibly do.
We make this prophecy with more con-
fidence than any Of those which have
already been. vindlcated by time.
The dispensary system Is going to fail:
First Because in general sense all
our people are opposed to monopoly.
Second Because our people are against
spies, informers and sneaks, and the
States monopoly of the liquor traffic
cannot be maintained without the inces-
SAINT activity of spies, intormers and
.sneaks.
Third: Because twill take very short
time to satisfy the prohibitionists that the
law as ga step toward prohibition" is
sham and q fraud, and those who are
earnest and honest in their desire for
prohibition will not rest content with 1t.
Fourth: Because the law will not
bring the revenue which was the chief
.indncement to its passage and the only
inducement to its rigorous enforcement
! by Governor Tillman, who is an avowed
anti-prohibitionist. lit will not pay it
will Be repealed. Count on that!
= Fifth: Because to enforce 1t, even
measurably, against the importation of
liquors from other States and the opera
tion Of "blind tigers" there would be
required force Of spies sufficient to alb
isorb any profits which could be made BY
best, leave the profit so Insignificant that
the people will not think the game worth
the candle.
Sixth: Because under the Conatitu-
tional provision giving Congress the sole
power to regulate commerce among the
several States" and the Federal inter-
State commerce law resulting th herefrom,
original packages Of liquor may be sent
into the State with freedom and impuni-
ty. and In quantities sufficient to enable
consumers to get better liquor ct lower
cost than they could do in the dispen-
saries.
in, South Carolina border on North Caro-
lima, Georgia and the Atlantic ocean
which means the world-and nothing
finest LIQUORS at the lowest price yielding
profit will prevent the smuggling Of
contraband stuff in great quantities into
the State.
4 Eighth: Because the Interstate rail-
roads will not consent to the loss Of their
revenues rom the importation Of liquors
into the State, and the clauses Of the law
cutting off their business will have to be
passed upon by the Federal courts; which
courts will deny the right of the State
Legislature to control Interstate traffic.
Is Ninth: Because In many counties dis
pensaries cannot be established by the
consent OF the freehold voters Of the
aunicipalitie and proper legal proceed
ings can negative attempts to establish
them without such consent.
liquors by the dispensaries are far too
hieh, the number Of such dispensaries
will be, too small and the red tape requir-
ed is too obnoxious to make It economi-
cal or convenient or pleasant for most
people to buy. their supplies at the State
bIishments. They will take the Ii
quor which Is best, cheapest and most
approximate, and that, in most cases,
will be nom -dispensary liquor.
- Eleventh: Because it will be found,
upon practical experience. to be almost
impossible to convict by jury persons
charged with the violation Of the dispen-
sary, law. The wholesale experience of
coast counties Like Beaufort, Colleton and
Berkeley, and, in lesser degree, that of
many other counties, from Barnwell to
Oconee, warrants this xpectation.
Twelfth: Because the law is going to
who constitute the majority Of the Till
mantle faction-the poorest class of far
mers. The man with money may send
ont of the State for his liquors in guam
tity, even II he shall have failed to lay in
stock before the diepensary Law goes
into effect = but the man without enough
ready money to follow suit is left depen-'
dent upon the dispensary, which will
sell him the poorest grades Of liquor at q
much higher price than ne is accustomed
to pay-a higher proportionate price than
the best liquor, which is and has been
beyond his reach. He will have the
optic between the dispensary and the
stblind tiger" and he IS not apt to let his
him from buying his liquor where he can
get it cheapest. He Is not apt, either, to
inform on the man who has sold him
contraband liquor. The disgust of this
element with the dispensary law will
mean its abandonment.
We could go on to multiply reasons.
The fact that regular drinkers all over
the State have made heavy purchases of
liquor In advance Willteep the business
of the dispensaries during their early
months down to very small proportions.
By the time stocks on hand are ex hausted,
systems for getting liquor into the State
will be devised and in successful opera
tion, even il the Inv be not thrown out
by the courts or repealed before that
tims. The big debts already contracted
by the State for liquor will have to be
paid, and as they cannot be paid before
The Legislature meets, out of the profits
Of the business, that body will be called
upon to provide for deficit instead of
receiving q great income. There will be
friction and dissatisfaction and disap-
pointment everywhere. The law may
be modified and dispensaries may be
forced upon every town, but that will
antagonize the prohibitionists and make
little difference in its favor. It is bad
law, an anti Democratic law, and is con-
|,trary to the genius Of the American sys-
tenn. 1t will be repealed, or it win defeat
the party or faction upholdlng it.
In these predictions we do not consult
our hopes. We reason from our knowl-
edge Of facts and conditions. Such q
law could not bs enforced in self-goy-
erning State without general moral
support which this measure lacks.