River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-07-20
South CaroIina's Liquor Law.

Wv. 111lAidl VI OOutn NdlOA1tia
was asked by a Richmond Dispatch
reporter to give his views about the
recent liquor law passed by the
South Carolina legislature, which
has so revolutionized the liquor
traffic Of the Palmetto State.
SAT this time" said the governor,
whisky is sold in this state under
the license system only in corpo-
rated towns. The prohibition ele-
ment in South Carolina has with
varying results made several fights
in the municipal corporations by
means of what are called wet and
dry tickets, but there have from
time to time been strenuous efforts
made to pass a prohibition law for
the whole state, and prohibition
actually exists in six counties.
"Year before last the house OF
representatives passed a strict prohi-
bition bill, which was killed in the
senate, and the agitation resulting
therefrom caused the question of
prohibition or mo prohibition to
be submitted to the democratic pri-
mary last August. Prohibition pre-
vailed by 10000 majority, but it did
not obtain a majority of the votes
cast, great many not having in
that box or on that question voted
at all. When the legislature met last
December, however, the house again
passed a strict prohibition bill This
was amended in the senate by strik-
ing out the prohibitory features and
leaving the machinery which had
been provided to enforce prohibition
as a means of dispensing liquors.
This machinery is very complex
and stringent. Provisions were in
corporated in the bill looking some
what to a monopoly by the state
government of the whisky traffic in
the purpose of policing it.
"Under the new law which went
into effect July 10Th, there will be
no barrooms in the state. Whisky
will be dispensed or sold to con-
sumers only by bonded officers in
the different counties in sealed pack
ages ranging from half a pint to four
gallons. No package will be per-
mitted to be opened on the premises.
The only requirement for any citi-
zen to obtain whisky or other stimu-
lants is that he shall sign an order
or request stating the amount or
kind wanted. Liquor is not to be
sold to minors or habitual drunk
ards. Beer and wine are also in
cluded under the provisions of the
law. The local officers obtain their
liquors from a state commissioner,
who purchases all the liquors sold in
the state and puts them into sealed
packages for distribution.
"All of the goods purchased must
be analysed by the state chemist
and their purity guaranteed before
sale. The maximum profit allowed
under the law is so per cent. to the
state and 90 per cent. at the local
dispensary, one-half of which goes
into the county treasury and the
other half into the treasury of the
municipality. The local option re-
mains, as it requires majority of
the freehold voters to sign a petition
before a local dispenser can be ap-
pointed"
Gov. Tillman said that the liquor
dealers were opposed to the law, as
were also the more rabid prohibit
tionists, but the measure will be a
source of great revenue to the state.
In a few years it will reduce taxa
ton one-half and will go far toward
paying the expenses of the entire
government of South Carolina.
One of the best Greek scholars in