The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-15
A QUEER LIQUOR LAW.
The Extraordinary System of Dispens-
ers and New Offices Created.

Indianapolis journal.
Probably the most unique and extra
ordinary liquor law ever passed has jnst
been enacted in South Carolina. 1t gives
the State an entire monopoly OF the traffic,
te be farmed out under certain conditions
and subject TO certain regulations. The
machinery of the law is cumbersome, COM
plicated and extensive. 1t creates nearly
$50 new offices. The Governor is required to
appoint Commissioned. or State dispenser,
salary $500. whose duty ii shall be- to pur-
chase all liquors for lawful sale in the
State. No liquors can be sold except
such as are purchased and dispensed
by him. He is provided with as
sistants--clerks. bookkeeper, etc. There
after the purity of the State liquors. and
a Stats Board of Control 10 look after the
chemist. Each county is TO have dispenser
and Board of Control, consisting OF three
persons. who are authorized to issue per-
nit to sell liquors to at least one dispenser
in their several counties with eleven extra
dispensers for Charleston and Richiand to-
gether. Each county dispenser is author
lied to have assistants. The county boards
are to specify the building in W hich intoxi-
eating liquors may be sold in any place, and
no liquor may De sold by any person or at
any place not authorized by the Board of
Control. The clerks of the County Com
missloners are made the clerks of the
county Boards of Control at an extra allow
ance of 50 per day for each day employed.
Finally the Governor is authorized to APP
point all the special constabes necessary TO
enforce the law.
The law provides that "all profits. after
paving all expenses of the county dispens-
airy. shall be paid One-half TO the County
Treasurer and one-half to the municipal
corporation in which it is located. such
settlements to be made monthly" From
this IL wOnld seem that the real object OF
the law is to raise revenue, though there is
a pretense of restricting the traffic. The
law went into effect January 2. II enforced
every saloon in the State will be closed and
liquor will only be sold by legal dispensers.
OF course, all the saloon and liquor men are
violently opposed to it, and will fight it
from the start, hoping to have 1t declared
unconstitutional. As the enforcement of
the law would cut off an i'm portant source
OF reyenue-that from lcenSes-in cities
and towns. 1t will probably excite much
opposition outside of saloon and liquor
circles. The Charleston News and Courier
sees In the law the foreshadowing of a huge
whisky political ring. 1t says:
1.-The control of all the whisky in the
State about election time would be power
full factor in the determination OF the result
of an election In any State. The Evans bill
gives such control to the administrato and
the faction now in power 10 South Carolina,
and II they do not make it serve to keep
them power for years TO come 1t will not be
the fault of the trainers Of the measure at
any rate"
1t does look somewhat as IL the Governor
Of South Carolina were trying TO get In his
work. BY the way, where will the Gov
ernor of North Carolina come in under this
law? He may find 1t "a long way between
drinks"