The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-06-14

would be suthclene amount, II Rooea
to the present appropriation for that
purpose, to run all of the public schools
of the State the year round. It's friends
also say that better grade of whiskey
will be furnished the public and the per-
centage of drunkenness largely decreas-
ed. But it is claimed by far seeing men
that the ultimate aim of the bill ia to
enlist the cooperation of other States in
forcing the Federal Government to
abolish the internal revenue tax and in it's
stead levy an income tax to make up the
deficiency. And after this has been done
the States severally will levy high
license tax on the retail sale of whiskey,
beer, and tobacco, and thus derive the
benefits and emoluments now being en-.
joyed by the Federal Government. If
this scheme could be worked in addition
to the dispensary system, some of the
States, so far from having to levy a direct
tax for Government purposes, would soon
be refunding taxes long ago collected.
Any measure that promises a reduction
of taxation is bound to be popular. Any
Law that demonstrates, however delusive
the denomination, lis ability to educate
those unable to educate thethselves, will
touch chord in the pnblic's heart. The
farmers of this State are growing poorer
and poorer each day. It is no unusual
sight to see men who were once wealthy
and numbered their slaves by hundreds
doing menial labor for q livelihood.
They are grown desperate. Mutterings
of angry dissent and walls of defiance are
echoed from every rural cottage. Fac
tions are arrayed against factions,
whites against whites It can only
be a question of time, and q
very short time at best, before the negro
element will be appealed to as balance
of power. Everything is unnatural and
unsettled. Parties in power do things
to-day and undo them tomorrow.
Demagogues are cropping along craters
where angels would shudder to tread.
There is conservative element, not
! conservative in the political sense With
which the expression has been used In
this State, that look upon the dispensary
bill as wild, impracticable scheme,
utopian in character and utterly impossi'
BILE of enforcement; a law, in short, that
if it fails will bankrupt the State. They
resent it as shackliug of their personal
liberties, and under the protective Wgis
of the Federal Constitution they propose
to disregard that section of the law which
forbids the purchase of whiskey in
another State and bringing It into this.
Such traffic is Interstate commerce, and
they claim the protection of Inter State
commerce laws. If this ides Is carried
out it means thousands of dollars for
Savannah, Augusta, Atlanta, Asheville,
Charlotte and Wilmington.
The cheapest corn and rye whiskey c.
the dispensaries will be sold at the rate
of three dollars per gallon, while the
same articles can be purchased in the
towns of the adjoining States for one.half
that amount. The temptation is too
great for even law-abiding citizens to
resist.
But Governor Tillman is man of
vigorous policy, and does not mince mat.
ters when it comes to discharging what
he deems to be his duty. He has just
ordered badges for special constables and
detectives, and will have large corps of
them to make arrests, seize whiskeys and
see that the law is vigorously enforced.
But the conservative element are indig-
uantly opposed to such methods, and
claim that the law will turn loose thous.
auds of State spies and informers to
harry and prey upon the people as
reinforcement to the army of Federal
officials employed In ,forcing national
internal revenue laws. They avow that
this double dose of espionage and vexa.
tious regulations will not be tolerated.
The Act has been declared valid by
the State Supreme Court, but it is not
thought by able lawyers that the Federal
Courts will brook for moment any
interference with the rights of citizens or
trespass upon the Interstate Laws as
provided in this bill. They also declare
that it has gaps and loopheles through
which coach and-fodr can easily be
driven. Prospective litigation promises
to yield a rich harvest of fees for the
lawyers, who are smiling with joy at the
reckless career of the Reform Admins
tration.
Retailers are disposing of their stocks
at heavy reductions and preparing for
the worst. Bar rooms wear gloomy
aspect and their once gaudy windows are
now empty save few fyspecked cbro'
| mos.
There is popular belief that the
South Carolina dispeusary system is the
same as that in Scandinavia, but there
are vital differences, and success in Nor
way and Sweden does not necessarily
mean success in South Carolina. The
Scandinavian Government merely leases
to associations OF companies total or
partial monopoly of the supply of drinks
in particular districts, and all the money
they make over per cent on their capi-
tai, which is regarded as Legitimate
interest, is placed in the Government
treasury, and is devoted to purely public
and philanthropic objects. Roads are
built aud substantial aid is given to edu-
cation, museums, Libraries, hospitals,
homes for the poor, orphan asylums and
the fund even contributes to the support
of the total abstinence movement.