The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-01
LIQUID DAMNATION."
PALMETTO STATE TO BEGIN THE En-
CLUsIVE SALE or WHIskT TO-DAY.
Operation OF the Law Inaugurated With
About Fifteen Counties Having Dispen-
saries-rian ofthe Saloon Keepers.

history Of South Car olna and in the
annals Of the country, for on that day
the State will In her official capacity
begin the exclusive sale Of liquor as
means Of revenue pure and simple
1t Will be the day of the dispensary-the
monopolistic sale OF liquid damnation'
by the State, and the throwing oat of
employment Of many hundred citizens
whose business will be confiscated 'hould
they attempt 10 prolong it after the day
set by The State for the Inauguration of
her own business and political schem.
At the last session of the Legislature
the Tilman faction found -hat the pro-
hibltlon question put them between the
devil and the deep sea. They accordingly
hit upon the dispensary plan in the hope
that the Trohibitionsts would accept
it as partial success I'm their fight for
the abolition Of the saloon. and In the
belief that II taxation could bc reduced
out of the profits of the scheme they
would be secure in power for many
years.
The dlspensary has not The least sem
blance Of prohibition about 1t, and The
ProhibltonIsts now realize the mistake
that they made in not following up the
victory that they gained in the House
Of Representatives The more dlspen-
saries there are in the state the
more money the State Will make
Governor Tilman and the other au-
thortles have accordingly settled Gown
10 sell all the liquor they can. To this
end st IS important that every county
should have a dispensary. and their efforts
are vigorously directed to that end. The
indications are that about fifteen coun-
ties will have dispensnries open to-mor-
row. Six others are prevented from hav-
ing them ON account Of local prohibition
laws and I'm the other thirteen there Is
"a hard fight against the establishment Of
dispensaries. The law requires that an
applicant for the position Of dispenser
must have the signatures Of a majority
Of the freeholders OF the incorporated
town or city on his petition before the
county board Of control may appoint
him. In many Of the counties II has
been impossible TO obtain the necessary
signatures.
in Pleasant Hill. Lancaster county,
two OF the three freehold voters that
the town contains-one being colored
have petitioned for a difpensary while
at Moultrieviie. where there is only one
freehold voter che colored owner OF en-
oyster bank under water at high tlde), he
has petltioned for a dspensary
The question Is a vital one with the bar
/ leepers. who will be thrown out of bust
moss The number OF retail dealers I'm
! the state IS nearly 1000, and there are
/ fourteen wholesale dealers, who employ
/ IN the aggregate about 900 men. These
| men have not yet settled the problem OF
90
sale dealers will 20 10 other States while
others will keep their establishments
! omen. while running restaurants and sell
| ing lemonades, etc. In the hope that
some legal interference Will come about
so that they may resume the sale OF
| liquor.
There IS some talk Of getting out an
| Injunction prohibiting the state from
! closing up the saloons, and while nothing
definite can be ascertained about me
/ matter at present. it IS very probaole
| that something will be done by the IT.
tornevs hat the liquor men have en-
! ploycd. ,.
Tiouor Will be shipped 20 tho various
county dispensaries from the S'ate dis
Uonsarv iu this Cit. IL is located In the
old Agricultural Hall building, which was
built about fifteen years ago by the ho,O-
| ,ious Niles c. Parker. whose doings WINE
| state treasurer caused him &c nee the
| etoto Tbe State owns the building, and
with the exception Of several Office "ooins'
is now devoting It entirely to the pur-
| poses Of the dispensary.
| IT IS a large four-stOry buildlnB' "h'ch
is filed with all kinds of whisky appaIa-
| tus and machinery. The stock OF hqu0's
an banl focts up about $3o00o9. Most 81
IN is purchased on credit the State nav
ing approprlated only one-sixth OF thaI
amount for the purchase Of liquor
Persons wanting liquor are required 70
| ,o 10 the dspensary and sign an apWi-
cation. which Is submitted 10 the dlspe eiiSel
and II he approves It the liquor VIII p5
sold in the quantity asked for II not lea'
than one-half pint or more thaa hF'
gallons. ..,.,.
The railroads are not allowed to trans
| port any liquor except when IL pears '"'
certificate OF the State COMMISSION y
Mr.. ID. H. TraMCr. Persons purcha9inf
liquor cannot have it shipped 10 U-u'
They must either haul It IN prlVate con
yeyances or carry it on the cars as per
sonal baggage. .,,.,.to,.
IN the business. and Il Will be- some tiin'
before she many perplexing questions
| that arise can be properly decided o'au
constables have been appointed TO se
cretlv watch for blind tigers ana
prevent any but the legal hahull"e
| liquor. III, - ro,d,
for operatlOn tomorrow. one other ma
received its stock from the State us
pensarv but has been enJolned' lhe'
disnensaries are located AT the ioiio"ih'
places: Orangeburg. Lewisdaie' teSlils '1i ~,
Aiken. Camden, Georgetown EdseIelu
| Creenyiile Newbury ana florehce' ~
no, tnnrobable that injunctions VIII p
~ ,,ad tor IN two other counties. Up &
tbts evening the State authorities nav
racstved no official information OF TN
| aetablishment of any other dispeusarles
although a half dozen others nave eiecte'
dispensers. -. ,t..o,so e
rba estimated stock Of the dispensarie
Mt will be I'm operation tomorrow y
tt6 400 This estimate Is made by the stat
,orornissioner. II will replace a STOCK
COO ono of n month ago. Twenty-four mel
are 10 replace the one thousand VINO nav
heen employed in this business
All the bars I'm the state are GOING
quietly submit 10 the law, ana prompt
a midnight the establishments VIII y
a,osod In number OF instances IN
bars are giving away their surplus .d o'lra
ore keeplng what they have not dispose
~ IN the hope that something Will tur
, ,,n In their favor. In this city where IN
2 STATE dispensary IS located, fearing
p | ,ossible outbreak OF popular lndisnauof
rcmbIned with the effect of the hquo
dispensed by the retiring ssloonists; III
authorities have placed extra guards
Z the State dispensary.
The supply OF liquors for the use OF tf
state is not quite as large as has bee
contemplated. None OF the fancy drinf
-. haen received. and for the presei
= i,1nor consumers will have 10 do witho'
,''inas and other light drinks. X the
nave not put IN a supply To-day dozeI
% wogons could be seen driving out I