Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-03
STATE BAR ROOMS NOT POPULAR.
Charleston Not in Favor Of Taking Its
Whisky "Officlally."

From the Charleston IS. c. News and Courier.
Now that the validity Of the dispensary law
is settled, for the time being, at least, public
attention is beginning TO turn to the very per-
tinent question Of Charleston's chances Of hav-
ing dispenssry of her own. Some weeks ago
two prominent reform politicians announced
themselves as candidates for the position Of
Charleston dispenser and went busly
Of freeholders to their petitions, but 20 far as
could be learned they met with but Indifferent
success. Whether it was this experience or
simply the fact that no one else in the city has
laundering after the loaves and fishes Of dis
pensary honors cannot be said, but SO far
as can be learned there are no new candidates
for the position. 1t ID entirely probable
that there may be some persons who have a
secret leaning that way. and it is possible that
that they have on the quiet taken few steps
| toward pushing their candidacy. but that is
| all. Candidates are few and far between and
are not working with much chance of success
The business community will. Of course, op-
| pose the establishment OF q dispensary here;
| not that they mean to come out openly and
make any fight over the matter, but it seems to
| be taken for granted that their influence will
| be against such institution. 1t would, Of
course, be exerted for the most part in at
any petition which might be set afoot. This
does not appear to be necessary, however. as
| the freeholders themselves are showing no In
clination to sign any such documents. 1t is re-
ported that the only full-hedged petition
which has been circulated in the city did not
| secure more than fifty signatures.
| This is. of course, not very encouraging to
| the candidate when he requires something over
| 700 names. This is how the matter stands at
present, but there is a rumor in circulation to
the effect that if the freehoders refuse to sign
petitions for dispensaries the administration in
| tends to take steps to have that clause stricken
| from the requirements of the bill. The story
| goes that prominent politician Of Charleston
was in Columbia recently and discussed
| this subject with Gov. Tilln,an. The
Charleston gentleman is reported to have
| said that there was very little chance Of secur-
| ing the signatures Of the freeholders of this
city to anybody's petition for the place Of dis
| penser, an he remarked upon the fact that can
didates throughout the state appeared to be
having considerable trouble in securing the
| peoples Endorsement.
The report referred to then goes on to say
that Gov. Tillmun said that il the freeholders
| refused to sign petitions for dispensaries it
would become necessary to call special session
| Of the legislature for the purpose of altering
the bill that the governor would have the
| power to appoint dispensers for the several
counties in the state.
| If there is any truth in this report it places
an entirely new phase on the question. Few
people, however, place any great reliance in it.
| The fact of the matter Is that for some reason
| or other it il generally believed that there IL
very little love for the dispensary law in the
hearts of the members Of the administration
| 1t became necessary to throw q bono Of some
| kind to the prohibition vote. and the Evans
bill was formulated. but even then it was passed
because Of the revenue which it promised to
| bring the state, rather than because Of any
| affection which the powers that were had for
| the principles involved.
1t is thought, however, that the state author
tiles are not going to run any risk of losing
money by this dispensary experiment, and that
| they will see to it that the dispensaries are
established by one means or another. II an
extra session Of the Legislature is required to
make the law operative it is generally believed
that it would be called accordingly. In the
meantime there is no immediate prospect OF
the establishment Of . state bar room in the
| city of Charleston.