Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1893-12-15
THE DISPENSARY SYSTEM.
Cor. Tiilman Enumerdtes It's
Claims for support.


perhaps no measure passed by
any legislature of any State within
the memory of man has excited
such widespread comment and e.
licited such deep interest. This is
mainly owing to the fact that it is
an entirely new idea from an Amer
lean standpoint and deals with the
question of controlling the liquor
traffic in a new way.
"In the State the dispensary law
has been, and still is, the one alb
sorbing, never ending topic of dis
cussion, and it has produced some
comical alignments and alliances
in the efforts to obstruct and defeat
it. Newspapers which have always
fought prohibition, and the organs
of the whisky ring, have suddenly
become strong advocates of prohi-
bition. Prohibitionists who are so
radical in their views that the un-
charitable call them 'cranks' have
been found shoulder to shoulder
with barkeepers and whisky deal
ers in opposing it; and while many
eminent divines have lent it their
aid and endorsement, others are bit
ter in it's denunciation The more
moderate prohibitionists are de-
lighted with it. The whisky men
are more bitter in their opposition
to it than they have ever been to-
ward prohibition.
eff it can be shown that under
the dispensary system there will be
a reduction in the consumption OF
liquor and necessary reduction
in crime and misery resulting from
it, it must follow that the dispens
ary, without regard to the revenue
feature, is long stride forward
and an improvement on the license
system. | will not pretend to say
that it is as good as prohibition
would be, but l do say prohi'
bition, here or anywhere else, is
impossible, and the only question
is how best to regulate the traffic
so as to minimise the inevitable
injury to society inseparable from
the sale Of liquor under any cir
cumstances. The claims of the
dispensary to support and its SUI
periority over any form of licensing
rest on the following grounds:
"First-The element of persona
profit is destroyed, thereby remov
ing the incentive to increase tn,
sales.
"Second-A pure article is guar
anteed, as it is subject to chemica
analysis.
"Third-The consumer obtain
honest measure, and Of STANDARD
strength.
"Fourth-Treating is stopped, a
the bottles are not opened ON til
premises.
".Fifth-It is sold only in tn
daytime: this under regulation
of the board and not under the law
"Sixth-The concomitants of ic(
sugar, lemons, etc, being removed
there is not the same inclinatio
to drink remaining, and the closin
Of the saloons, especially at nigh
and the prohibition of its sale b
the drink, destroy the enticement
and seductions which have cause
SO many men and boys to be lie
astray and enter on the downwar
course.
"Seventh-It is sold only ft
cash, and there is no longer 'chall
ing up for daily drinks against pa
day. The workingman buys h
bottle of whisky Saturday nigl
> and carries the rest of his wag
home.
"Eighth-Gambling dens, poe
rooms and lewd houses, which ha'
hitherto been run almost invari
bly, in connection with the saloon
which were thus a stimulus to vic
separated from the sale of liquo
have had their patronage reduc
to a minimum, and there must ne
essarily follow decrease of erin
y "Ninth-The local whisky ring
y which have been the curse of eve
municipality in the State, and ha
always controlled municipal el,
tions, have been torn up root a
branch, and the influence of t
, barkeeper as political manipu
- tor is absolutely destroyed. T
police, removed from the control
these debauching elements, will {
force the law against evil dol
with more vigor, and higher to
and greater purity in all govel
mental affairs must result. #
~ PROFITS FROM THE NEW METHOD
"Under the scale of prices fix
by the State Board ON whiskey n
sold in South Carolina there is
handsome profit, while at the sa
time the liquor at retail is cheal
d. than it was when sold across
bar. Making allowances for
-- watering and other adulteration
\ the whisky that was formerly c.
}. sumed. half pint bottle of disp
y sary whisky that now costs 20 ce
and containing five average dril
of far superior strength would h;
L.