Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-11

Temperance people and people who could
hardly be so denominsted even IL they were
willing are going to be deeply interested in the
extensive experiment which is about to be made
in South Carolina. After many years of ex-
perience with the old-fashioned methods of
selling intoxicants there has been a legislative
revolution and from and after July the state
will control and operate every saloon within
its borders So far as the United States Ia
concerned. the application Of this regulatory
IDEA is a novelty, but in Sweden and Norway
il is an old story and no longer to be regarded
"a in any way predetermined. The South Caro-
lima law is very explicit. it provides that the
governor shall appoint commissioner Of the
state dispensary, an official whose duty it is to
purchase all the liquor to be sold in the state.
He has TO buy only the best quality, and
in order that thefe may be no question
on this point he is 10 be assisted by
the state chemist. A state board of control is
to appoint board of control for each county,
and il is to these latter organizations that ap
plications must be made by those who desire to
become county or retail dispensers. There
can be but onevdispenser in each county, except
in Charleston. where there may be ten. and in
Columbia. where three is the limit. Some
counties will probably have to get along with
out even a single dispensary. for the statute has
it that no person shall be dispenser who isnot
a citizen Of the United States and the state, Of
good moral character. or who is a druggist,
hotel keeper. restaurant or saloon keeper, or
tine proprietor or manager OF place OF
public amusement Any applicant who is ad-
dicted to the use Of intoxicating liquors
as thirst promoters and quenchers is in
eligible and no one can rise to the dignity Of an
applicant unless he be Endorsed by majority
of the freehold voters of the town or city in
which the permit is to be used Prohibition
ideas prevail in many localities within the state,
and it is easily possible that several anxious
ones will find themselves fatally short on auto
graphs Protection to home industries is fea-
ture of the legislation Liquors manufactured
within the state, all other things being equal,
are to be given preference by the purchasing
power, but coupled with this provision is lam
guage which prevents the manufacturer from
selling any liquors in the state except to the
state commissioner. This latter official sees to
it that the beverages are put up in packages of
not less than half a pint nor more than five
gallons, and these packages may not be broken
Ly the dispensers. Purchasers must be
Of full age and not habitual drunkards,
and before they can be served with the
liquids they desire must apply in writing, Civ
ing needed particulars as to their identity, to
the kind and quantity of liquor required, why
and for whom. There seems to be no question
as to the soundness of the law; even the legal
advisers Of the liquor dealers agree that it is IN
conformity with the state constitution. 1t is
estimated that about five thousand men now
employed in the nearly nine hundred saloons
and the fourteen wholesale establishments will
be thrown out Of employment. and these will,
BY the terms of the act, be compelled either to
enter other industrial fields or migrate to some
Of the many commonwealth where there are
no restrictions that restrict. Gov. TiIlman is
most emphatic in his declarations to the
laws enforcement, and the profts-which
will be one hundred per cent on the original
investment-are to go into the state treasury
for the purpose of tightening taxation the gov
ernor will probably receive good deal of sup
port in his efforts to give the new system a fair
trial