The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-22
The Dispensary Law Void.

The decision Of the Supreme Court Of
South Carolina declaring the Dispensary
Liquor law void is a great victory Tor
those who think that personal liberty Is
the most valuable right guaranteed by
any form of government. That man
should be permitted to do as he likes
with his own as long as he does nothing
offensive or injurious 10 his neighoors,
ought to be a self-evdent proposition IN
every State in the Union. And the word
offensive" is not here meant TO indl-
cate mere fancy or chimera in the
brain Of every crank who thinks that
the habits Of others should conform 10
his standard. To most of the populist
orators wealth is offensive through mere
covetousness. Many worthy persons
think that the Millennium would could II
alcoholic timulants could be abolished,
and there may yet come time wnen
we shall see a crusade against all drugs,
lust as there have been crusades against
the use OF flesh meat and tobacco.
1t is hardly possible 10 feel any sym
pathy with the small farmers of South
Carolina who imposed the Dispensary
Iiauor law upon the business men OF
tbe cities and towns OF the State. Had
thev had such prejudlces against the
sale or consumption Of alcoholic liquors
that they desired 10 prohibit their Use
I'm the community, they might nave won
respect for refusing 10 handle the lhlhs
which they believe accurst but 10 pro
fess that they believed that the use OF
alcoholic liquor was 50 harmful 10 the
community that only the state shOulu
be allowed 10 reap the proits OF such
nefarious business is a very sud.s1 ~
titude for men brought up uHueI uie
Common Law. In France, where nee
eeearv evils" exist. It Is the practice
of the State to liscense anu INSANE
them like any other calling or TO MAKE
them a State monopoly on nscal or Den
evolent grounds For example toDaCco
Is a state monopoly in France Tor us
revenue. and pawnbroking because tnc
feelings Of Frenchmen who have 10 pieu5e
nersonal property must be handed win
great care. But this Is not III a000'N
ance with American poiity' .,
No one in South Carolina would SER
ously propose to make the COTTON erop q
State monopoly. Because eilher !" "ou'N
have to be taxed to pay the eApe"seS y,
Government handling, or olher crops an
merchandise would have 10 De ta~eu III
order TO pay the expenses OF putting W
cotton crop on the market AFTER me
farmers who grew il had been PAID Iuli
nrice for II Yet there is no more reason
vybv the State of South Carolina should
have entertained on the trade Of saloon
keeper than that it should now become a
cotton broker. If whiskey selling IS an
,nsurmountable menace 10 public health
II should be suppressed; IL 1t is lawful
trade. IL should be left IN private hahus
TO manage. There is no necessary con-
nection between the regulating OF a trade
or profession and the suppressing or mo-
nopolizing of il. We have Sunday clos
ing laws practically in force all over the
country I'm regard 10 dry goods stores and
exchanges which do not supply refresh
ment for man and beast. We make ply
slcians pass examinations and report in
fectious diseases and sign death certih-
Gates, yet we never dream Of suppressing
them or letting every one begin 10 prac-
tice medicine without a diploma.
II is hard TO say how far the Popuists |
might go II they were long enough in |
power to mould the State Constitution Of |
South Carolina 10 their will. But n is |
quite clear that they could not set up as |
liquor dealers without becoming author |
rized at the same time to set up as to-
bacco dealers. And there would ultimate |
~ arise a question for the Supreme Court |
of the United States 10 answer, namely, |
whether the inhabitants OF South Caro- |
ina We're living under a dospotic Populist |
rule or whether they could not claim |
some general rights to the pursuit Of |
life. liberty and happiness, each I'm his
'wn fashion.-New York Evening Sun.