The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-06-13
A Prohibition Saloon,

a temperance scheme, which COM
bines some Of the features of the cele-
brated Gothenburg plan with others
of novel character, has been devised
according to the Chicago Record, by
the Prohibitionists of Haverhill, Mas
sachusctts. AS any scheme looking
to the regulation Of the liquor business
possesses painful interest for the
people of South Carolina just now, it
is as we'll, perhaps, tlat we should
give this newest one a showing for
whatever it may be worth.
The last municipal election in
Haverhill, it is explained, resulted
in decisive defeat Of the temperance
people, with the result that last week
the licensing of saloons began and
within two days twenty-six groggeries
had sprung into hodrishing existence.
The Frohibitionists, however, were
more inccnsed than discouraged by
the triumph Of their alvefsaries and
determined to Eight fire with fire,
or more exactly speaking: fire water
with fre-watcr. They are according
ly fitting up fine groggery Of their
own-''p palatial saloon" it is called
wherein they propose to sell intoxi-
eating liquors on their own account.
And Just here is where the special
and peculiar feature Of the plan comes
in. No attempt will be made to make
profit on their sales, and they will
sell all their goods "at the minimum
rate of cost. j." If whiskey of q sufi-
GENTLY satisfactory grade can be pur-
chased at the rate of five cents glass,
the Prohibitionists will retail it for
five cents a glass. Beer, it is prom
ised, will be sold for two cents glass,
and so on.
The theory of the plan is, it is cx-
planned, though the explanation is
scarcely necessary, that in the face Of
the superior attractions and extreme
| ly low rates Of the Prohibitionists sa-
loon, the other twenty-six establish
ments will lose all their customers
and be compelled to surrender their
$4,000 licenses and go out of business.
Then the Prohibitionists, it is further
explained, will close their own rum
shop, remaining ready to open it again
in case their opponents resume opera
tions.
It is, as the Record remarks, ian
extremely interesting experiment, -
and the people of the whole coun-
try will await the reports Of it's prac-
tical operation with no little curiosi-
ty.
The weak point in the scheme, it is
needless to point out, is the announ-
ced intention of the Prohibitionists to
close their own mill when they have
closed it's rivals; and if the scheme
fails it will probably fail on account
of this feature. The old topers and
the thirsty public generally of Haver-
hill will patronize the new concern at
first, of course. They cannot possibly
resist the temptation offered in five
cent whiskey "of satisfactory grade, !"
and two-cent beer of the same quality.
These "attractions" alone would draw
all the custom of the place if the new
saloon were no more "palatial" in it's
appearances and equipments than a
railroad shanty. The other saloons
could not possibly compete with such
prices, and if the new saloon were
guaranteed fixture of the town the
doom of the regular old-fashioned
rummeries would be as good as sealed.
The announcement that when the old
concerns shall close the new one will
close, however, will suffice to save the
old ones. The drinking public will
have to divide their drinks in. order to
be able to keep drinking g-and that, Of
course, will be fatal to the purposes Of
the new movement.
However, we are willing to have
the experiment tried, and to wait and
see what will come of it. Our Prohi-
bition friends have failed signally in
the plan they have pursued so far, Of
trying to prevent the sale of liquors,
and they cannot fail worse in their
new undertaking. 1t is encouraging
to find them trying new ventures, and
possibly when they attack their old
enemies, the saloon keepers, in this
way on their own ground and so Wig
orously, they may be able to force a
compromise Of some sort that will be
acceptable to both sides and work for
the good of the public. And that, we
think, is how the long conflict will Il
nally end. The free sale of liquor is
an intolerable evil, and prohibition is
an impracticable reform. The sensi-
BILE, temperate people of the country
certainly will be able some day to find
safe ground for the business some
where between these extremes.-Neaos
and Courier.