The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-09
MI. Bush. pi.pensarv Bill.


We regard the bill Of Mr.. Bush Of
Mitchell county. which prohibits the sale
Of intoxicating liquors in counties which
have not prohibi,ory liquor law, except
by dispenssries. ard which prevents the
manufacture OF liquors. as a very unwise
measure. 1t is unwIse because IT would I'll
the state with strife. and would not pre-
vent the sale Of intoxicants by unautho-
rized parties.
The only state in which the dispensary
law is being tried Il South Carolina, and
ever since IL has been in force IN that state
very unhappy condition Of affairs has *
listed there. Gov. Trmsn, with all his ie-
termination and big force Of constables to
assist him, has not been able 20 enforce
Il. The opposition to it is 50 great that it
is extremely doubtful If it will Be possible
ever to enforce it. It has been declared by
the Attorney General Of the United States
70 be in conflict with the federal liquor
laws, and one supreme court Of the state
has declared it TO be unconstitutional
It is a notorious fact that ever since the
dispensary law was passed in South Car
olina intoxicants have been very generally
sold outside Of the dispensaries. The law
is an experiment that has not yet been de-
cIared to be a success. and there is a strong
probability that it will never be a success.
We have always advocated the local op-
ton law. BY means Of it great many
counties have prohibited the sale Of intox-
icants within their limits. prohibitory
liquor law that has the support Of a ma
jority Of the people can be enforced. but
when it lacks such support it is impossible
TO enforce it with any considerable degree
Of success
The legislature could make no greater
mistake than to enact a general dispensary
law. II would operate against the state
in a number of ways. II we must have
liquor dispensaries let them be adopted on
the local option plan-that is let those
counties have them that want them. The
counties adopting the dispensary law
would then have to enforce it. The state
would not have TO maintain a small army
Of constables who would harrass and an
noy the people and who would be coming
into conflict with them constantly.
The idea Of having a state memorial
committee committee to preserve his
tory and erect monuments on historic
battlefeIds and elsewhere-as embodied in
a bill presented to the House by Mr.. GRAY
Of Catoosa. is a graceful tribute to past,
present and future generations of Geor-
gians. But it isn't practicable. Monu-
mentg cost roouay-. v,ybava fe tho ,,,1.r,..r.
to come from? The state purse isn't pie
thoric at present. and it isn't likely to be
soon. Cotton is too low to increase the
burden of taxation for the purpose of
erecting monuments. And further. the
people have just voted to pay a very hand
some tribute to the memory of tho lost
cause" in the pension amendment to the
constitution, which was adopted in Octo-
Der. bill to make effective the new
amendment has been introduced in the
House. If the bill is passed
the state will be called upon
to increase its pension payments
by hundreds Of thousands of dollars per
annum. And in the face of these hard
times, it seems that the taxpayers ought
not to be expected to do more. If the
legislature will devote itself to the task
of reducing taxation. and not to the devils
ing of ways to spend money, it will earn
the gratitude of the people who bear the
expense of running the establishment.
The introduction Of a liquor dispensary
bill in the legislature may have the eff
feet of opening a spirited discussion of
the saloon question. The season, how
ever, is hardly auspicious for the success
of the bill. The working of the dispensary
law in South Carolina has been attended
with so much expense to the taxpayers