The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-29
Prohibition Laws.


The dispensary system is not to be i'm
bedded in the new constitution Of South
Carolina. That was settled after a quite
lengthy discussion in the constitutional
convention Friday. The question whether
the dispensary or some other system is
TO be adopted for the regulation Of the
liquor traffic in the state is TO be left
TO the legislature to settle. Senator Till
man did not urge the Incorporation of the
dispensary system in the constitution.
From what he said it is inferred that
he is by no means satisfied that the sys-
tenn is a permanent one. He evidently
has his doubts about it. because he stated
that it might have to be abandoned for
some other.
We call attention to the action Of the
South Carolina constitutional convention
in this matter for the reason that bill
for the control Of the liquor traffic
which has some of the features
of the South Carolina dispensary system
viii be introduced into the legislature Of
this state within very few weeks. It
is known as the ahti-barroom bill. and it
has great many friends The members
of churches are very generally supporting
it. and a good deal of missionary work
in its behalf is being done by leading
temperance people.
We have no objection to temperance nor
10 prohibition, provided the prohibition
is based upon the consent Of a majority
of the people. We understand as fully as
any one the terrible evils that flow from
the liquor traffic and we would not throw
any obstacle in the way of legislation that
we felt sure would suppress it. but we do
not approve of the anti-barroom bill.
mainly for the reason that an anti-bar-
room law could not be enforced in the
parts of the state in which majority
Of the people are opposed to prohibition
Prohibition legislation is the goal at
which prohibitionists aim. They seem to
think If they can get the legislation they
want they will have accomplished their
object whereas, as a matter of fact
they will have accomplished practically
nothing
There is a great difference between en-
acting a law and enforcing it. Nowhere
that we know of are prohibitory liquor
laws being enforced. and in the states
in which there is a prohibitory liquor
law there is If reports are to be cred
tied. more drunkenness than there was
before such a law was enacted. When
the father of the dispensary law in South
Carolina practically admits that that law
may not be permanent. it is time for
the supporters of the anti-barroom bill
to inquire whether the legislation they
propose would not be harmful rather than
helpful to the people.
Wherever there is prohibitory legisla-
ton, intoxicants are sold surreptitiously,
and when sold that way they do much
more harm than when sold openly and
under proper restrictions.
We have always advocated local OPP
ton, and we still pin our faith to that
method of settling the liquor question.
When a community votes against the
sale of intoxicants in saloons the saloons
stop business, because they know the
law will be enforced. being supported by
public sentiment. There are many coun-
ties in this state in which the liquor traffic
has been suppressed by means of local
option. and there would be many more
if the prohibitionists would let legislation
alone and endeavor to accomplish their
object by convincing the people of the
advantages of temperance. When con-
WINGED they would suppress the liquor
traffic and they would give a hearty sup
IN. Il
was to see that the law was not violated.