The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-18
The States Rum Business.

COLUMBIA, December 12.-1t was OFF,
cially announced to-day that the price Of
liquor sold through tho dispensary would
be increased on and after the 1st OF
January. twill be remembered that
last August there was g reduction OF
about Is or 80. per cent. and In some in
Stances Of more, in the price Of the
cheaper grades of liquor. The reason
assigned for this great reduction In prices
was that it was the best means of fighting
the blind tigers. Ifliquor could be sold
at ten cents through the dispensaries it
was urged that 1t would divert trade from
the "hgers" to tho regular dispensaries.
The State authorities now think that the
low price treatment has about starved
out the "tigers." Then the dispensary
authorities believe that the diversion Of
the net profits of the dispenssry to the
public school fund will tend % popular
lie the system and make the people more
generally alive to the enforcement Of the
law and that there will in consequence
not be so much of task for the State to
enforce the law, and prices need not be
kept down. By the provision of the new
Constitution, which goes into effect on
the first of the year, the dispensary pro-
fits 60 to cancel the supplementary tax.
Governor Evans to-day said that on the
first of the month the price Of liquor
would be increased and that the rates
would be about what they were before
the reduction was ordered, although the
increase would not be quite up to the old
figures. The experiment of the State In
| fighting the "blind tigers" by cheap
llquor, he thought, had worked we'll.
tits stated by Commissioner Mixson,
who favors the restoration of prices, that
the reduction in the cheaper grades of
liquor has cut off about one fifth Of the
income of the dispensary. Estimating
the business Of the establishment at the
moderate amount of million dollars
there would be $500, 600 more income to
the State, and according to the Ccnstitu-
tional provision this would go toward the
school fund. The dispensary authorities
contend moreover that at the old rates
the State sold liquor as cheap as 1t was
ever gotten. The only question nowts
how the change in prices will affect the
people, since they have come accustomed
to cheap liquor.
tant Attorney General Townsend re-
turned to the city to-day from Charleston,
where they had been on dispensary bust
ness. Judge Townsend reports that the
contempt case he went to argue was ar
ranged, the liquor returned and the case
withdrawn and the costs paid.
Mr.. Barber, while in Charleston, per-
fecsed the papers In the appeal In the
celebrated Donald case. It will be
remembered that from this case has
resulted all Of the contempt proceed
ings that have recently occurred. All OF
the papers were agreed upon by Mr..
BRYAN and Mr.. Barber, and the clerk Of
she Court was instructed to see that the
papers were forwarded to the Federal
Supreme Court as soon as possible. By
consent of counsel the Supreme Court
will be asked to fix an early date for the
hearing of the case on its merits-not
later .han the LIST of February. 1t is ex-
peoted that the Federal Supreme Court
|swill then hear tha case and decide the In
tar-State phase of the dispensary matter
on it's merits. It is expected that this
decision will have much to do with set
|ssling the right of importing liquor into
the State, although some seem to think
that the contempt side of the matter Will
Ennly be touched upon.
The reports are that the county dis
pensnries can not get enough liquor with
which to supply the trade, and especially
the cheaper grades. For the twenty
three hours yesterday the Gispensary here
bottled over 300 gallons, which made
80 $40 packages OF liquor. The eorders are
in for very much more and the State
findsa great deal Of difficulty in keeping
up With Its orders st this time for Christ
mas sliquor.-Netcs and Courier.