The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-15
THE SYSTEM

THE DISPENSARY SYSTEM.
Judge Simoa,on, in deciding that
the %dispensary law vas in conflict with
the Interstate commerce law, did ex-
actly what a majority Of the men Of
the State, who have considered the nc
ter carefully, have anticipated ,~uld
be done if the test was made Of this
feature of the law. All Of this talk of
Senator Tillman aud Gov. Evans that
Judge Simonton was actuated by up-
worthy motives. improperly Influenced,
and other charges equally as discredit-
able to the Offices they occupy, is the
purest buncombe. They felt that they
were expected to say something and
and fell to abusing Judge Simonton as
the easiest method of meeting the stu
alton.
Judge Simonton did not interfere
with the police powers of the State.
He simply restored to the individual
citizen of this State the right Of trad
iug with the citizens of other states;
which right the State of South Caro-
Ina had siezed aud takeu from the in
dividual in the interest Of a monopoly.
The decision of Judge Simonton is
SO complete in itself and SO lucid and
precise in its language that comment
is unnecessary. The weakest point
of the law was before the court, and
it could not stand the test. The law.
as enacted. vas an infringement of the
rights Of the Individual; it was a
fraud. as it pretended to be a measure
to restrict the sale Of liquor. whereas it
established a monopoly aud while it
possessed certain features that COM
mend it to the good will of the peo-
pie it is a Law that cannot be accepted
willingly by those who believe that a
government such as obtains in the sew
eral States of the Union must respect
the rights and privileges Of Individuals
if it would be truly democratic and not
degenerate into a tyranny.
The effect Of the decision will be to
win friends for the dispeosary system
if the State Board of Control act
wisely. The decision does away with
the section Of the law which prohibited
the individual from ordering liquor
from other States for bis own use, and
it was this section that aroused the
greatest opposition to the entire system.
With this obnoxious feature removed
there are hundreds Of men who will
support the dispensary by their inau-
ence who who would never have done
80.
IL is true that the removal Of obsruc-
tons to importation will enable keepers
of blind tigers to secure themselves
under Judge Simonton's decision In
the purchase of liquor, but they can
not conceal themselves behind this
screen for long The State Board of
Control should turn every energy to-
wards suppressiDg the blind tigers
Concentrate the efforts of the constabu-
larry in this work aud urge upon the
towns aud cities of the State that the
police be instructed to use every effort
to detect and secure evidence to con
vict every illicit whiskey seller This
is the only sensible course left to Gov.
Evans and his associates. Let them
accept the decision, as it is good law
aud good sense, aud appeal to the
people to support what remains of the
dispensary system and assist in sup
pressing illegal %trafics in liquor. He
will find that be will have much better
success than either Tillman or himself
has achieved heretofore by attempting
to dominate the STATE and rule with a
high hand.