The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-03-25
ANDERSON, S. C, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 25 1896.
"TO CHRISTIAN VOTERS"

"TO CHRISTIAN VOTERS"
The Gospel Temperance Union appeals,
The Executive Committee of the
Gospel Temperance Union has sent
out the following address for the con-
sideration Of the "Christian Voters Of
the State"
"The present status Of the liquor
traffic in South Carolina III a condition
which challenges. the earnest atten-
tion of every good citizen and eape-
cially Of every Christian in the State.
"If the d%ispennary system is to be
continued as a means Of supplying iu-
toxicants to all who seek them for
beverage purposes, and Of gaining q
revenue from the profit of sales for
this purpose, then must the countless
evils, which all in this enlightened
day know to be the inevitable conse-
quenoe Of such a system, continue to
flow in an ever-increasiug food, to
the destruction Of every interest, So
cial and spiritual, which government
is organized to protect and foster, and
the religion of Jesus Christ is intend
ed to advance.
mo plea of policy or expediency
!! can avail to turn aside or avert the re-
suits, or screen from a fearful ac-
oountability any and every citizen who
bears any part in the responsibility
for their existence or continuance.
lit was this view Of the question
which moved the Executive Commit
tee OF the Gospel Temperance Union
ITO appeal to the Legislature at its re-
cent session to SO modify the law as
to make its operation entirely consist
eat with Christian duty and the best
interests Of the people.
"They believed that q body COM
posed in large part Of men bound by
the solemn vows Of the Christian pro.
f%ession, and therefore supposed to seek
only the best good Of those whom they
were chosen to represent, would be
ready to act at once upon any sugges-
tion looking to this the only legitimate
purpose Of legislation.
"They supposed that these legisla-
tors, protesting to be followers Of
that which is good, would stand
ready to consider and act upon the
proposa, to change the dispensaryl law
in those features which could be shown
from observation and experience OF it's
practice, to be injurious to the public
interests.
"The Executive Committee there
fore labored earnestly to prepare a
bill for the consideration Of the Leg
islature, which would, while, elimina-
ting the destructive features Of the
existing law, preserve init everything
that was shown to be helpful in re-
stricting the use Of Intoxicating IL
quors and rigidly enforcing its penal
ties against Illicit traffic. :
"The bill so framed not only pre-
scented the views Of the Executive
lCommittee, but at considerable labor
and expense, the COMMITTEES sought.
aud obtained the views Of the minis
tiers Of all denominations in the State,
and more than 500 pastors Of church
es and teachers Of colleges and semi
naries unhesitatingly joined in the
opinion that such amendments to the
~dispensary were needed to bring it
into conformity to the Christian SEN
timent Of the people Of the State.
t"The Committee were also assured
by many members Of the Legisla-
ture. Of. what was knownto them from
personal observation of others, that
the restrictive provisions Of the Law
were being almost wholly disregarded
by the dispensers and under circum-
stances which gave good reason for
the belief that this disregard of and
violation of the law by its OWE admin
istTators was connived at or upheld
by those whose duty it was to enforce
it.
"Under such conditions it was but
natural that there would be a large in
crease in the use Of intoxicants
rhroughous the STATE, and this fact is
testified to by the State commissioner
in his report submitted to the Legis-
lature, in which he shows the neces-
uity for making large provisions to
meet the increased md steadily in
~crreasing demands for liquor. From
this il followed as a naturalresult that
drunkenness and it's effects--crime,
distress, poverty and shame and the
general decentralization Of all who are
parties to the wrong-must also in
crease until the cause Of the wrong be
removed.
"All these facts ard reasons were
presented to the consideration Of the
committees of the Senate and House
to whom the bill was refsrred, and the
till.was reported in each house with
out recommendation. Whe- it came
up for the final consideration in the;
house, after an earnest fight for ii
made by a few whose names deserve
to be honored for their fearless and
noble defense of the right, it received
% votes. In the Senate it was intro
duced by the courtesy Of the Senator
from S%partanburg, but when it came
up for consideration no man was found
to advocate it., and a motion to indef-
nitely postpone it was carried without
dissent.
"The work of the Gospel Temper
ance Union, in presenting the issue
to the Legislature, was not, however,
without good results.
"We have reason to believe that our
agitation of the subject, and the pre-
s%entation of our views, and the facts
bearing upon the abuse Of the system
by dispensers, and the de%bauching re-
suits Of the States traffic in intoxi-
cants upon the purchasers and others,
has had the effect to arouse the con-
science of men in and out of the leg
ialature to the true state of the case,
and has already resulted in an i'm
proved public sentiment on the sub
ject. !,
"This was evident in the action of