The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-02-11
THE CAUSE Of TEMPERANCE.
d MgMoRlAL To T4g IgsIslAruRs.

Restrict the Dispensanes and Liquor Sold
for Medicinal Purposes Only.
The following memorial in regard to
the bill recently introduced in the
General Assembly, looking to the
amendment OF the ~dispensary law SO
as TO do away with the use of liquor as
a beveragea and the profit feature OF
the desks of the members:
The memorial Of the Gospel Tenn
perence Union OF South Carolina, re-
presents to the General AS
sembly OF South Carolina that it is an
organization composed OF citizens of
the state, having for it's object the
suppression OF the liquor traffic. In
pursuance OF this object the executive
committee OF this Organization have
had prepared q bill to amend certain
sections OF the existing d%ispensary
law, which Is now before both houses
OF h General Assembly for your con
s~ideration.
These amendments propose to elm
mate any profit further than necessary
TO enforce the same: and further
eliminate the dispensing of intoxicat-
ing liquors as a beverage, SO that they
shall be sold only for medicinal, mechan-
ical, scientific and sacramental uses.
These amendments represent the
wishes of the Gospel Temperance
Union of South Carolina and the Chris
tian sentiment OF the State.
We make this appeal for their adop-
ton Tor the reasons following
L. These amendments are such az
will put the dispensary law in lasting
favor with the best and most law abid-
ing people Of our State.
Ill. The law. as amended, will have
the hearty support in its enforcement
OF the conscientious citizens and lovers
of sobriety.
III. 1t will allay the discomfort of
prohibitionists and others If %intoxicat-
ing liquors r no longer sold as q
beverage, as there are many who
think the State has no right to sell it
as a beverage.
Nv. II such amendments are adopted
as will unite the good people of the
the enforcement of the law, the illict
sales will necessarily be decreased.
Such changes will in no wise affect the
provisions Of the act regarding its en-
forcement, all such provisions remain
ing in full effect.
v. The sale of liquors will then be
much or more under the control OF the
State than it could possibly be other.
wise, inasmuch as good or better men
could be secured to act as officers In
the dispensary, and no church could
refuse to keep a member in good stand
ing who held such an Office, whi.n is
not tho case now.
vi. AS the act now stands we find
the State With a law under which no
consistent church member can accept
an Office, and an institution of the
State upon which he can not invoke
Gods blessing.
VII. The law, in it's present shape,
is particularly Objectionable because
it provides that the State shall do
that which the church has said cannot
be done without sin.
VIII. 1t humiliates, debases and de-
stroys public conscience in receiving
Tor education Interchangeable price
OF the eternal ruin of immortal souls
such money as the Scribes and PDari-
sees who purchased the Saviour's
blood refused to receive when return
ed to them by Judas Iscariot.
TX. 1t Is further Objectionable be-
cause 1T gives the gloss of re~spectabili-
ty to q traffic that undermines society,
demorallzeS it's victims, impovcrishes
its citizens and becomes responsible
for a great majority of the crimes and
the constant %infraction OF the laws of
the State.
x. The sale of Intoxicating liquors
as u beverage, by individuals or by the
State, never being right, no good nun
can consistently do other than protest
against any legal approval of the same.
XXI. The di9pensary law makes every
citizen a stockholder, sharing in the
profits If there be any, and in the liza
bilities, which are certain. See Hab-
akkuk 2:l2, Is, "Woe to him that
giveth his neighbor drink, that put
teth thy bottle to him, and maketh
him drunken also. Woo to him that
buildeth town with blood and estab-
!isheth a city by iniquity." This be-
ing true, the State mas covered with
shame all Of her citizens, instead of
protecting them from such dishonor as
a true mother would her children.
XII. Inc present law antagoniZes
the church, and good society, makes
criminals and l~aw-breakcrs of her citi-
zens, as no nan filled with liuuor Is
any longer q law-abiding citiZen, but
is a fit subject for arrest for drunken.
ness, If not for disOrderly conduct, and
for crimes he is very liable to commit.
Kill. These amendments suggested
are not political or partisan in their
nature they are the demands made by
the great Christian church of our
State, which a not be silent without
sin, and which, in the name of her
communicates and by her Gospel Tenn
erance Union appeals for d%eliverance
from the unholy alliance into which
she, as Il part OF the States citiz ,nship,
has beer forced to participate.
XIV. This appeal is also made by
the Gospel temperance Union in the
name OF the 400 ministers of the gospel
who have written the executive com
mittee that it is their wish to have
said amendme nts made to the present
law.
XIV Lastly, gentlemen, we urge
upon you In the name of our God and
OF our fallen and helpless brothers
v1ctimtze d by strong drink, with broken
Wills, unable to take advantage of
Kelley cure. 'anxious to be delivered ;
and then we invoke you, in tho name
their broken hearted and impoverish-
ed families, to grant our appeal, thus
removing the most prolific sources of
misery and crime and the greatest
h~1ndrancJ TO the progress of the cause
OF Christ" doing what we th;nh is
right, and failing TO do which would
be wrong, and forever tarnish the
good name Of u State and fix, per-
haps forever, the greatest Imaginable
curse with the divine sentence of
" woes upon the citizens thereof.
D. L. BoOZER, President.
L. j. LAMoTTE, Secretary.