The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-01-22
After the Dispensary.
The State, 18th,

ment against the dispensary system
throughout the State, judging from
the remarks of the secretary Of the
former prohibition State executive
committee which are given below.
The "new movement for the promo.
tion Of temperance, as the Gospel
Temperance Union is called, has re-
Gently attracted much attention in
this city, and with view to ascertain
ing something about it's purpose and
methods, a representative of The State
called on the secretary of the organi-
cation, Mr.. Thomas j. LaMotte, also
the secretary of the State prohibition
committee, who cheerfnlly furnished
the information in his possession.
"What was the origin of the move
ment, what its specific object and
what the plans for securing its pur-
poses?" was the general question put
to Mr.. LaMottc.
"Well, briefly stated, this form Of
temperance work originated with Rev.
L. L. Abbott, a Baptist minister, of
West Virginia, who became SO deeply
impressed with the idea that the pro-
motion of temperance, that is, total
abstinence from intoxicants, and the
abolition of the traffic therein, was
essentially part of the work of the
Christian Church, and obligatory on
every Christian, that he resolved to
devote himself to the work of impress
ing his views on the Christian Church
es. His labors to this end have been
fruitful of very marked good results
in California, Kentucky and the North
western States, where the union of
Christian effort has been found the
most effective method of fighting the
liquor traffic and the evils which flow
from it.
ga few weeks ago Mr.. Abbott came
to Columbia and invited conference
with few known temperance men and
women, and there explained his plans
and purposes. The union of Christi
ans in each church is expressed by
signing the following obligation:
"'Believipg the liquor traffic to be
one of the most prolific sources OF
misery and crime in our country, and
standing directly in the way of the
cause of Christ, we hereby unite our
selves in organization, in His name,
for its suppression.
GA central union was at once or
ganized by those thus pledged-num:
bering among its members nearly all
the clergymen Of all denominations in
the city, including the Catholic. An
executive committee was constituted
and they have been actively at work
forming unions in the several churches
and disseminating information on the
development of the movement through
out the State.
GAS will be seen by the foregoing
pledge the specific object is tho sup
preston of the liquor traffic, and as
the only legalized traffic in this State
| is through the agency Of dispensaries,
the question naturally arose what
should be the attitude of the orgauiza'
tion toward this traffic. The commit.
| tee became satisfied from their obser.
vation, correspondence and intercourse
with citizens from all parts of the
State that the present dispensary sys.
| tenn is far from being satisfactory in
its administration or its results.
"From inquiry made of many clergy
| men, representing every denomination
in the State, 125 answers received
during the past week express the con.
viction that the present law should be
| SO amended as First. That intoxi
eating liquors should be dispensed
| only for scientific, medicinal, mechan
ical and sacramental uses, and second
That sales for these purposes shoulo
be made only with profits sufficient tt
cover the expenses Of dispensing the
same.
"One eminent minister Of the Epis
copal Church writes L am earnestly ii
favor of amending the dispensary Law
of this State, believing that it is en-
couraging and increasing the use ol
intoxicating liquors and giving respect
ability to the traffic by the sanction o1
the State as the barkeeper.'
"Au equally eminent Lutheran di
vine writes: Its enforcement has moi
diminished drinking and drunkenness
and has added fearfully to the cata
logue of bloody crimes all over tht
State. This law and its measure Of
enforcement may be said, like the law
of Draco, to have been written il
blood
"Others are equally pronounced il
their sentiments, some expressing
themselves in even stronger terms.
"The executive committee hav'
been forced by this prevalent convic
tion to believe that the union shoult
be utilized as far as possible for crys
talizing the Christian sentiment of tn
State upon the immediate necessity O.
such change in the dispensary system
as will relieve it of the. features which
| in the judgment of good men is max
ing it most destructive agency to al
1.-THE best and dearest interests OF tn
individual, the family, the church ant
| the State. -
! "Fortunately the people in. the re
| cent convention made it possible t.
accomplish the needed reform in thi
matter without resort to partisan o
political methods. The Constitution
| has removed all possibility Of a re
lapse to the saloon as a result OF
change in the dispensary law as sug
gested by the reply of the ministr!
alluded to.
"The future of this question Of dis
pensing liquors is left with the Legis
lature and it is but right and prope
that if the people or any considerable
| portion of them, conceive that a chang'
| is desirable it is their duty to seel
through proper efforts to influence th'
Legislature to make such change
This is what the Gospel Temperance
Union seeks to do at present.