The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-02-20


State in the Interest Of Health.
The following is the special message
of Governor Evans on the dispensary
which was read last week to the Log
islature.
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly
In 1892 the dispensary law was enacted
rs q solution OF tho veXed ana much
discussed whiskey problem. All rea
sonahlo mon acting in the light Of the
experience of other States acknowl
edge that prohibition is impractiblc
SO long as whiskey is regarded as q
legitimate article OF commerce by the
national government. 1t can only be
cherished as an ideal theory and must
be clnssed with other Utopian ideas
The drinking habit is recognized by
all civilized governments as an evil
and ono that Is peculiarly within the
province OF Legislative action. This
action must be from the nature Of the
evil directed to the removal Of the
cause as We can not prohibit men from
gratifying their tastes and thirscs.
We can punish mon for destroying the
life, limb or property OF others and to
some extent restrain their actions, but
we can no more legislate tue taste for
whiskey out Of an old topper than we
can Jealousy out OF the human heart.
AS long as Il stimulant 10 cravcd by the
human appetite and whiskey is dis.
titled in North Carolina tho drink kers
OF South Carolina will have it law or no
law. have v9r dreamedIof reforming e
drunkard by law Or moral suasion.
For the habit once formed is disease,
q physical condition which legislation
can not cure. We must address our
solves then to the condition that con-
fronts us and not theorize on govern
ment. The frat object should be to
prevent this habit from being formed
by the young citizens. Second. TO
eliminate drunkenness third. 10 so
crafty tho thirst OF the old topper as to
make him unobjcctionuble to sober
citizens.
We claim tho disp ,usary law ha,
practically accomplished the tirst aud
second objects; tho third can only be-
fully accomplished by the death of the
subject.
When de 18th occurs and the national
government outlaws whiskey and alco-
holic beverages, then and not till then,
will prohibition be practicable. The
law in this State has ha a hard road.
1T has been opposed by the United
States Courts with partisan Judges and
by few Of our own citizens with rifles
and shot guns, but SO far it has pre-
vailed and is now written in tho Or
ganic law OF this STATIC and better on
tho hearts OF the people. 1t may bo
said now to be the setJled policy of tho
State. Its experimental stage is over
and am happy to inform you that in
only ono city of tho State have the
people refused to accept it as such.
l have been requested by a repre-
sentative of the Gospel Temperance
League to ask you to amend the law
so as to allow whiskey to be sold only
for medicinal, pharmaceutical and
mechanical purposes or in other words
to repeal the dispcnsary law and adopt
what was rejected by your honorable
body and knLwn as the Notifies bill. |
can not do this for reasons that must
be apparent to you and which stated
while member Of the Senate, anl for
the further reason that the dispensary
is succeeding beyond the expectation 3
OF it's friends, and to pass such law rs
requested would not accomplish what
the dispensary IS now doing, but would
simply increase the crime of perjury
and false representation in tho State
| would not be understood as objecting
restricting the sale Of whiskey by any
means 1t is beneficial to all govern
ments to have idealists, for if not we
might lose sight Of the principle and
cease striving for tho coveted goal.
AS u moral reform measure the dis
pensary must commend itself to any
unprecedented mind. The temptations
to the youths of the State offered by
saloons has been swept away and with
1T has gono tho games Of billiards,
pool, the faro banks and the corrupt
Influences Of the Oarkeopcr; in muni-
cipal and State elections. During the
late holidays there occurred only one
homicide IN the State and this was not
from whiskey, but an old feud. This
record has never been known before.
not case Of crime for which lynching
Is resorted to or attempt at such has
occurred. within the past year. Two
circuscs traverscd the State during
the past year, visiting large towns of
Importance and with tho exception Of
SpartanburG not an arrest was made
for drunkenness or disOrdcrly conduct.
In Grecnville one arrest was made for
drunkenness and he was exhibited rs
curiosity. 1t was the invariab,o
practice o: the colorcd population TO
drink on circus days, but it passed
away with bar-room days. dispatch
cd four constabcs to follow the cir
cuses in their tour through the State,
put they were not needed to preserve
tne peace and rot an accident of any
Kind was reported. addressed to the
various mayors of the towns of the
state the. following circular letter:
Dear, Sir: You will greatly obige
me by answering tho following Qu"s-
Lions at your earliest convenience.
This Is important:
!. Has drunkenness and crimn in.
creased or decreased in your town and
county since August 1, 1891, to the
present time If so, by what per cent ?
>, z. Has the number Of plain cases OF
drunkenness tried before YOU, mavor
or intendant, increased or decreosed
since August !, and IL 80, by what per
cont.
3. Has tho consumption of wbiskev
Increased or deceased since tho estab.
lishment of tho d'spensary, and II so.
by What per cent.
t. What has been tho effect OF the
dispensary law upon the general good
order and peace of your town or CITY /?
Some time ago We had replies ia
these quor les from your board OF con-
troll but the letters havs been dispos-
cd of and it Ia important that we hear
from you. Please number your an