The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-17
"Dlspensary System of North Carolina"
IRVING HENRY GAMwELL.

IRVING HENRY GAMWtLL.
Grave social problems now confront
us. Public attention cannot concern It
self 50 exclusively as heretofore with
questions of foreign interest. kroulems
of purely domestic character are now
coming 10 tie front, and press tor
thorough consideration and wise solu-
tion. OF present social questions none
more urgently demands treatment than
that of traffic in alcoholic liquors. No
measure thus far tried has proved to be
the efficient remedy required. What,
then Is the course wniJh experience coun-
sells us TO pursue? Wise IeguiatiCn--not
complete suppression. So long as men
justify their desire for drink and are
determined to crafty it, prohibition Is
impracties bic. Pubic law without the
support OF pnblic sentiment is poweriess.
A scheme To minimizs the evils and to
conciliaie the puoiic will sufficiently to
ensure enforcement Is now successfully
operating in South Carolina. 1t places
the entire traffic under the state control.
That is, commissioner purchases all
liquor, which, after a chemical analysis,
is forwarded to various localities for sale
at the so-called dispensaries. Each OF
these closes daily at J O'Clock ana does
not open on Sunday. All profits acrue
to the State the county and the munici-
pality. Officials in charge receive salary
only, are abstainers, and under heavy
bond. Any person wishing liquor must,
nt the dispensary, prepare written
order stating kind and amount desired
and his name age and residence. Ii he
is minor, babitual drunKaro, or in
toxicated at tho time, his request Is
denied. Other ise he is given sealed
package which he may not open on the
premises. 10 have sketched this
scheme Is to have declared It's worth.
The peculiar value OF the system lies in
| its divesting the saloon OF all vicious con
comitsnts. What is II that causes the
downfall of many whom the saloon is
running. Is 1t simply the desire for
| drink. Far otherwisei 1t is tae gamblers
| den and the company OF harlots. Deprive
| the saloon OF these taproots ana the
noxious tree itself will wilt.
Turn now to the political aspect OF the
system. How dark " shame Is the cor
| ruption with which the saloon infects
| politics! Ubiquitous whiskey rings are
| formed which dispense wealth with
| liberal hand. Public officials, IL they
| be for saloons, are fed, II against IT,
bribed. Both police and people are
subject to its enticing advances. Now
introduce the dispensary, and these ne
| iarious leagues will break up and vanish.
Excellent as this system is 1t has en-
| countered opposition. What reform has
| this world ever received with universal
| favor? Christian, prohibitionist, and
! moralist unite in exciaiming "You are
| compromising with evil" hut let the
| christian remember that the Almighty
| himself is recorded to have acted on this
principle when "for the hardness of their
hearts, he "gave them king" Let the
prohibitionist remember that his high
| ideal is attalna pie, il attainabIe at all,
only through compromise And let not
| the moralist forget that that legislation
is etbically right which is for the great
est good OF the greatest mum Der. Skeptics
urge that the law will be evaded. But
| to them we answer that experience shows
| thnt smuggicrs cannot compete with the
| prices the State can offer.
Now, finally look at the results. For
| the year 1895 IN South Carolina all money
| derived from the sale of liquor went not
into the pockets of the unprincipled saloon
keepers but into the hands OF the State.
The polit cal influence of the barroom
was unknown. Whiskey consumption
decreased As per cent, drunkenness 81
per cent, o;sorderly conduct, 66 per
cent, and there was like oiminution in
| crime.