The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-12-09
Local Option Wanted.

In this weeks issue of the Varnville
Enterprise appears the following memo
rial from citizens of Hampton county,
which will be presented, numerously
signed, to the general assembly at its
coming session:
To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representatives of South Carolina, in
General Assembly Convened
The undersigned citizens of Hampton
county beg to submit, respectfully, the
following memorial:
Whereas, law known as the dispen-
sary law, is now of force in this State aud
has been so for the space of - years,
and the purposs % for which it was enacted
have utterly failed under its present,
status, management and provisions;
And whereas, it is we'll known that the
quality Of the liquors sold by the dispen-
good health, ana it is also we'll known
that the morals of the country have not
improved under its present manageme ent,
and whereas there are divers other de-
fects and Objectionable features in the
said d!spensary law as it exists, and as it
is managed, such as has brought odium
upon the State, and deprived the free
common schools of the funds arising
from the sale Of liquors sold by said dis
pensary where it legitimately belongs
under the provisions of said law, and
allowing the same to be absorbed by the
large and eXorbitant salaries paid to
officials as we'll as the heavy expenses
incurred under its present iDjudicious
management. These and other objections,
patent and recognized by all, have
prompted your memorialist to respectfully
ask that said dispensary law beso changed
as to allow each county to have what is
commonly called local option, to buy and
sell all liquors from whatever source the
best can be obtained, under the most
favorable condition, from under board
of control of the county, paying that
board out of the funds arising therefrom,
and thereby save to the free common
schools of the county all moneys arising
from such sales of liquors, instead OF
paying it out to high salaried officials,
mum berless assistants, double freights,
bottling and other attendant expenses of
the dispensary system as it now exists.
We feel satisfied your honorable body
would maturely deliberate over our sug.
gestion of the change, you would discover
the great advantage which would accrue
to the free common schools, where
according to the Constitution this fund
properly belongs, and is so much needed.
Figures taken from the records in tho
States dispensary will demonstrate the
fact that we in Hampton county alone,
would under the change suggested, give
to the free common schools at lesst 81, 900,
after paying all expenses, whereas the
schools only realize something less than
$500.
If other counties desire the dispensary
profits to 90 to the cumbersome dispen-
sary system as it has heretofore gone,
then we respectfully ask that our county
be granted the local option privilege, or
any other suitable legislation which will
allow us common schools, and to realize
the profits arising from the sale ofspir-
ituous liquors in our county.
So, then, your memorialists do again
ask most earnestly that Hampton county
be allowed to manage it's own liquor
traffic independent of the State dispen
sary, paying any dues to the State it may
deem best to exact of us and allow us to
pay all funds or profits over to the free
common schools, where the Constitution
has directed it TO 60. For we are fully
aware of the advantages which will ac-
crue to our free common schools, which,
under the present system, we can never
attain.