The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-01-10

stores or any one else.
"The result was that there was per-
feet inundation of drunkenness. Saloons
ran wide open everywhere. Every cross
roads opened up. Liquor was so free 1t
almost ran in the streets"
The Court Himself Took a Drink.
1.-THE court which declared the dispen-
sary lawunconstitutions al walked down the
street and went openly into q saloon and
took drink. / couldn't arrest anyone
for my power had been taken away and
no sheriff would. The liquor was bad,
and drunkenness and debauchery became
so prevalent that at the meetings
throughout the state where l spoke the
people would interrupt by crying when
are you going to open up the dispen-
saries?' Even the Prohibitionists wero
sick of prohib ibition, for here it was simon
pure, and admitted that the dispensaries
were better.
$50 when I had appointed the new
supreme judge in July, 1 opened up the
dispensaries under the law of 1898. We
got case brought under the law and
the supreme court declared it valid.
"Of course the old Oligarchy said it
was a party decision by a Tillmanite
court, but the Tillmanites had said the
same thing about the old courts de-
cision.
$50 the system ran along and in De-
CSHD d uOW legislature IIGSu IIOHA bA0
people and elected on the dispensary is
sue, not only did not repeal the law but
strengthened it by the metropolitan po-
lice law, providing for change of venue
even when the grand jury didn't find
true bill, and for the removal of sheriffs
and other officers where they did not do
their duty. The machinery for execut-
ing the law is now as strong as the inge-
nuity of man can devise.
ttIu SeDtam nar 1S95 cOnStitutiOna al
convention met to revise the old consti-
tuition. 1t was not elected on party lines
but was composed of men sent there for
their ability and the fact that they were
representative. This convention wanted
to embody the dispensary law just as it
stood in the constitution. And here was
presented the singular spectacle of one
and stood in almost parental relation to
it, laboring with the convention not to
do it.
"The reasons l urged were that if it
should be done and the supreme court
of this United States. which has the ON
nipotent power to reverse itself, and
act the fool, and do
scandalous and reprehensible things
generally. should declare it unconstitu-
tional, then we should have another case
of absolute prohibition and it would be
out of the Legislatures power to remedy
matters.
$50 what the convention did was to
give the legislature power to provide for
license, or prohibition, or the dispensary
system, provided that no dispensary
should be open after night or liquor sold
blythe drink.
THAT is the way the question stands
in South Carolina today. The bartenders
tight L. because it destroys their busi-
ness and it is hard to enforce in the cities
because there is the head center of the
opposition to Tillmanites. but opposition
bartenders can be forced from the state
the law will work quite smoothly.
THE chief opponents of the law have
been the bartenders and preachers"
'The trouble with the dispensary law
in South Carolina as with the prohibition
law in Kansas, seems to have been in
the cities Do you think it was mostly
on account of politics in South Carolina?"
the correspondent asked.
YES, almost two-thirds of the opposi-
tion to the law was because it was a Till
man measure. Many men said they
didn't mind the dispensary law, and
thought it was good thing, but because
it was passed by Tillmanites and l en-
forced it, they wanted to see it fail
''The quality of whisky down there is
purely political question" said Senator
ties say disponsary whisky is abomin-
able stuff; the worst liquor they ever put
lips to. That it isn't fit for a dog to
drink, that they wouldn't drink it if they
were to die and all that, but the Till
NANTES say it is the finest in the
world"
mrs. TilImaR's Comment.
"Yes, it's all matter of politics." said
Mrs. Tillman, who was in the room,
c h1r IF1r lF1T The lvh
sometimes the dispensary people
would getit ento the antis by taking
bottle with the namo of an out of the
state firm on it and put dispensary whisky
in it," continued Senator Tillman. They
would then give it to the antis to drink
and they would say it was fine, that it
beat dispensary whisky clear out The
dispensary people would then tell them
what they had been drinking and have
the laugh On them"
"You think then that if Kansas were
to adopt the dispensary system it would
not be step backward from prohibition,
but step forward?"
"a long step forward" said Senator
Tillman, with great emphasis. "a state
which has stood prohibition would thank
God for it, as a great improvement"
"W hat do you think would be the effect
if Kansas were to adopt it?"
ut would have the most elevating eff
feet en- the morals of the drinking classes.
It would enable them TO get stimuIants
in an orderly, decent, legitimate and
open way without having to sneak
around back way, and through dark
Railways and up narrow stairs, or to
swear TO lie.
81 believe in lighting fire with fire and
liquor with liquor. There is no better
way to drive out the bartender than with
whisky 1t is fact that dispensary
whisky will drive out all other kinds. 1t
is better, and' it is cheaper. Men who
want whisky, and they will have it, as
we know, would rather go openly, and in
a respectable manner, to get it than to
sneak around to- some blind tiger or Joint