The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-03

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Mr.. Townsend then accepted Mr.. II
dertoE's amendment and the preyiou
Q question was thereupon called. Th,
amendment was then adopted.
Mr.. Hammett offered an amendment
that hereafter no claim should be PAID
! unless specially authorized by law
!, This was ruled out of order.
, The $4,000 appropriation was ther
clipched.
THE DISPENSfRY AMENDMENT.
Tho House Refuses to Pass the Law to Re-
! strict the Sale Of Liquor.
The bill to amend the Dispensary
law by restricting the sale OF liquor
only for mechanical, scientific, medici.
nal or sacramental purposes, was next
read. The bill Ia that introduced by
Temperance Union. Mr.. Tatum moved
to strike out the enacting words.
Mr.. Whitmire said the bill did not
antagonize the Dispensary law, but
simply wanted to take out the profit
and beverage features. A great many
members of this House were elected
on strict prohibition platform. At
the time the law was enacted it was
understood that its purpose was to les.
sen the evils of drink: We don't need
Dispensary money for schools. We
don't want any blood money. We were
told 1t was but step towards prohiDi-
tion and it was now the time to take
that step. The Liquor Commissioners
report all through calls for more facili-
ties for selling liquor. That isn't what
we want. Every citizen is partner
in this business and he for one didn't
want to be in It, He had been inform
ed too that the law was not being en-
forced.
Mr.. Hough said that he would sus.
tain the bill to the best of his ability.
1t was simply q question of right or
wrong as far as the sale Of whiskey is
concerned. He had voted against the
Dispensary, was against it now, and
intended to die against it. They say
1t is an improvement on the barroom,
but you can't improve whiskey or whis-
key selling whatever you do with it.
Ii there was no profit in the Dispensary
would you keep it up? If you take
the profit out it wouldn't last three
months. With the same strength and
same force the Dispensary has prohibi-
tion could be enforced much better
than the Dispensary system is. 1t is
not right from moral standpoint. Who
do you bleed to get your revenue The
poor unfortunate women and children
OF South Carolina. This was the last
speech he would ever make and he
wanted the last words he uttered here
be for prohibition. We had passed a
prohibition law but it went out of this
House white cat and came back a
black cat.
Mr.. johnson OF Pickens said he felt
that he would be untrue to "his God
and conscience" did not he raise his
voice In defense Of this measure. Our
people by large majority in 1892 de-
clared for prohibition and representa-
tives were sent here to carry that will
into effect, but instead they enacted
the Dispensary law. He then believed
that it was but step towards prohibit
tion. Since coming to Columbia and
seeing what he has sec n he has come
to the conclusion that the law was not
what the people believed it would be.
He saw crowds drinking, drunk and
cursing on the streets. The law has
been SO lax in its enforcement that
soon it will be little better than the
barroom system. What is the differ
ence between blind tiger and Dis
pensary backed up by the State when
man can walk in, buy whiskey with
any AaotSer 0'ng asrnes asfes
feature is the responsibility thrown
around the Dispensaries. Men go in
now and buy whiskey who never did so
before, because it was disgrace to go
into barroom and buy whiskey. We
have question before us that not only
endangers the lives and welfare of our
people, but threatens the damnation
of their eternal souls. Governor Evans
and all the other bright lights have
failed to solve this question therefore
turn 1t over to the Christian people Of
the State.
Mr.. Blackwell said that he did not
believe that the people had voted for
prohibition in 1892, as it has been con-
strued on this floor. He did not be-
lieve that today the sentiment of the
State favored the total abolition OF
whiskey, because prohibition or no pro-
hibition four-fifths OF the people are
going to have whiskey. He asked Mr..
Johnson II he had done his duty in not
reporting the violation Of the law he
had seen in Columbia.
Mr.. Johnson said he had reported it
to the Governor.
MIR. Blackwell went On to say that
the Dispensary law had been great
success. 1t is a stepping stone to pro-
hibition, but that will not come until
the present generation arrives at man.
hood. twas the best whiskey law we
ever had, and he wanted to let good
enough alone.
Mr.. l.. j. Williams said the prohibi-
tionists took no heed of expediency but
wanted to take the people by the
throat and make them stop. The bar
keeper joins him because he knows
success means either open barrooms
or open blind tigers. If you pull q
green watermelon and eat It you will
F, get sick.
Mr.. Pickens said that enough had
been said to show the expediency Of
passing this bill. He spoke In favor
OF straight prohibition, holding that it
was the only correct solution Of the
question. 1t Is said prohibition does
not prohibit, but neither does the law
against murder, or arson or burglary
prevent these crimes being commit
ted.
Mr.. Watson said he had been watch
ing this question for number of
years. In 1884 the Legislature had en-
acted prohibition in several counties
and almost the invariable result was
that there wac not actually any prohi-
bition in them. He had watched the
Dispensary law also, and he could tes.
tify that never has there been 80 little
drunkenness In the State. 1t is the
best law we ever had and 1t Is the duty
Of every Christian to see that all vio
lators Of 1t are brought to justice. NJ
!, honest man can deny that 1t is ar
Improvement on the old barrOom law