The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-02-18

4,
Composed of Five Members ard All Pur
oheses be First Approved by Them-A State
inspection ofAi Liquors Shipped in the
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 dlspensary law was enacted
as a solution OF the vexed and much
discussed whiskey problem. All req
sonahle men acting In the light of the
experience of other States acknowl-
30 long as whiskey is regarded aeags
legitimate article OF commerce by the
national government. 1t Gan only be
cherished as an ideal theory and must
be classed 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 theeremoval of the
cause es we can not prohibit men from
gratifying their tastes and thirsGs.
We can punish men for destroying the
life, limb or property of others and to
some extent restrain their actions, but
we can no more legislate the taste for
whiskey out OF an old topper than we
can Jealousy out OF the human heart.
AS long as a stimulant is craved by the
human appetite and whiskey is dis,
titled In North Carolina tho drink rs
OF South Carolina will have it law or no
law. have never dreamed,of reforming
a drunkard by law or moral suasion.
NAt.f ln hi Il Z, =
y physical condition which legislation
aan not cure. We must address our
Selves then to the condition that con-
fronts us and not theorize on govern.
ment. The first object should be to
prevent this habit from being formed
by the young citizens. Second. TO
eliminate drunkenness third. To so
crafty tho thirst Of the old topper as to
make him unobjectionable to sober
citizens.
We claim the dispensary law has
practically accomplished the first and
second objects; the third can only be
fully accomplished by the death of the
subject.
government outlaws whiskey and alco-
holic beverages, then and not till then,
will prohibition be practicable. The
law In this State has ha I hard road.
It 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-
iPailed and is now written in the or
ganic law Of this State and better on
the hearts of the people. 1t may be
said now to be the settled policy of the
State. Its experimental stage is over
and am happy 10 inform you that in
tlplV One citv nf thu Stafa houa tho
people refused oaccept it as such.
have been requested by q repre-
sentative OF the Gospel temperance
League to ask you:to amend the law
SO as to allow Whisksy toSbeEsold only
for medicinal, pharmaceutical and
mechanical purposes or in other words
to repeal the dispensary law and adopt
what was rejected by your honorable
body and known as the Nettles bill. /
can not do this for reasons that must
he apparent to you and which stated
while member OF the Senate, ana for
the further reason that the dispensary
Is succeeding beyond the expectations
of its friends, and to pass such law as
requested would not accomplish what
the dispensary is now doing, but would
simply increase the crime of perjury
and false representation in the State
| would not be understood as objecting
to the agitation of prohibition nor to
restricting the sale of whiskey by any
means. 1t is beneficial to ali govern
ments to have idealists, for If not we
might lose sight OF the principle and
cease striving for the coveted goal.
AS a moral reform measure the dis
pensary must commend itself to any
unprejudiced mind. The temptations
to the youths of the State offered by
saloons has been swept away and with
it has gone the games of billiards,
pool, the faro banks and the corrupt
Influences OF the Darkeeper; in muni-
cipal and State elections. Durirr the
late holidays there occurred only one
homicide In the State and this was not
from Whiskey, but an old reud. This
record fas 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
circuses traversed the State during
the past year, visiting large towns OF
Importance and with the exception of
Spartanburg not an arrest was made
Tor drunkenness or disordefly conduct,
; In GreeIviile one arrest was made for
drunkenness and be was exhibited as
q curiosity 1t was the inyariab,e
practice of the colored population to
drink on circus days, but it passed
away with bar-roon days | dispatch
ed four constablcs To follow the cir
cuses in their tour through the State,
but they were not needed to preserve
the peace and not 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 oblige
me by answering the following ques-
tions at your earliest convenience.
This Is Important:
i. Has drunkenness and crime in
creased or decreased in your town and
county since August /, 1894, to the
present time IL So by what per cent
2. Has the number of plain cases OF
drunkenness tried before you, mayor
or intendant, increased or decreased
since August 1, and II 80, by what per
cent. 2
3. Has the consumption OF whiskey
increased or deceased since the estab-
lishment OF the dispensary, and if so,
by what per cent?
4. What has been the effect OF the
dispensary law upon the general good
order and peace of your town or city ?
Some time ago we had replies TO
these queries from your board OF con-
troll but the letters have been dispos-
ed OF and 1t is important that we hear
from you. Please number your an
swers TO conform to the number OF the
questions above.