The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-26
An Appeal 10 Voters.
THE GOSPEL TEMPERANCE UNION ON
THE OISPENSARY.
The Law is Not Being Properly Enforced
and an Appeal is Mace to the People.

pei Temperance Union mas SeDG ou1 Clo
following address for the consideration
of tho "Christian Voters OF the State"
The present status of tho liquor traf-
fic in South Carolina is q condition
which challenges the earnest ATTENTION
of every good citizen, and especially OF
every Christian in the State.
II the dispcnsary system is to be con-
tinued as u means Of supplying intOxi-
cants to all who seek them for beverage
purposes, and Of gaining ~ revenue
from tho profit of sales for this purpose,
then must tho countless evils, which
all in this enlightened day know to be
the inevitable sequence OF such u sys-
TEN, continue to flow in an ever in
creasing flood, to tho destruction Of
overy interest, social and spiritual,
which government is organized to pro-
tect and foster, and the religion Of O.
sus Christ is intended to advance.
No Plea of policy or expedicncy can
avail to turn aside or avert the results,
or screen from u fearful accountability
any and every citizen who bears any
part in tho responsibility for their ex-
istence or continuance.
1t was this view Of the question
which moved the executive committee
OF the Gospel Temperance Union to
appeal to the Legislature at it's recent
session to 50 modify the law as to make
its opcrntion entirely consistent with
Christian duty and the best interests
of the people.
They believed that q body composed
in large part Of men bound by the sol
emn VOWS of the Christian profession,
and therefore supposed to seek only
the best good Of those whom they were
chosen to represent, would be ready to
act at once upon any suggestion look
ing to this the only legitimate purpose
of legislation.
Thsy supposed that these legislators,
protesting to be Followers Of that
which is good" would stand ready to
consider and act upon the proposal to
change the dispensary law in those
observation and experience Of its prac-
tice, to be ir furious to the public in
forests.
The executive committee therefore
laborcd earnestly to prepare a bill for
tho consideration Of the Legislature,
which would, while eliminating the
destructive features OF the existing
law. preserve in it everything that
was shown to be helpful in restricting
idly enforcing its penalties against
illicit traffic.
The bill so framed not only presented
the views of the executive committee,
bat at consiC erablc labor and expense,
the committees sought and obtained the
views Of the minister Of al! denomina-
tions in the State, and more than 500
pastors of churches and teachers Of
colleges and seminarios unhesitatingly
Joined in the opinion that such amend
ments to this dspcnsary law were
needed to bring it into conformity to
the Christian sentiment OF the people
of the State.
NH @ committee were also assured by
monv ,nembers Of the Legislature, Of
What WIS known to thcm from personal
obsoryation of others, that the rcstl ic-
tive provisions OF the law were being
almost wholly lisrcgarded by the dis
nensers a nd under circumstances which
rovo GOOD reason for the belief that
fh;s disregard Of and violation Of the
law hv it's own administrators was con-
nivo6 at or upheld by those whose duty
IT was to enforce 1T.
Under such conditions it was but
natural that there would be large in
crease in the nse or lntONlcants
throughout the State, and tAls TACT Is
testified to by the State Commissioner
in his report submitted 10 Ine leg isia.
ture. in which he shows the necessity
for making large provisions to meet
the jncreas ed aud steadily increasing
demands for liquor. From this 1T fol-
lowed as q natural result that drunk
ennass and it's etfeCtS-crlme, distress,
nnvertv and share and the general de-
moraliZation Of all who are parties to
the wrong--must also increase until the
cause should be removed.
All these facts and reasons were pre-
scented TO the consideration OF the COM
mittees of the Senate and House to
whom the bill was referred, and the
hin was rcported to each house with
ont Recommendation. When it came
nm for tho final consideration in the
House, after an earnest hRht Tor 1t
made by few whose names deserve to
he honorcd for their fearless and noble
defense OF the right, 1t received 20
votes. ia tho Senate it was introduced
hv the courtesy of the Senator from
Spartanburg, but when 1t came up Iol
consideration no man was iound tC
advocate it, and motion to lndehnltc'
lv nostpOne it was carried without dis
The work of tho Gospel Temperance
linton. in presenting the issue to the
Legislature, was not, however, without
good results.
We have reason to bolicve that oul
agitation Of the subject, and the pre-
sentatiOn of our views and the 1act'
bearing upon the abuse OF the systolr
anlts Of tho States traffic In into kiGnntt
upon tho purchasers and others, has
had the effect to arouse the conscience
OF mon in and out OF tho Legislature tt
the truo state Of the case, and has al
ready resulted in all improved public
sentiment on the subject.
This was evident in the action OF the
Legislature on several measures ostcn
sibly intended to correct some nf the
abuses which had been pointed out
especially in the passage OF the amend
ments which took the control or th'
dispensary out Of the hands OF the Coy
esrnor and State officials associated VIII
him. and placing it in the hands or
tboard elected by tho Legislature, "ht
will at loast have the opportunity, !
they choose to improve it, of enforcing
the restrictive provisions OF the law
which up to this timo have boon so ha
grantly disregarded.
Whatever may be their course il
this respect, however, will not elfcc
the cure Of the evils which arc iphe