The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-24
An Appeal to Voters.
THE GOSPEL TEMPERANCE UNION ON
THE OlSPENSARY.
The Law Is Not Being Properly Enforced
and an Appeal is Mace to the People.

of the Christian Voters of the State"
The present status of the liquor traf
fic in South Carolina is a condition
which challenges the earnest attention
OF every good citizen, and especially o
every Christian in the State.
II the dispensary system is to be con
tinued as Il means Of supplying intoxi
cants to all who seek them for beverag,
purposes, and of gaining revenu,
from tho profit of sales for this purpose
then must the countless evils, which
all in this enlightened day know to bt
the inevitable sequence OF such sys
tenn, continue to flow in an ever In
creasing flood, to the destruction o.
which government Is organized to pro
tect and foster, and the religion OF Je
sus Christ is intended to advance.
No plea Of policy or expediency car
avail to turn aside or avert the results
or screen from q fearful accountability
any and every citizen who bears any
part in the responsibility for their ex-
istence or continuance.
It was this view of the question
which moved the executive committee
OF the Gospel Temperance Union to
appeal to the Legislature at its recent
session to so modify the law as to make
it's operation entirely consistent with
Christian duty and the best interests
OF the people.
They believed that 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.
Thay 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
features which could be shown from
observation aud experience of its prac-
tice, to be ir furious to the public in
terests.
The executive committee therefore
labored earnestly to prepare bill for
the 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
the use OF intoxicating liquors and rig
idly enforcing its penalties against
Illicit traffic.
The bill so framed not only presented
the views of the executive committee,
but at consiG cradle labor and expense,
the committee sought and obtained the
views of the minister Of all denomina-
tions in the State, and more than 500
pastors of churches and teachers of
colleges and seminaries unhesitatingly
joined in the opinion that such amend
ments to this dispensary law were
needed to bring it into conformity to
the Christian sentiment Of the people
of the State.
The committee were also assured by
many members of the Legislature, OF
what was known to them from personal
observation of others, that the restric-
tive provisions of the law were being
almost wholly iisregarded by the dis
pensers and under circumstances which
gave good reason for the belief that
this disregard OF and violation OF the
law by its own administrators was con-
,nived at or upheld by those whose duty
it was to enforce It,
Under such conditions it was but
natural that there would be a large in
crease in the use of intOxicants
throughout the State, and this fact is
testified to by the State Commissioner
in his report submitted to the Legisla-
ture, in which he shows the necessity
for making large provisions to meet
the increased and steadily increasing
lowed as a natural result that drunk
enness and its effects-crime, distress,
poverty 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-
sented to the consideration of the COM
mittees OF the Senate and House to
whom the bill was referred, and the
bill was reported to each house with
out recommendation. When 1t came
up for the final consideration in the
House, after an earnest fight for 1t
made by few whose names deserve to
be honored for their fearless and noble
defense OF the right, 1t received 23
votes. In the Senate it was introduced
by the courtesy Of the Senator from
Spartauburg, but when it came up for
consideration no man was found to
advocate 1t, and motion to indefinite
ly postpone 1T was carried without dis
sent.
The work of the Gospel Temperance
Union, in presenting the issue to the
Legislature, was not, however, without
good results.
We have reason to believe that our
agitation of the subject, and the pre-
sentaton of our views and the facts
bearing upon the abuse Of the system
by dispensers, and the debauching re-
suits OF the States traffic In into oxicants
upon the purchasers and others, has
had the effect to arouse the conscience
OF men in and out of the Legislature to
the true 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 osten-
slbly intended to correct some of the
abuses which had been pointed out,
especially In the passage of the amend
ments which took the control Of the
dispensary out OF the hands Of the Gov
ernor and State officials associated with
him. and placing 1t In the hands OF q
board elected by the Legislature, who
will at least have the opportunity, II
they choose to improve 1t, of enforcing
the restrictive provisions Of the law
which up to this time have been 80 fla
grantly disregarded.
Whatever may be their course II
this respect, however, will not effec
the cure of the evils which are inhe
rent la the system 30 long as IT seeks
to crafty q depraved appetite To-
strong drink, and make a profit there
by.
We are bound to believe that as lonl
as this feature inheres in the law NJ
mere measures of administration Of 1t
however honestly or earnestly carrie,
out, can mitigate the dire results Whicl
n u