The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-22

elJner. 80 put IL IN my pocket anu Whltea.
"The court In its explanation OF its expla.
nation, said the only part Of the law which
was constitutional was one little section
which said the State should issue no licenses.
one should sell liquor without a license. So
here was condition OF absolute, uncomprO-
missing. rockribbed prohibition. No liquor
could be sold for any purpose legally, by drug
"Tbe result was that there was perfect
inundatioE OF drunkenness. Saloons ran
wide open everywhere Every crossroads
opened up. Liquor was so free 1t almost ran
"The court which declared the dispensary
law unconstitutional walked down the street
and went openly into saloon and TOOK q
drink. I couldn't arrest any one for my pow
er had been taken away and no sheriff would.
The liquor was bad, and drunkenness and de-
bauchery became 30 prevalent that at the
meetings throughout the State where spoke
the people would interrupt by crying When
are you going to open up the dispensary?
Even the prohibitionists were sick OF prohi-
bition, for here IL was simonpure, and admitt-
."so when had appointed the new supreme
judge In July, I opened up the dispensartes
under the law Of 1893. We got case brought
under the law and the supreme court declared
1t valid. ...
"Of course the old oligarchy said 1t was q
partisan decision by Tillmanite court, but
the Tillmanites had said the same thing about
the old courts decision.
MAKING THE LAW MORE BINDING-No MORE
.. BARS POSSIBLE.
$50 the system ran along and In december
q new legislature fresh from the people aud
elected on the dispensary issue, not only did
not repeal the law but strengthened 1t by the
metropolitan police law, providing for
change OF venue, even where the grand jury
sherIffs and other officers where they did not
do their duty. The machinery for executing
the law is now as strong as the ingenuity OF
man can devise. ..r
"In September, 1895, Constitutional con.
vention met to revise the old Constitution. 1t
was not elected on party lines, but was com.
posed OF men sent there for their ability and
the fact that they were REPRESENTATIVES THIS
law just as IL stood in the Consultation. And
here was presented the singular spectacle OF
one who had been the champion OF the law
and stood IN almost parental relation to IT,
laboring with the convention not to do 1t.
"The reasons I urged were that II 1t should
be done and the supreme court OF the United
States, which has the omnipotent power TO
reverse ITSELF and act the fool, and do scan
dalous and reprehensiole things generally,
should declare 1t Unconstitutional, then we
should have another case OF absolute prohibi-
tion and 1t would be out OF the legislatures
power 10 remedy matters.
$50 what the convention did was TO give the
legislature power to provide for license, OF
prohibition, or the dispensary system, pro.
night or liquor sold by The drink.
''That is the way the question stands 1n
! South Carolina,today. The hartenders hght II
because 1t destroys their business and 1t u
hard TO enforce In the cities because there Is
the head centre Of the opposition TO Tillman.
ties. but opposition is gradually dying out
and when the bartender can be forced from
the State the laws will work quite smoothly
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 1t was mostly on account ol
politics in South Carolina?" the correspond
ent asked.
the law was because 1t was Tillman meas.
ure. Many men said they didn't mind the
dlspensary law, and thought 1t was good
thing, but because 1t was passed by Tlllman.
"The quality OF whiskey down there is pure.
| ly political question" said Senator Tillman
iaughin "The anti-Tillmanites say dispen.
sary whIskey is abominable stuff; the worst
liquor they ever put lips to. That IL isn't NJ
for q dog to drin<, that they wouldn't drink
NANTES say 1t Is the finest In the world"
"Yes. it's all O matter of politics." said Mrs
Til Imam, who was in the room sharing In the
laugh.
! PLAYING JOKES.
sometimes the dispensary people would
get it onto the antis by taking bottle with
the name of an out Of the State firm on 1t and
put dispensary whskey In It," continued
| Senator Tillman. They would then give to
! the antfs to drink and they would say 1t was
| fine, that 1t beat dispensary whiskey cleai
out. The dspensary people would then tel
them what they had been drinking and nave
the laugh on thern."
"You think then that II Kansas were to
adopt the dispensary system 1t would not be q
step back ward from prohibition, but steE
forward ?" ,,,
"a long step forward" said Senator Till
man, with great emphasis "a state Whlcn
has stood prohibition would thank God for IT.
as great Improvement"
i what do you think would De the eHect II
Kansas were to adopt it?"
ut would have the most elevating effect on
the morals OF the drinking classes II Woulo
enable them to get slim mulant Is In an orderly
decent, legitimate and open way without nav
ing TO sneak around back way, and through
dark Railways and up narrow stairs, or &c
swear to lie.
"I believe In fighting fire with hre and
LIQUOR with liquor. There is no better way To
drive out the bartender than with whia akey
1t Is fact that dispensary whlskey VIII drive
out all other kinds. 1t Is better, II Is cheaper
Men who want whiskey, and they vii nave
1t, as we know, would rather 60 openly and
in a respectable manner, to get 1t than tC
sneak around some blind tiger or joint ano
get it, and so those places would lose their pa
tronage.
POWERFUL ADVANTAGE OF THE D1spENsARY
i "The advantage OF the dispensary system is
that it destroys the barroom forever.
i "The difference between our way In South
/ Carolina and youis In Kansas Is that we re.