The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-20
AMENDING THE DISPENSARY
LAW

BY far the most important business that
vii! come before the Legislature is what
amendments are necessary to perfect the
dispensary Law and rid it of the abuses
charged. We believe that the people are
now in condition to consider this matter
carefully and patriotical!y, and lesislate
not to ventilate personal spleen OF aavaD ce
political interests, but do what they believe
is best for the whole State and the people
thereof.
South Carolina has accomplished great
work when she ecaiicated barroc:ns from
her borders and enchained the liquor de-
mon. No fair minded man will deny the
fact that the diSpenSary system, even as
now operated, IS vast Improvement over
licensed liquor saloons. Wien the State
put stop to tipplng shops, kept open TN.
I'll late hour at night and where faacy
aad enticing drinks were sold, it is long
stride toward promoting temperance Vast
sums were invested in the liquor business,
and it is but Datural that tie men engaged
in that traffic and their friends should fight
to the bitter end what they conscientiousIy
believed a wiltul wrecking Of their proper
ty. Bu. those parties have now found 9TH
er vocations-their bar-rooms are demol-
ished and their costly fixtures disposed Of
A man will fight and spend money to hold
what be has, but few will care to invest
good money in battling for something to
be yet secured.
Under our new constitution. bar-rooms
cannot again be opened in South Carolina
The only lawful change that can be made
10 the dispensary law is for the State to
delegate to individuals the sale Of intoxi-
cants, under the same restrictions as apply
to the diSpenSary. Or we can adopt totll
prohibition.
Experience has taught that prohibition
does anything else than prohibit 1t is
simply an exchange Of the legalized sale of
whiskey Cor horde Of blind tigers, and an
encouragement for law-breakiDg. Just so
long as the process of fermentation and
Installation are known, will some men
drink liquor and will other men supply
them.
We believe that the people, or majority
at least, recognize the fact that the dispen-
sary system is the best solution yet made
of tue vexed liquo1 problem. This is es-
t,,bllShed by the fact that the law is being
enforced with less and less friction every
day. and those diSJraceful scenes that
ushered IN the diSper>ary system are now
unknown. Tie only blooashed for
months was the recent killing IN upper
Gree willie county, and such unfortunate
occurrences have been frequent happen
ing with L. 5. rev .ue officers.
We are free to admit that tue diSpens4ry
is not what its promoters designed It to be,
and also that liquor-drluking is increasing
instead of diminishing. This fact is trans
parent to any one who will walk upon our
streets.
Now, would it not be better for proai-
bition, and the friends Of temperance, to
come together and see if they cannot devise
some plan by which the dispeLSary can be
so overh&ulel, amended and remodele5 as
to promote The cause of sob:ietv, gradually
pave the way TOR prohibition ana weed ou;
blind tigers.
The constable force costs aboat s:5, 900 a
year to rlaiDtain. The price charged by
the diSpeuSary for liquor IS too high. The
profits from the business have been divert
ed from the school fund, to which they
were given by the constitutional conven-
ton, and turned into the genera! treasury.
It is TOO easy for habitUai drunkaris and
minors TO buy whiSkey.
Now, # the Legislature can remedy
those abuses, and carry ont the law as it
was designed BY its authors, then we be-
lieve it Will solve the liquor problem and
give general satisfaction.
As Low conducted, We do not believe
that there is any corruption or mismauage-
ment connected with the State heaGquar-
ters in Columbia, and the power Of that
board shculd be st 'engthened and the dis
pensary entirely divorced from politics.
Of course, the Legislature should make
rigid and searching investigation of the
business fIoin the day that the diSpensarv
opened until the present iIine, and let the
public know lust how iuucb liquor has
been sold, what are toe profits, and where
every n'c%!e OF this money has gone to.
Nothing less viii satisfy our taxpayers.
Iheu leuTce the operation OF tue business
% the lowest COST commensurate with eth-
cicnt sery &c, lop ct all unnecessary and
SupeltiuorS officers sell the lowe, grade Of
liquors at about cost, and this Will starve
the blind user cut. restore to CIR public
schools the profits 10 which they are enti-
tied under the law. restrict the sale OF IL
quor only to sober men or for medicinal
purposes, and let d!spenSarieS keep open
shorter hours-and then require our State
and municipal officers to enforce the law
and suppress blind tigers. Let man i'm
port carload Of liqur iato the State for
his own use, but offer st;.lding reward Of
500 for every conviction OF sale, and for
the second offence send the offender to the
penitentialy. This will do more to break
MP Illicit iquor-seHsng than all the consia-
bles that c:,n be appointed: it Will promote
the cause Of tempe-An.e c nose than any
prohibition law We can enact: and it will
strengthen and popularize the diSpeusary
with all classes Of or people.-PieGmort
Headlight.
R:pans Tabules cure dizziness.