The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-02-16
THE HISTORY OF THE DISPENSARY LAW.
HOW 1T WAS BROUGHT ABOUT
Athens, Ga, Devised the Plan to Pre-.
vent Return to the Saloon System
Larry CAN'T Proposed it as a
Compromise I'm South Carolina.

vent Return to the Saloon System
Larry CAN'T Proposed it as
Compromise I'm South Carolina.
Piedmont Headlight, Feb. II.
A great deal has been said and writ
ten about the dispensary law, and il
order that the true history of this at
tempt to control the liquor busines
may be known, we have decided t,
give an authentic account of the frs
, law, and how it came to be introduced
in South Carolina.
For six years the city of Athens, Ca.
had tried total prohibition, and tn,
experiment was a farce. During tn,
last year of prohibition there were
over hundred bar-rooms in the place
many of them licensed by the u. S
government, and run almost openly
| Some OF the drug stores also sold whis
| key, and being operated by physicians
the law could not reach them. Wher
arraigned before court, they claimed
that the liquor had been prescribed
| and furnished as u medicine, and juries
acquitted prisoners without leaving
their scats. While many indictments
were found with tho exception Of a few
negroes, not a single conviction of a
man who could employ lawyer was
made. Those bar-room drug stores
made great deal OF money, and the
proprietor Of one told the senior editor
OF The Headlight that the last year
prohibition was in force his net profits
were over $ll, 200. Any one who de-
sired could buy all the whiskcy he
wanted, only the purchaser had to get
q prescription, that would last inde-
iinitely. 1t is said that during the
prohibition era a stranger went into o
drug store and asked the proprietor to
prescribe for him "That's all right, -
was tho reply I'm set you straig b t
in minute" and wrapping up quart
bottle OF whiskey handed 1T out. The
customer opened the package, and
seeing what 1t was replied, "Why, |
don't want this stuff; | am u prohibit
Zionist. [ want a dose of pills as my
liver is derangcd."
The people Of Athens became thor
oughly disgusted with this farce of
prohibition. They saw that so far
from liquor drinking decreasing, that
1T was contantly growing, while their
city was deprived Of the license from
bar rooms. So another petition for an
election was gotten up, and soon it be-
came apparent that the county would
go by an overwhelming majority for
liquor.
The State University is located in
Athens, and the Legislature threaten
ed that If bar rooms were voted back
1T would withdraw the appropriation
from that institution, which would se-
riously injure the town. Many citizens
and property-Owners did not desire
this, but they also saw that their cause
was lost unless something could be
done to divide the liquor vote. But
they were at sea.
The senior editor of The Headlight
was living In Athens at that time, and
one day, while walking up College
avenue, we were called to the e. l..
Smith corner by Hon. II. w. Rucker, q
prominent lawyer Of that city, and
now Assistant District Attorney in
Georgia, who was talking with Capt
John w. Brumby,. leading citizen of
Athons. Both those gentlemen had
supported the prohibition cause, and
they were vitally interested in the
prosperity OF their city.
: Mr.. Rucker stated that unless some
thing was done that liquor would carry
the election by u thousand majority,
and that it would pull down the Uni
versity and seriously injure the future
of Athens. He said he had devised a
plan by which he thought compro-
mise could be made, and wanted to
got our opinion thereon. He then
outlined the dispensary scheme, stat.
ing that he believed tho people would
be satisfied with this. We heartily
agreed TO his proposition, as likewise
did Capt. B 'umby, and Mr.. Rucker at
once went to his office and drew up u
bill to be submitted to the legislature,
and got the promise of all the leading
nrnhi N tu f,N h,
for it's enactment. And just here we
will state that this dispensary sugges-
tion was devised by Mr.. Ruclter before
he had heard Of the Gothenburg sys-
tenn, and it is entirely original with
that gentleman.
The campaign was at once started
on new lines, and the prohibition
speakers all began to talk dispensary
OF course it met with bitter opposition
from the advocates of barrooms. Hon.
Pope Barrow, exUnited States Seua-
tor, and now one of the leading law
yers OF Savannah, denounced the
proposition from the stump, aud said
he would risk his legal reputation that
such a law would not stand the test OF
the Supreme Court. Capt. w. b.
Burnett. and other brilliant lawyers,
fought the proposition from every
stump in the county. But the idea
took with the people, and many
changes wore made. The election
came or, and both sides were at the
polls. The vote was close and hotly
contested. Mr.. Will Dorsey took of
mis- coat against the dispensary, and
had he been supported strongly would
have carried the day. But when the
vote was counted it was found that the
| liquor mon were defeated by only
seven majority.
In accordance with their promise q
committee OF Athenians went to at
lanta to got their dispensary bill
| through. Here again they met with
| opposition, but as the members were
assured that it was compromise
measure, and the will of the people, il
was made law, and the first dispen
sary in America opened its doors.
But there is some difference be
tween that Athens bill and our Soutl
Carolina dispensary law. In Athens
the receipts are divided between tn,
town and county, in proportion to tn,
taxes paid in each. There is boart
OF three commissioners, who are pait
one hundred dollars each year. and II
order to ALLEVIATE business from polite
they elect their own successors. No
exceeding so per cent. profit is charg
cd on liquors. Any person can brin,
a carload of whiskey for his own use
but when sale is made n fine Of from
800 to $500 Is imposed. This littl
Athens dispensary proved from tn
start ~ financial success, and in q coun
ty with loss than Is, 900 Inhabitants
| the net annual profits range lrOr