The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-03-17
ABBEVILLE, =. G.
Wednesday, March II, 1897.
CharIestOn's LiquOr-WiH Governor
EIIerbe Surrender:

The liquor element Of Charleston seems 10
he giving more trouble to the Governor than
all other elements of the State. The city IS
greatly stirred up at the interference VI 'ne
METROPOLITAN police with the liquor business
in that city. And great effort mas oeen iiiaue
to influence the Governor 10 remove the po
lice.
The effort may date back long time, even
before the Governor was lnaugurateo' IL 'ne
fiattering attention Of Charleston 10 hlm Is 10
be taken as evidence. The Governor, IN MS
innocence, seemed disposed TO yield 10 the re-
Quest II the Aldermen would pledge them-
se,ves TO enforce the liquor law. The Alder
men made no such pledge. The metropoli
tan police we're not removed.
Since the proposition to remove the metro-
noIitan police has failed we believe there Is
an effort, or a proposition, to put the clues oi
the State under high license system, When
IL is promised the blind tigers will be smut up'
We fail to zee the advantage OF shutting up
few blind tigers that must do business Win
more or less secrecy, If big establishments III
their stead are TO be licensed 10 do the same
thing on a larger scale, and without lear Vi
interference by the police. There never was ,
in tie opinion of this newspaper, greater
deluson than the supposition that hign IL
cense was remedy for any evil.
High license may be the last argument OF
desperate cause, as was once the case in Aooe-
willie. It was claimed that high license would
bring about a wholesome effect in Abbeville.
The high license came. The result was, thai
the men of less means were driven out OF
the business, the high licensed bars were
hot
claimed that the high licensed liquor was
less injurious than was the low licensed IL
quor.
We believe that as a rule, the barkeepers
would prefer a high license. This from tne
fact that 1t, to greater or less extent, creates
a monopoly, and shuts up the shops OF those
who have less money. High license then can
only be in fact demand tor monopoly
The sentiment of this country is now adverse
to the promotion or fostering Of monopolies
The crushing of those men with small
means never did meet the approval OF those
fellow citizens who telt that equal rights to
all, and special privileges to none, was good
doctrine.
The LIQUOR law was made for the whole
State OF South Carolina, and we see no good
reason for making fish Of one part of the
state and fowl of another.
Let Governor Ellerbe use all the force at his
command to enforce all the laws OF the state,
and If he fails, let him do so while making an
honest and manly effort to discharge his duty.
He has been'put on notice that the liquor
law of the state is being violated in Charles.
ton. Let him double the police force until we
hear no more Of such brags or boasts.
Let him not either capilulate to the Illicit
liquor dealers OF Charleston, or acknowledge
TO the great public Of South Carolina that he
is weak-kr eed and not equal 10 the task OF
confronting the opposition which he may
meet.
Let him show to the people Of South Caro-
lima that he can enforce the law, and that 1t
is worse than idle for Illicit liquor dealers TO
boast that they can defy the law.
When Lincoln was inaugurated there was
something Of rebellion down South against
the Government of the United States He
said at the time that he intended to be Presi-
dent Of the whole United States. And he
kept that purpose steadily in view, while
bringing all the power at his command to
bring about the result.
Now, will Governor Ellerbe do less than
oAElNc W Oc NONSIuOE vi pcOplc VI LhS
state Of South Carolina? Will he forfeit the
respect OF the people of the Commonwealth
merely because the whskey element of Char
lesion desire to set aside law which they do
not like?
We think 1t about time for Governor Eller-
be TO cease to receive am bassadors from men
who may. be in open rebellion against,
the law of the State. Instead of parleying.
he should prosecute the lawless with
vigor. AS Governor of South Carolina he has
no right to compromise the honor and nteg-
rity Of the state by any foolish trades or bar
gains with people that resist the law. Let
Charleston enforce the law. and then if she
has grievance, the Governor should listen
but as long as the boast is made that liquor
Is sold, and as long as her aldermen and her
grand Juries refuse to enforce the law, Govern.
or Ellerbe's duty Is plain, if he would de-
serve the respect Of decent people.