The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-21
A Doomed Institution.

There. are various straws in the politi-
cal wind in South Carolina which seem
20 Indicate that the state whisky dispen-
sary is a doomed institution. One of tie
most significant of these straws. we take
it. is the changed attitude of the Column
bia Register toward the great moral"
whisky mill which the TiIlmanites forced
upon the state. The Register, If any
thing, is the organ Of the dominant ele-
ment in South Carolina politics. 1t is in
close touch with the leaders of the ''re-
form" movement. and has given loyal,
not TO say vehement, support to all of
their ideas, plans and enterprises, the dis
pensary included. When, therefore, The
Register says, The system Is a source OF
contention. suspicion and animadversion
that is harmful to social cohesions and in
furious to the political welfare OF the
state" it means that the more powerful
of the reform" leaders are getting ready
to drop the dispensary, in Difference to
the growing dissatisfaction Of the people
with the institution and it's scandals, law
suits, riots and bloodshed.
The dispensary has been a source Of
trouble since its inception, as must neces>
sarily have been the case since it was
grounded upon two most dangerous infiu,
ences, whisky and politics. 1t viii not
be questioned that the dispensaFy is mere-
ly a state barrOom, and that the institu-
ton Is operated as political machine for
the benefit of the party 10 power. Nor
will it be denied that both the barroom
business and practical politics" are de-
grading; hence, when these two pervert-
ing influences are combined, what is to be
expected except scandals fbloodshed and
other troubles? 1t is Impossible to run
such an institution upon a high plane, so
as to hedge and conserve the public NOR
ais. Heightened men cannot be induced
to perform the services of dispensers and
constables and do the political dirty work
which is understood to be incumbent upon
those who hold such positions. That this
has been true in the case of the South
Carolina dispensary Is evidenced by the
scandals which are now smelling to
heaven, and which have caused even Sen,
ator Tillman and Col. Larry Can't, who
more than any other two men are respon.
sible for the institution, to demand in
vestigations. It is intimated, too. thar
when the Investigations come, there VIII
be sensational disclosures which will in
volve some persons in high official posi-
tons in the state.
These scandals. and the numerous law.
suits and adverse decisions, and the hum
dred and one other unpleasant and I'M
savory details connected with the dispen-
sary, have disguised the people with the,
institution, and it will no doubt have to
go. What will take it's placer The OPP
portunity is offered to the South Caroini-
ans to institute genuine reform in the
liquor traffic. which will be of real ana
lasting good to the state. Let them adopt
a reasonably high license and local op-
ton. The license should not be placed
too high, or it would induce dangerous
authorizations of the liquors served; ana it
cannot be desired by anybody that those
who drink whisky should be poisoned. Los
cal option would guarantee real temper
ance reform. 1t would bring about pro.
hibition when the community was ready
for 1t; for attempts at prohibition where
lHe community Is not ready for IL are in
variably farcical and impotent. The state
once had local option law, and the ma,
jority of the counties were strictly tenn
perance counties. Not drop of liquor
could be purchased In them, and the
drunkenness was reduced to a minimum.
Gradually the whole state, with the possi-
BILE exception of the larger cities. could
have been made dry" under that law.
But the dispensary law upset all of that.
and established groggeries in counties
where not a drop of liquor had been sold
in fifteen years. If the Carolinians are
wise, when they set aside the dispensary
law, they will put in its place some law
embracing as its main feature the local
option plan. That plan is working adj
mirably in Georgia. Under it the state is
gradually being won over to actual prohi-
bition.
According to the written and pictorial
sketches of Broker Chapman's prison life.