The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-05
THE OLD CITY STILL PECULIAR.
The Metropolitan Police Is a Neces-
sity Until Charleston is Ready for
the Change OF tho Dispensary

1ne fOltCe Is q NeceS-
sity Until Charleston is Ready for
the Change OF tho D~ispensary
Law.
Special to the Columbia Register.
Charleston is looking forward TO the
meeting OF the GeneralAssembly a fort.
night hence with much interest and
solicitude. Not that a great deal of
legislation is anticipated by the forth
coming session, but most Of the impor-
tant general measures undertaken are
expected to affect the material and
commercial interests Of this city init
mately. First and foremost in the
minds Of many, is the character and
trend Of legislation with regard to the
~dispensary. The fundamental princi-
Piles OF the dispensary law, OF course,
are practically fixed and unalterable
integral portions Of our institutions.
That is to say, Mr.. Tillman, Governor,
United States Senator and member OF
the Constitutional Convention, clinch-
ed his views on the subject by uncen
trating and segregating them in o
brief clause Of the new constitution,
from which there is no appeal except
by the twO-thirds vote necessary for
changing or amending the constitu-
ton. Wide latitude is left to the
General Assembly for %legislating on
the subject it can enact prohibition,
or grant licenses to individuals, or
adopt practically any system which
commends itself to the judgment of the
body for the conduct and control of the
traffic, with the specified exceptions,
that nothing less than a half pint can
be sold that it cannot be sold between
shutdown and sunrise, and that it can
not be drunk on the premises where
sold.
This leaves tho Legislature at lib
erty to deal with peculiar conditions
the seacOast city of Charleston. There
seems to be no doubt that the present
system, In spite of the many defects
hat attach to novelty, has generally
gained the approval OF the people Of
the State. 1t has diminished drunken
ness n has been Of invaluable benefit,
1T is claimed, in the agricultural dis
tricts, and these would, in consequence
be 10th to part with it.. In Charleston,
too, it may be said, that the destruc.
tion OF the social feature OF meeting
and drinking In perfect freedom at the
bar, has been OF inestimable benefit,
from a moral standpoint, and many OF
IL best and most disinterested citi-
DcuS are lfC6 W COnleSS DDlS. III Is true
that "blind tigers" exist, in spite of
the metropolitan or any other police
system, but they are forced to deal out
their wares by stealth, and this is
practically death to the business
among 80 proud.spirited and open
handed q people as Charleston Is pro.
verbally populated with, to whom !
a thing as drinking behind doors
and in stealth Is intolerable. But
Mother will they patroniz, the dis
.pensaries, for to do Sc compels them to
go into a place more thar apt to be
crowded, to stand in line with all sorts,
coiors and conditions Of men and, If
the law Is carried out, TO write down
their names, ages, and other p~articu.
lars. The consequence Of ali this Is
that the best and largest class OF the 7
Charleston trade, in so far as figures
go, IL freely supplied, under Judge
decision, with goods order
ed in bulk from nearby cities and our
local merchants OF lepuGe who used to
enjoy this trade are forced to stand by
see the rival cities Of other States
carry of their most lucrative b~usinessSE
and frequently other business with It'll
All Charleston would be glad, there
political auimosities could be
'ubordinated for a sufficient length Oft
lime, to welcome u medificatiOn OF the31
law With regard to her 6
which would 1icenee her merchants to