The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-11
Vhe 8srala and UeMs.
r. H. AULl, EpirNR,
TNE OlSrENSAEV MlDDI.E.


The 1isprn$ary rs established IN
South tarolna has had Il hard road to
travel. The opposition tot, has ("nGh'
L hard and earnestly and prrSiSlrulN
1t has boon in the courts all the time,
aud the legislature has rudravorrL to
50 amend the law ~ tomrrt all adverse
decisions OF the court only in riv" rise
t, now eases.
In the first place i, WAS given to tn"
State in place OF prohibition Gor which
the people had voted,
1t was Il great revolution to change
SO suddenly { om tr old system OF
handling and regulating the whlskry
business. II was natural to expect
that there should be tronhlr aud law
suit and chaos.
We have never been an advocate Of
tho dispcusmN, though We hav" al
ways desired 10 500 ,hr law given Il
fair trial. There are features ut the
dispensary law which we like and We
consider it in many respects better
than the old mrroom, We did moi,
feel this way nj first, Int after having
the barroom closed We would not caro-
10 sec ii back ms it once was, Hn' this
thing Of the State going into the whis-
key business We can mover hrlirNr ii
wise or proper. Then to run it Ivy the
State there is too big loopholr for
fraud and corruption, besides there L.
h>,b nj tn h, t,,n Il -,
mixed up with il.
If the good features Of the ,iisprn-
sary law could hc taken and put in II
high license bill, We hrlirvr we would
then have the best solution uf the whis-
key question that il is possible to have
in the present state Of affairs. Thrr,
have been supicions ami charges Of
corruption and hrihc taking since the
establishment Of the disprnsary against
everybody connected with it from the
Governor down. In the face Of recent
Developments it looks rs ii some Of ,hi>
rottrnnrSs might he run down anG
placed where it belongs. liut rs Net
the matters are petty. though mono the
less criminal. There are bigger fish
than have yet been caught, hut the
trouble is going to br To yet the rig hl
kind OF bait. In other words, TO get
the proof il there has been wrong lN-
ing. 1t is very easy ma;trr 10 make.
charges. We had too much Nt that
sort 0t thing from MIR. Tillulun and hi>
imitalor> in 1880 ana along lhrrvhhNul.
But sure il sHNMS NOW That there j
moro than" inripirni rNttCmU,'>>, Whir.
he charged ami never proved. Vhrr,
seems To hr full grown and we'll drvvl.
oprd ruttrnnrss in and around thr dis,
pcnsary." Gov. t.llrrhr SAYS he iS w
ing to turn on the light OF \ fNll iNvrS
tiEation. So far only Mr.. Ga>ton an,
Mr. Srru%Hs have hrrn arrested an,
on charge of aprrorriating the con
truts OF the Irrkrogc trunk. tt this, i.
all that is going wrong at the dis
prnsary it. Is scarce worth while I,
give it. SO much attention, though rs ",
SAID, that makes the present mutirl
none the less criminal. We holm tn,
matter will Inc thoroughly iuvcsti
gated.
The disprnanry law H. ut present
operated must sooner or later go Th,
principle on which it is hlHrd il wrong
The State should not engage in busi
ness and make monopoly Of the husi
ness--we mean any business / bnl rspc
cially should she keep ont OF the whis
key business. High license under dis
pcnsury regulations will hr the solu
tion.