The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-10-07
FATE OF THE D|SPENSARY.
Mr.. T. |. Rogers Proposes Private
Ones for Those
NOW RUN BY THE STATE
He Would Not Operate 1t In the Name
Of the State or Through State o"-
cials.

The following is one Of the letters
from members of the General Assembly
relative to the dispensary problem,
which were published in the News and
Courier some weeks ago:
Bennettsville, s. c.: Your question
concerning the liquor question Is
veritable probe, going straight. l dare
saw, to the very heart of every mem
ber's most earnest thoughts. This
eternal conflict between State law ana
Federal court can but engage the at,
|. tention of every patriot and compel
earnest study by every faithful repre-
sentative of the people. How can
peace, quiet and contentment be made
to take the place of strife, tur-
moil and agitation? That the
Jispensary has worked we'll and
done good in communities where
it has received the approval of the peo.
pie or even been respected because II
was law. | can see no room to doubt. 1
believe it has in such communities
greatly reduced, if it has not minimized
the evils of the liquor traffic. In other
salutary by reason of the violent oppo.,
sirion and obstruction of many good
citizens of high standing in church and
society, controlled by blind prejudice,
engenderad rather by obnoxious provis..
ions for the conduct and enforcement OF
the system than by the principles in
volved in the system itself. | have no
reference now to the opposition or vic.
lations of the law by ex liquor dealers
such opposition as that Is to be ex-
pected to every statute. refer to the
opposition of good citizens who have no
personal interest affected, but who Tor
one cause or another have either vlolat-
ed the law themselves or encouraged
others to do so. 1t appears to be an an
omaly, but nevertheless fact, that
good citizens have frequently been
found openly obstructing this law, TOR.
getting for the time the first duty OF all
citizens, namely, obedience to law SO
long as it is law. I have never been
able to understand how they could hope
nv such conduct to accomplish bench.
cent results. I believe the obnoxious
regulations mad, for the conduct and
enforcement of the dispensary system
would have been repealed ere now but
for this very bitterness OF those op
posed to the system, and the reflex IN
huence upon its supporters, making
them stubborn and more determined,
and less competent to see or recognize
their errors, much less acknowledge
them.
had I the power to mould public sen.
timent, to aIlay passion and. oliberate
prejudice, have no hesitation in say
ing that would lop off the constsbu.
larry and enforce liquor laws through the
ususual channels. I would abolish
government by injunction, and try Of
tenders in the usual manner, and con.
tinue the dispensary system, but would
not operate it in the name OF the State
or through State officials,
! believe in total abstinence as the
best rule of conduct for every individ.
ual and practice it myself, but do not
favor the enactment of prohibitory
law. I am satisfied that it would not
operate as satisfactory as the dispensary
has done in its effects upon the question
of temperance. Liquor would still be
consumed by the barrel and would pay
no revenue.
The General Assembly cannot mould
sentiment by statute. We must take
human nature as it is, and deal with 1t,
mindful of its numerous frailties,
have given this subject much study
and the following is the outline of q
bill I purpose introducing at the next
session:
At the next general election the CUES.
ton of dispensary or no dispensary
shall be submitted to the qualified
voters OF each county in the State. II
] majority in q county vote against it,
| then no liquor shall be sold in that
county for four years. If majority in
any county vote in favor, then the
same question shall be submitted to the
qualified voters of each incorporated
town or city in the county which keeps
at least two policemen regularly em.
ployed. If q majority in the town vote
| in favor, then the mayor of the town
shall let the dispensary for one year te
the highest bidder, provided the bid
does not fall below figure to be stip.
ulated for each town. The revenue
thus raised shall be apportioned,
one-t third each, to the town, county
and State.
The purchaser shall be allowed tc
open q stipulated number of dispen.
saries in the towr, and shall be required
to operate them under the same rulei
and regulations now governing dis.
pensers, and such further provisions a,
from time to time may be required BY
law. The question to be voted on in
the same manner at the expiration
of four years 1.-TWO if preferred).
If this kind Of Law is enacted tho
State goes out of the business; each
and every community has local option,
each and every Office necessary now te
run the despensary will be abolish {,
large revenue will be derived from
liquor. as there should be when it il
sod in any manner, under any system.
The law will be self enforcing, because
backed by the approval of the commun.
ity and watched over by the self-inter
est of the holder of the franchise.
Every provision Of the present Law
which can in any sense be termed IS
police regulation" will be thrown
around the liquor traffic, and the
cause of temperance and good order
promoted.
In addition to the above I would re
IL - b N hno hnn6