The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-09-15
The D~lspensary Law.

Perhaps tho most important md inter
estipg question now before the l."hiic IN
South Carolina is the fate nf tie Di-pan-
sary law. The general opinion Of the
best lawyers in the State is that Judge
%Simonton's decisions will be sustained
by the United Supreme Court when they
come before it, and that the law, as it now
stands, will have to 60. The next ses-
sion of the Legislature will have to ham
die the question, and with a view of as
certaining tho opinion OF the members of
the body on the subject, the Nears and
Courier has sent a circular TO each one
asking his solution Of the matter. Many
replies have been received and publish
ed, and, Of course, there Ia great diversity
of opinion. Two Of the Anderson delegs-
ton have been heard from, as follows:
I would say hat I have always been
opposed to the Dispensary as at present
administered, and I am in favor of max
ing a change Of some kind. The plan
that I would now suggest is for each
County to take charge Of and regulate its
OWL ulSp6u66lN d11o1lSs ny ACh VA lhC1
own selection, and a good healthy senti-
ment will thereby be built up in favor of
the ~dispensary, and We will not need the
presence of armed constables to enforce
the law, but it will be self-enforcing, be-
ing supported by the law-abiding people
of the County.
The good features of the Dispensary are
already incorporated in the Constitution.
Whilst I am talking I want to say that
I think the next Legislature should take
the special tax off fertilizers OF it should
be donated to the common schools, that
are p%atronized almost exclusively by the
people who pay the tax.
JOSHUA w. ASHLEY.
Nv opinion is that the present dispen-
sary law will be radically changed or re-
pealed in toto by the General Assembly
at its next session. It will hardly bear
any more patching. It was In expert
ment, holding its place by q precarious
tenure, until struck by q foul from the
United States Court, in consequence Of
which blow it is now in6efensible as an
effective measure for revenue or good
morals. The late Constitutional Conven.
ton, composed Of many able, patriotic
and conservative men, fully comprehend
ed the acknowledged fact that the dispen-
sary system was a doubtful experiment.
In that Convention the issue was made,
and the delegates by q decided vote de-
Iclined to fix the dispensary system as an
institution on the State. Certain wise
aud effective provisions were grated
from the ydispensary law into the new
Constitution which prohibit sales Of alco-
holic liquors in the night time or by the
drink at any time, permitting no drink
ing on the premises where sales are
made, combining sales to unbroken pack
ages and giving to the State absolute con-
troll of the traffic; Gil of which preclude 8
return to the obnoxious "old bar room
system" except by a vote OF the people
amending the fundamental law.
The dispensary, though disappointing,
has done good, but now l see no failure
good forit. The inevitable is upon us, and
the Legislature may well as meet the is
suesqualely next January. There may be
no occasion to repudiate the entire dis
pensary law, even If we are forced to give
up the dispensary. We may adopt a law
incorporating all that Is sound and efac-
tive in the ~dispensary Act; call it high IL
censa or what we please, but take the
State out Of this questionable business Of
selling liquor, and by no means should
we put the Counties into it. Letthe State,
through county boards OF control, super
wise closely this traffic, conducted under
high license by reputable individuals.
Give the State full powers to restrict and
restrain liquor selling within proper and
possible limits. There is no good in at
tempting the impossible.
Some such ACT, if passed, will at once
commend itself to the favor OF all reason
able people, without which public APP
proval all legislation on this line is vain.
a proper high license system will do
away with State boards of control, liquor
commissioners, metropolitan police and
the oonstabulary and al the same time
provide a reliable source of revenue with
es much or more moral good as is attain
BILE under any law regulating the drink
question.
Such ON Act by the General Assembly
will certainly be one OF mercy unto the
Attorney Generals Office. 1t will relieve
the Executive of heavy burdens and the
people from an unhealthy strain.
A local option provision should be in
corporated in the law, SO that any and all
communities prepared for prohibition
may have it. j.. M. SULLIVAN.