The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-01-20

OHenQefS 10 JuSLlcS. III TWO luSIaDCoS
the constables have been compelled to
shoot down these desperadoes, and al.
though fully justified and acquitted
by the courts OF the land of any
wrong, they have BEEN handed down
by the newspapers opposed to this law
and branded as common murderers.
The only way to deal with such offen-
ders is TO let them know that the law
will be enforced even if it be necessa-
ry to take their lives.
We have been greatly embarrassed
by the decision of the United Slater
court which allows the importation of
whiskey for personal" use. The
matter is now before the United
States supreme court, and if our posi-
ton is sustained there will be little
trouble in putin an end to the illicit
traffic. One of the best evidences of
the decrease in the illicit traffic is the
decrease in the number of licenses is
sued by the United States Inter.
nal Revenue department. For the
year ending June 81, 1896, there
were issued to parties outside
of dispensaries 315 licenses and
one wholesale license included. Of
these 100 were taken out in the city of
Charleston. For the same period
ending June 81, 1895, 720 licenses were
taken out. OF this number 157 were
taken out in the city of Charleston,
showing a decrease of 405 in the State
and an increase of 33 in the CITY of
Charleston. For the year ending
June 20, 1897, there have been issued
so lar to illicit dealers 173 licenses, of
which 125 were taken out for Charles
ton, among them four wholesale IL
censes to dealers in that city. For the
same period the previous year there
are 299 licenses to illicit dealers, 157
of which were taken out in the city Of
Charleston. It will thus be seen that
for the revenue year ending June 80,
1896, the State at large showed a de-
crease of over 56 per cent, while the
city of Charleston showed an increase
of over 20 per cent. Since the 1st of
June, 1895, the State at large shows a
decrease of over AZ per cent, while
the city of Charleston for the same pe-
riod, under the metropolitan police,
shows a decrease of over 20 per cent.
1t is another significant fact that in the
counties of the State where public SEN
timent has always upheld the law, as
for instance the county of Abbeville.
the sales of the dispensary have fallen
off. Thus showing decrease in the
consumption of whiskey and promo
ton of the cause of temperance. Dur
ing the holidays only one instance OF
the commission of crime of which
whiskey was the direct cause was re
ported in the State, and the Christ
mas holidays were marked for their
sobriety, peace and quietude. During
the recent State fair held in the city of
Columbia 90, 900 people were reported
to have been upon the grounds Thurs
day and not an arrest for drunkenness
was made in the city. The same re-
cord has been made in every county
In the State. The number of convic-
tons for the violations of the dispen-
sary law has increased from year to
year, as the following table by the at
torney general shows:
No Bills
& discon. Not Mis- To-
tinued. Guilty trial Guilty tai.
In year 1924 IS "a : 1 1s S ,4s 4s
In yearI1S95.65 81 55 141
In year 1896 444 "a 159 627
For the past year of the 6N cases re-.
ported 231 were from the city OF
Charleston.
METROPOLITAN POLICE.
The greatest problem that l have
bad to meet since my connection with
the dispensary law has been its pro-
per enforcement in the city of Charles.
ton. There are more friends in this
city to the law than an outsider who
has had no dealings with them would
imagine, but it has come to be poit.
ical and a social question in that COM
munity and a great number of its
friends have not the timerity to pub.
licly uphold it. I realize that to be
polite in dealing with this question
meant to be false to the great majority
OF the people of South Carolina and
untrue 70 those who had elected me
and determined upon an aggressive
policy towards this city. The ques-
ton narrowed itself down simply to
this: Whether the illicit traffic and
contempt of law and order should pre-.
vail in Charleston and be restrained
in the rest of the State or whether l
should support and enforce the law
with strong hand giving equality to
all men. Seeing the increased amount
of illicit sales of whiskey in this city
and the contempt with which the OIL
GERS of the law were treated and hav-
ing warned the mayor and city coun-
Gil repeatedly of my intention to no
avail, the State commission consisting
of the governor, the secretary OF state
and the comptroller general, was
called together and thoroughly re-
viewed the situation. They unanl'
mously agreed that the only course
left was to use every power for the
enforcement of the law placed in our
hands by the general assembly, or to
abandon the city to the barkeeper and
the rumseIler. We decided onI the
former course. I expected and so did
the other members of the board to re-
ceive the condemnation of this city and
of the enemies of the dispensary law
throughout the State, but I determined
to do my duty, and, failing in that,
to recommend to you such legislation
as I deemed necessary to meet the
case. The metropolitan police has
proved success in every sense OF the
mond and 7 am satisfied If left to