Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-05-12
The Dlspensary Decision.

Tho United States Supreme Court has
lat last mado q dccision which settles tho
coDstitutionality of tho principle on
which the dispensary law of South Caro-
lima is bottomed. That tho Statute
s trenohed ! closely on constitutional
8 grounds is evident from tho fact that this
4 decision is also made by divided Court,
Il six Justices uniting in the opinion of tho
majority and three in tho minority opin-
ion Tho dissenting opinion was deliv-
4 cred by Chief Justice Fuller and Justices
Il Shiras- and McKonna. They thought tho
opinion of Judge Simonton should DO
4 affirmed on tho ground that tho Dispon-
: sarY Act was unconstitutional in toto
5 The samo opinion was hold by Chief
Justice MoIver, of our Supreme Court,
+ tho lato Associate Justice Samuel Nc
q Gowan and Circuit judge j. ii. Hudson.
But after protractcd litigation in cvory
Court, both State and Federal, for tho
last six years, tho question has at last
I been settled, and it is we'll that the pco-
/ pie OF tho State now know "whero they
Il arc at" ...
rho original package shops must shut
up. Tho blind tigers have always been
run in violation of law, and, of course,
5 they should be suppressed. Tho inspcc-
tinn feature having been declared iincor-
stitutional, tho liberty Of tho citizen
preserved, and individuals may ordur
liquor in any quantity for private uso
from dealers without tho State frco from
lot or hindrancc by tho State authorities.
1t is now matter of personal choice
between tho patronage of tho dispcnsary
and established houses in other States.
,r Such is the legal status as determined
by tho highest judicial tri bunal on tho
American continent, or, for that matter,
IN tho world, and it is safe to say that all
! parties will readily acquicsco in tho
decision. We arc pleased that tho vcxcd
question has boon settled, and bcliovc
that tho law as declared is wiso solution
of an intricate contention. Not few
mon of giant intcllccts and tho highest
integrity have been aligned OH both
sides, and it may be written down as ono
OF tho most famous legal controversies in
/, tho history of our State or nation.
The frgMt 'asncct-nf tho G,lcs:iot. hay
oxpcdicncy is still left open and re-
mains to be settled by tho people of
South Carolina at the ballot-box.
1t is & matter of domestic concern,
and tho perpctuity Of tho disponsary as
n State institution will depend upon the
good or evil flowing from it's existence
1t is probable that for years to como the
liquor question will be prominent in the
political arena of our State, but we be-
licvo it will finally be adjusted along the
lines of least harm to the body polite
Our honest, manly civizcns will not per-
nit it long to prevail, should it bo
weighed III tho balances and found want
ing in promoting tho highest good in
control of tho liquor traffic. BY this
decision the State has been freed from a
food of free liquor, which was damning
to tho morals of our people, both young
and old. 1T has left to us the exercise of
tho highest order Of State rights in deal
ing with tho liquor business, and We
havo it in our power to lcgislato for tho
veal or woe Of our people,