Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1898-01-12

winter, alter Congress shall have
acted or failed to act and after
the Supreme Court at Washing
ton shall have decided what is to
become of the States power to
control liquor under the Wilson
bill of 1890, we shall be in Il po
sitlon to take final action
1t is useless for me to make an
extended argument TO show that
our system OF liquor control is a
proper exercise of the police pow
er, and that Judge Simonton is
wrong in his decision denying this
power to the State. But as facts
speaks louder than words. | will
give the Testimony of ministers
of the gospel in the State as to
the effect of the Dispensary law on
the morals of the people and on
the reduction of drunkenness.
among them. Out of four hun
dred and sixty three answers
received from the ministers of the
State to questions submitted to
them in Il circular letter. dated
October lst, 1897, three hun
dred and twenty four reported
IA decrease in drinking of forty
six and one third per cent.
and a decrease in drunkenness
since the Dispensary law went
into effect. Sixty nine reported
an increase i'm drinking of fifty
four and three -iouiths per cent
Yet, in the face of such testi-
mony rs to the good results
of IN" system. Judge Simonton
declares il is not a police meas
ure. What then is the police
power Here is definition of
the United States Supreme Court
itself:
"The police power includes all
measures tor the protection of
life, the health. the property and
the Welfare of the inhabitants,
and for the promotion OF good or
der and the public morals. II
covers the suppression of nui-
sances, whether injurious to pub
lie health, like unwholesome
trades, or to the public morals.
like gambling houses and lottery
tickets. The police power extends
to things to not only intrinsicllly
dangerous to the public health,
such as infected rags or diseased
meat, but to things. which, when
used in a Lawful manner. aree.Ab,
Jects of property and of commere,
and yet may be used so as to be
injurious or dangerous to the life,
the health, osIe morals GoShe
people. GunpoWder. for instance,
Is subject OF commerce and of
lawful use, yet, because of its eX
plosive and dangerous qualities,
all admit that the State NAV req.
nlate its keeping and sale. And
there is no article, the right of
the State to cO"trOl or to DrohibH
the sale or manufacture of which
within its limits is better estab
liShed than intoxicating liquors.
There is profit toa State in
any form of license. vet license
has been held TO be a police regu
lation even when protecting Ii
cense holders i'm Il monopoly of
sale, until Judge Simonton's re
cent decision above quoted allow
ed liquors in "original packages"
to enter State $50 long rs their
manufacture, purchase or sale. or
their use as IA beverage in anv
form or by any person are recog
niIrd. Interstate commerce has.
according to Judge Simonton, de
Stroycd the police power unless
a State declares the use of liuuor
as beverage to be contrary to
good morals and @gainst thr
health of tn" people. No license
system does this. w" cannot
therefore, get protection from
fire" liquor" by such enactment
We can, however. get relief bv
dong away with the profit feat
ure, rs the following quotation
from the Nandcrcool decision