The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-15

the latter IL practicaiiy "nas Tue ols-
peosary means now, and they should
also put all license money into the
county treasury, without dividing il:
either with the towns, .be public
schools or the State, as such revenues
should 60 to the support only of the
jails. the poor houses and the luoatc
asylums. mos. of whose inmates are
sent tbitber by the license sale Of
liqaor. according to the ?rohibitionis.s.
and if they are right, what better use
can be made Of liceused money than 10
repairing the direct damages claimed to
be done by the alleged abuses
s.Bus | deny that judicious license
increases it's consumption, although
strong repressive measures sometimes
point that way. but such appearances
are misleading, as the whiskey merely
evades the high tax or other rigid laws
aud thereby fails to get on the statis-
ticaus' books. but the liquor vas made,
sold and draok all the came. For is-
stance. it is cl.imed that our 70,0OO,-
600 people ou'y consume at present
about one gallon per head per annum.
whereas. they formerly averaged nearly
three gallons. but that was wbeo we
had 20 Federal tax and only slight
State tag. which hardly anybody cared
to eyade. No statistics are at hand
about smuggling (mooosdioing. blind
tigeriog. etc.. but every mao posted
on the subject knows that at least two.
if not three gallous of whiskey are nov
consumed 10 this country for every one
that pays this Federal tax Of 81 10 per
gsllon
I'VE know it take least twenty.
Eve thousand barre Of taxed and
saoggled wbiskey q year to do the
people Of South Carolina. We pay
81 10 per gallon 90 most of 1t. aOd
retail license to the Federal govern.
mens besides Now. I again ask Why
90. let every county 10 this State
quietly collect every year clear profit
license of several thousand dollars TO
lessen taxes as other States 10 the
union do?-especially as reputable
wtiskey dealers stand ready to pay
the license. and sell US pure Inspected
liquor too. if only the organized poll.
tioal whiskey mschioe would let them.
Let US quit trying TO deceive ourselves
with hypocritical pretcnses of absti-
neuce from liquor.
.Couoty license. with local option
aud proper safeguards, would not ooly
afford every reasonable privilege 10
regard to whiskey. but it would also
strengthen the public finances. Gov
eruor Elerbe 10 his last ANNA! mes
sage, says: The finances Of the State
are in very unsatisfactory condition
I. never occurred to the governor te
abolish free suition in the State col.
leges, nor to redpcs the INN ense and
ex.ray.gant appropriations for Glen.
son aud Winthrop colleges, nor to
stop macy other unnecessary drains
from the lressury. Nor did it occur
to bin to secure additional revenue. by
substituting an economical county IL
cense for the costly diapensary brigade
of Office holders, but what did occur to
bin and to his dispsnsary allies. vas to
increase the State tax levy half
mill
..Eseo ::ss the people are careless
about county and State public debts.
they ought a. least. 10 have eaough
patriotism and gratitude to collect q
oouuty license, aud divide it il pen.
s;oDs among the poor old crippled aud
diseased Confederate soldiers. and their
widows. Instead of letting gang Of
smugglers, and four or i've hr fred
dispensary siaecures aud lesalized rob
bers appropriate all the profits Of whis-
key selling in the State. In proportion
to the relative wealth aud population Of
the Two States. Georgia pays her Con-
federate vetrans more than three times
ss much pension money rs South Caro-
Iiua pays hers.
"As the Uoited States levies an III.
ternal reseoue tax of Sl.l0 per gallon
on whiskey. mostly to pay pensions to
Federal soldiers, Why not let each
county in South Carolina pension its
own Coofedera,es, and dedicate it's local
county license tax to that purpose? II
it we're done, every old soldier would
become sn efficien. whiskey constable
to suppress blind tigers without charg-
log either per diem, or mileage for bis
services. I counsel the people TO vote
for no candidate for any Office. unIess
be favors county license. and is sgsinss
q State bar Of any sort. A comfy
licensed bar room would be governed
exactly like the dispensary is governed
oow. 80 that ell the good features Of
the dispeosary would be preserved
They were taken from our old license