The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-23

Mr.. McCullough's bill passes. Not 6
drop Of liquor is allowed to be sold ir
his county, Greenwood, but with al
that prohibition the court roster
showed that nine-tenths of criminal
prosecution there was for the violation
OF the dispensary law. If the bill
passes it will take Gordon of officers
all around the borders OF the State.
He concluded by again warning the
dispensary advocates.
Mr.. Sharpe OF Lexington said that
he was here to defend a law which had
outlived the assaults of the news
papers and the enmity OF the courts.
We had rs we'll meet these questions
squarely. Every one Of these substi-
tutes 1s directed at that law, which
has done more for South Carolina than
any other law.
did you ever see the time when
liquor did not enter into politics." he
said in reply to the charges that dis
pensary had entered into politics.
The dispensary law has done more
for the morals, for the education Of the
people, than any other.
He claimed that the. cleanest politics
South Carolina had ever seen had come
since the enaction of the dispensary
law. He appealed that, the law just
out of the courts be given a fair show.
Mr.. Mccullough, the author of the
prohibition bill, succeeded Mr.. Sharpe.
He said that one patent fact in favor Of
his bill mad developed in support Of his
bill, and that was the evidence of dis
quietude all over the State. Years ago
the liquor monster was driven from
the rural districts into the towns and
cities. Then came the local option
high license system. The people cried
out against the evil and cast their
votes against it. And yet the Legisla-
ture enacted the dispensary law. The
fact is evident that the people feel
that the dispensary is not the proper
solution. The people OF South Carolina
will never be satisfied until theyi, have
q chance to try prohibition. He spoke
of one great compromise which had
caused the death of the gallant boys of
the blue and gray, and saw that in
America question was never settled
until 1t was settled right.
The saloon started contemporaneou
with. the school and church. The sa-
lOUn has grown moro and more unpop.
ular, while the school aud church have
become entrenched In the hearts OF The
people.
The real issue should be "what shall
be the attitude Of the State toward the
liquor traffic?" Not twill prohibition
prohibit?" For there is no law which
will prohibit. He could imagine some
Of the political wiseacres standing at
the foot Of Sinai, protesting with the
Great Lawgiver that his laws would
not prohibit, that the injunction, "Thou
shalt have no other Gods before me"
was being even then violated by those
worshiping the golden calf down in the
valley.
he said if the dispensary was such a
moral institution why did not the
Christian people teach their children
to pray for it.
The high license man says that "if
liquor must be sold, let us make o
profit" The dispensary man says let
us get this money to support our
schools.
Where does the money come from?
1t is like the mau who applies the leech
to hfs arm and then abstracts his own
Where does that money come from?
1t represents the suffering of the poor,
1t represents crime. 1t comes from the
pockets Of those to whom it Ia in part
returned. Supply creates demand, and
If you increase the supply, then you in
crease the demand.
Judge of the effects of the sale of
liquor in the home, in society. The
home Ia the foundation Of tho govern
ment and the boy is the centre of the
home. Let us draw around every home
the protecting circle of the law.
Mr.. Prince of Anderson said that his
delegation stood In q peculiar position
Last spring the county convention de.
manded that their representatives
carry out their will. The people OF
Anderson voted for prohibition, for
prohibition pure and simple, not farce.
He was at variance with the majority
of the people of his county on the ques-
tion. He came here in accorqauce
with their will and asked for a prohibi-
tion pure and str aight, not drug store
prohibition.
He had q substitute prohibition bill,
ironclad in it's provisions, which he
read to the house. There it Is, he said,
"pure and simple."' His bill did not at
tempt to interefere with the interstate
commerce law, and there would bo no
liquor 1.-The State except what Was i'm
ported. If they wanted prohibition
let them take that bill. If they are
after political manoeuXering drive
them to say so. H..
Mr.. McCullough'ss bill was too
lengthy. 1t .pescribed for as many
crimes and. misdemeanors as the dis
pensary law. -. 49,.
Mr.. Blythe, of Greenville, said that
If Messrs Robinson and Prince had had
the courage of their convictions;; why
had they not introduced their ollls at
the right stage of the game?
Mr.. Blythe said that he had heard
the discussion of the original dtspen.
sary law, and that he would have voted
against It had he been q. member OF
the general assembly, for he was inher'
emily opposed 20 forcing the State into
the liquor business. But every bill in
troduced this session provided for the
State to go into the liquor business
Even the prohibition bill copies the
good features of the dispensary law,
and even 1t provides for State board
OF control. He quoted from Mr.. Nc
Cullough's bill and said that the only
| difference between 1t and the dispon
! sary law was the profit feature.Of the