The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-02-15
THE O DO RULE.

The debate was p1eCipit"'SN ~
Mauldin's local option bill, which, IN
substance, provides that an election
shall be held in the several counties
of the State whenever desired to de-
eide between high license for the sale
of liquors, the ~dispeDsary system or
prohibition; or, in other words, each
county shall have the right to man
age the whisky question as it may
deem best for it's own interest; to
say whether or not intoxicating IL
ouors shall be sold as a beverage, and
if so, whether through the dispensary
or by high license, or whether the sale
of liquors for such purpose shall be
prohibited and their sale restricted
t, certain uses.
The members who have aired their
e%loouence before an admiring audi
ence on this issue so far are about
evenly divided as between dispen-
sary and high license and the settle
ment of the question will evidently
be made by those members who are
lying low and saying nothing.
The opponents of the dispensary
law, after being driven from pillar to
post, have made a last desperate ef-
fort to carry their point. They now
tell US that the dispensary system OF
controlling the sale of whisky is a
disturbing element among the peo-
pie; a thorn in their side which pro-
duces constant irritation and aggra-
Yates their passions, and it should,
therefore, be repealed and high IL
cense substituted in order to bring
about that perfect reconciliation and
perfect harmony and peace which is
somuch desirable. In some respects
this is doubtless true. But who are
the ones that are continually agita-
ting this question but an insignificant
minority who have failed to under
stand the handwriting on the wall
and have rushed madly to their ruin.
No issue could have been more clearly
drawn, more stubbornly fought and
more ably defended than were those
of dispensay, prohibition and high
license in the last State campaign.
We are told that from nj end OF the
State to the other, the merits OF the
three systems were clearly and un-
mistakably presented to the people;
the question of Reform and Conser-
natives was not discussed; that no
appeals to the passions of the peol h
were made, therefore, it is reason
able to presume that the people ex-
ercised their calm judgment in the
disposition of this question. And
set the result conclusiveiy proves,
Notwithstanding the unholy alliance
between all the elements opposed to
the dispensary system, that an over
whelmipg majority was registered
against the combination and in favor
of the dispensary as represented By
the vote received by Mr.. Ellerbe for
Governor, who stood for the dispen-
sary in the first and last primary.
We can very readily understand
Why Charleston, Columbia, Green
vile and other cities and towns are
so anxious that the "dear people"
should be given an opportunity to de-
eide for themselves, because it is a
conceded fact that the strongest, the
most bitter and the most violent OPP
position to the dispensary, and pro-
hibition for that matter, comes from
people residing in those places, and
il view of this fact, they are aware
that, by the adoption of a bill. pro-
viding for local option, it is possible
for a minority to make the policy
of the majority nugatory and Of no
effect. If they are honest in their
demand that the people should rule,
in the name Of common sense, why
don't they allow the people TO rule
in peace and quiet? They have un-
mistakably declared for the dispen-
sary system of controlling the sale OF
whisky, then why not let it stand!
Why have they fought the will Of
people so persistenly since 1890 as
expressed through the ballot box?
We are very much afraid that it is
not 80 much a desire that the people
shall rule as it is a desire to cripple
the ~dispensary and to deal a death
blow to the growing prohibition sen
timent which now obtains in this State.
Ii this can be accomplished, then a
return to the open saloon, with all its
enticipg allurements to debauch and
ruin our sons, is only a question of
time.
We must confess that we cannot
understand how the honest, earnest