Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-25
PROHIBITION AND DISPENSARY.

SOmt peoPlo uaFo SicWS VI oucii o"b,
some people have the views of other
people, some views are broad and lib
eral, some are illiberal and narrow !;
but all are intense.
We would not ask the Prohibitionist
to make peace with the high license
man, or the dispensaryite to surrender
unconditionally to the Prohibitionist
but we would urge upon each and
every one a reasonable amount of tol-
Grafton of the views of others, or at
least enough careful consideration to
discover whether or not toleration is
possible or right.
In the opinion of The ENQUIRER
there is at least one good feature of
the dispensary law, and that is the
prohibition feature. Take, for in
stance, the situation in York county.
The highest moral sentiment of the
people outlaws the liquor traffic, and
the dispensary law without the dispen-
sary, serves admirably to hold this
traffic down to q minimum.
The ENQUIRER is not among those
who hold that the use of spirituous
liquors is indispensable. Neither do
we believe that a man has right to
get drunk and make brute of him
self if be wants too. This is criminal.
But from a standpoint of personal
liberty, we are not going to deny the
right of any individual to indulge bis
appetite with stimulants, if he sees fit,
provided he keeps himself within rea-
sonable bounds, and does not make
such qualification source of unwar-
ranted inconvenience or annoyance to
others. In other words, so long as the
use of intoxicating liquors does not
90 further than to merely disgust more
temperate people, we do not think it
right that an individuals personal lib.
erty in this direction should be cur.
tailed by legal restraint. There are,
of course, those who differ with US in
this view, and we would ask these
to Le at least as liberal with US as we
have been with the kind of people
discussed.
Now, again, we will remark that we
are in favor of local option. This we
now have in York county. The condi'
tions here are almost ideal. They are
not exactly what the dispensaryite,
prohibitionist or high license advocate
want. All the advantage of the sit
uation, however, lies with the prohibi'
ZIONIST. The liquor adversary is in
disrepute, deprived of the sanction Of
the law, and in a position generally
favorable to a victory at the hands oi
of aggressive moral suasion, the most
available weapon now in sight. Still
however, as a fundamental principle
of liberty, the law should remain in
such shape as to allow the majority to
have whatever the majority wants. II
should not be forgotten that sentiment
is constantly changing, and view that
may be supported by the majority to-
day, may, next year, be upheld only
by small minority.
But we do not like the dispensary
law as it stands. Theoretically, it is a
good idea. There are many good fea'
lures about it. But there is one thing
of which we stand in constant dread.
That is state control. 1t is dangerous.
State control must be exercised by
individuals. The individual who con-
trolls the state liquor supply has a
considerable influence over the hand
lers and majority of the consumers
of state liquor. Most individuals are
human, and human beings are selfish.
If we have not had any human indi-
viduals in control of the dispensary so
far, that is no guarantee that We will
not have them in control hereafter.
Such a contingency is almost certain,
and these individuals will be tempted
to use the tremendous power at their
disposal for the promotion of private
ends. That is our principal objection
to the dispensary. 1t is our only OBJ
lection provided the institution is not
forced upon a county where the major
ity of the people are opposed to it.
That section of the constitution
which provides for the sale of liquor
only in sealed packages, in daylight,
and not to be opened on the premises,
is wise. We like it. We are aware
that to a certain extent it is an impo-
sition on personal liberty but we be-
lieve that it carries the "greatest good
to the greatest number" 1t secures
also to communities that insist upon le-
galizing the sale of liquor, all the ben
efts of the dispensary law, with a
possibility of eliminating official con-
troll which, in our opinion, is the great
est danger that now turks in the whole
question.
LYING AT THE PoLLs.-The follow
ing bill, intended to prevent perjury