Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-14
GOVERNOR AND The DISPENSARY.

GOVERNOR AND The DISPENSARY.
Reproduced on another page, is
about the only portion of Governor
Ellerbe's annual message to the gen.
eral assembly that is of special signih:
cance-that portion relating to the
dispensary.
Read as a whole, the discussion. OF
the question appears to be practical
and statesmanlike but in it there are
earmarks that bespeak the tricky poll
tician, and which, to those who will
heed, conveys a warning as to the
possible developments of the future.
For instance, note how the govern.
or is willing to leave the choice be-
tween dispensary or prohibition to the
people; but how, at the same time, in
one iusidious paragraph, he says :
"Any county, however, that votes for
prohibition should be made to bear all
the expenses of enforcir.; the prohibi-
tory law; and such cclnty should not
receive any of the profits of the dis
pensary."
From a very superficial point of
view, this appears to be just; hut
the proposition will not bear a more
careful analysis.
If each county were allowed to
decide for itself whether it should
have a dispensary, and deciding in
favor of the dispensary were allowed
to manage the institution on its own
responsibility, independent of inter-
ference from the state government,
then it should not be expected to
share its profit or loss with any other
county; but if the dispeusary system
is TO be maintained by the state gov
ernment, which draws its support
from all the counties, it follows that
each county is justly entitled to its
share of whatever profits might ac-
crue from this business, just as all the
counties would be called upon to make
good any possible overwhelming loss
that might befall this institution
later on.
But reasonable parallel to the gov,
ernor's proposition is this: Suppose
the dispensary system obtains in d
county, and that county draws its
share of the states profits for the sup
port of its public schools. 1t is rea-
sonable to suppose that in that county
there are many good citizens who do
not consume liquor in any form but
who have children to educate. Be-
cause these citizens do not consume
liquor, they are not supporters of the
dispensary, and, therefore, do not con-
tribute to the fund that the dispensary
pays to education. Are these individ-
uals citizens then, on this ground, 10
be denied the right to send their chill
dren to the liquor supported public
schools &? The comparison is analogous,
and the reader may draw his own
conclusion as to the soundness Of the
governors proposition.
No, from a careful study of Gov
ernor Ellerbe's suggestions and recon-
mendations, we are inclined to the
opinion that he is not striving after
justice and equity in this matter. To
US his proposed scheme looks like an
attempt to provide means whereby
the legal sale of liquor may be forced
on counties wherein the moral tone
of the people is too high to admit of
its willing sanction.
With the adoption of such provis-
ion as is recommended by the governor,
we would next look for the invasion OF
York county by horde of constables,
ostensibly for the purpose of enforcing
the law; but really for the purpose of
adding heavy burdens on our people
in the hope of forcing them to accept
a dispensary. 1t is sincerely hoped
that there will never be any occasion
for the test; but Governor Ellerbe may
rest assured that the people of York
county will never accept the dispen-
sary, or any other institution for the
open sale of liquor, except by the free
will of a majority of her people.
GONZALES AND ELLERBE.
The annual message of Governor