Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-04-28
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.


The dispensary movement in North
Carolina should be distinguished from a
similar movement. The one in South
Carolina was primarily political. When
he South Carolina legislature met, Sena
or Tillman being governor, 1t was
pledged to enact prohibition law for
he state. Under Mr. Tilman's leader
ship the Gothenburg system, which had
been in successful operation in the uni.
persity town of Athens, Georgia, was
adopted by the legislature as the basis
Tor a general dispensary law for the
tate. The saloons were all closed, dis
bensaries established in their place, and
he most stringent laws enacted and en-
orced against all illegal sale of liquor.
The familiar features of the dispensary
we're its closing promptly at shutdown;
bo drinking on the premises; the sale of
liquor to,those only who were of age, who
we're not in the habit of drinking to
,Xcess, who were sober at the time of the
ale, and who signed an application for
what they bought on public book; and
he fact the dispenser was salared
Pflicer, and thus free from pecuniary in
crest in stimulating sales. To this was
added in South Carolina force of con-
tables whose special business it was to
rrest those who sold liquor contrary
o law.
The fact that the dispensary law was a
Institute for prohibition made the law
bdious at first to those who had fought
most ardently for the prohibition cause
And the political faction over which Mr..
l'illman had triumphed, containing a
good proportion of the best blood and
brains of the state, opposed the dispen-
ary on personal grounds. The spy
system, as it was called, and the resist
tnce to the constables, sometimes result
ng in bloodshed, set many of the more
beaceable and conservative citizens
against the law. Added to this, the
constitutionality of the law as a whole
md of important provisions separately
WAS strenuously contested in the United
States courts, with varying success
Until the supreme court settled the matter
orever in favor of the law. These diff
ulties are mentioned to show what the
ystem has had to face in South Carolina,
nd for the purpose of remarling that
he system has triumphed over all OPP
position. The amended constitution of
he state DEGREES against the re-establsh-
hent of the saloon. The dispensary
candidate for governor in the last election
efeated the prohibition candidate. And
he testimony of sober, conservative
itizens of every rank and profession is
ow practically unanimous to the effect
hat drunkenness and the crimes result
hg therefrom have decreased beyond
Expectation.
IN North Carolina the experiment of
ur southern neighbor has been watched
nth interest, and the conviction has been
breed into the minds of many people
nat the dispensary is the best solution
f the liquor problem. The legislature
f 1897 was controlled by the Republicans
nd Populists in combination. The Po-
ulists were almost solidly anti-saloon.
he Republicans and the few Democrats
,ere divided on such questions, though
robably with small preponderance
gainst the saloon influences. The wri er
as pastor of the Presbyterian church of
fayetteville at the time, and, in company
nth the other pastors of the town, began
movement for a dispensary there in
lace of the twelve saloons with which
be town was afflicted. Blank petitions
Gere sent to the minister and church Of
GERS in the county, and in a little while
Pere returned with thousands of names In
Il, praying the legislature to pass dis
ensary law for the county. The mea-
lure was hotlv contested in the legisla-
lre by the Liquor Dealers association
the state, which seemed to recognize
he danger of the movement to them. and
dyised its members in Fayetteville to
pin hands with the prohibitionists and
nact Prohibition law rather than have
dispensary put into operation. But the
rohibitonists were not to be taken with
uile. They unanimously supported the
ispensary movement, and the bill passed
9th branches Of the legislature.
Two years later another legislature
7as in session, which, for reasons that
we're pointed out in a previous article on
he race troubles in North Carolina, was
overwhelmingly under Democratic con-
FOL The former saloon keepers IN
fayetteville and their political allies
egan to agitate for repeal of the dis
|ensary law. They secured petition
With several hundred names, but were
net with counter petition larger in
|umbers and incomparably superior in
he character of the singers. The legs-
ature unanimously refused to repeal the
aw. In the meanwhile the testimony to
he excellence of the dispensary system
otten up by its advocates in Fayetteville,
vas so striking that il attracted the
ttention of the whole state. Not only
be twelve saloons but nineteen dis
lleries in the county had been forced TO
70 out of business. The shutting of
hese distilleres was a matter of national
nterest. The saloons had been buying
Whisky at eighty cents a gallon, though
he government tax was a dollar and
wenty cents. The dispensary bought
nly pure liquor on which the tax had
4 ~.