The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-08-30

|
tho traffic and giving to consumers a
commodity that was chemically pure,
at u prico that would not admit Of pro-
t. This was coupled with the dcclar-
| alton that the system thus inauguratcd
| without tho consent OF the people was
Il step towards prohibition, and many
Hcuuiesccd in the Legislation with tho
belief that tho State would really un-
| dertakc to minimize tho consumption
| OF liquor. II was u law upon the statute
books, and many Of the law abiding and
peacc-loving citizens, though honestly
opposed to liquor ceiling in any shape,
threw the weight Of their influence IN
favor OF the execution Of tho law.
! 'The disponsary law WAS far from
| satisfactory to u ma jOrity OF the people
and 1T Is no wonder that it's progress
was contested at every step. The
| courts were invoked to compass its de-
! struCtlon, with the result that the main
| features Of the system were sustained
| by the courts, and the statute WAS uu-
impcdcd in its progress towards prohi-
| biti0n. Dispensers have neglected to
| observe some OF the most salutary fca-
| lures OF the law and themselves have
become viOatOrs when they were cx.
pected to be is guardians; minors and
| urunkards have found it easy enough
TO procure liquor with or without the
| cOnnivanCe OF the dispenser; 'chcmic
ally pure has become bywOru and to
| mean tho vilest OF the vile: the agents
OF the State have dcfraudcd and defal.
Gated in large numbers and lew have
been made to feel the penalties for
their misdcmcanOrS; the State board
OF control has more than once become
an exhibition OF exceeding offence In
tho nostrlls OF the good people OF the
.NT |, i,n
1t has boon necessary TO make changes
and bring about rcformations; scandals
almost without number have tracked
It's pathway; charges OF dishonesty
nave been constant, and the public was
made familiar with rebates and the
sample room; in u word the entire sys~
tenn has been pCrmcated with suspic-
ion. distrust and causes OF offence in
In striking contrast with the honorable
record OF South Carolinas glorious
past.
Has the system proved a step TO,
wards prOhibitiO - Not in the sense
that originated this phrase. but in an
other and truer sense the demand for
actual and honest prohibition Of the
liquor traffic has been largely inCrcas-
cd by the failures and shortcomings Of
the dispcnsary system, which has been
weighed in the balances and found
wanting' That is the indictment We
bring against it to-day, and to the
Democratic voters we turn for u YER
| dict. In its stead we would offer them
still further restriction vi the LIQUOR
| traffic, destroying the profit and bever-
| age features Of the present system, and
| limiting the sale Of liquor to strictly
necessary purposes, sucn as medicinal
! meCh&nlcai and SaCramcntal uses
| This substitution would take away the
| Odium OF the States being engaged in
Il business THAI is prostituling tho
youth OF the country, wasting the re.
| sources OF the poorer classes, bringing
Disgrace and degradation upon fam
llies, povcrishing tho homes OF our
citizens, and Withholding bread from the
women and children who arc cursed
with the blight OF the drink demon
Prohibition oilers an opportunity to
work for tho elevation OF tho entire
people, the better instruction and
training to the young, the creation OF
incentives OF industry, and the moral
advancement OF the State TO keep pace
with it's material prosperity.
Owe deny that it is proper func-
tiOn OF the government to engage in
this business for the money there is in
it, and we utterly rcpudiutc any re-
spOnSi bility for the nHncful consc-
qucnces that inevitably now from the
distribution of the great curse Uf man
kind among the people by sworn Utli-
| cials Of the State. II the government
| can engage in the sale Of liquor for the
| profit which may be derived Lhercfrom
! then it is legitimate for the govern.
| ment to build cotton mills, buy and sc III
general merchandise, or do anything
| else that Will likely raise money SO that
the taxes will bO reduced and expenses
OF the public service will be curtailcA .
Tho principle Of selling liquor for n
profit is Identical with selling any
other commodity for gain, and the ad-
vocatcs Of the dispensary have never
claimed that is right to engage in
other lines OF trade.
"ln the inception OF the business
there was heard a great deal about the
| State taking control OF the LIQUOR ira 1.
under the police powers designated by
the constitution, but this is now an ob
aOlcte argument, and the chief reliance
| for support OF the dispcnsary is the
| profit feature, which Is held up to the
| people rs means for relieving the
! burden OF taxation and promoting the
! efficiency of the public schools. Take
away the profit feature and the mighty
octopus will dwindlc in tho eyes OF
those who arc looking to it for assist
Ancc IN dclraylnB Inc expenses OF gov.
crnmenL. Take away the profit feature
and the defenders OF the system will
| grow fewer every year. This is the
basis upon which it rests, and tho en-
tire structure will fall for lack OF SUP.
port. Behind the profit lies the
strength OF the dspensary in this pres
cnt campign, with its distribution OF
| the gain among the town and county
| governments.
mo man has y 1T been found to arg lc
that the morals Of the people are in.
| trinsically benefited by the sale OF
liquor. 1t was never argued in the
| days Of tho saloons that they improved
| the morals or promoted the righteous
hess OF any community, and the mere
change Of method in the sale does mot
and cannot alter the situation in this
| respect. Tho State engaging in this
unhOly traffic does not transmutc the
y brand OF chemically pure into an
| agency for the promotion OF virtue and
morality among the sons OF South Car
| olina. The elevation and Improvement
OF society are not involved in the in
creased consumption OF liuuOr bv the