The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-06-07

! scaiawag. Meanwhile the law was
| contested at every step, and the courts
were invoked to compass its destruc-
! ton, with the result that the main
| features of the system were sustained
by the courts. and the statute was un-
impeded in its progress towards pro-
hibition. Dispensers neglected to oD-
serve some Of the most Salutary fea-
lures of the law and themselves be-
came vioIators where they were eX-
pected to become guardians; minors
and drunkards have found it easy
enough to procure liquor with or with.
out the conivance of the dispenser;
chemically pure has become by
word and to mean the yilest OF the
vile. the agents of the State have de-
frauded and defalcated in large num-
hers and few have been made to feel
the penalties for their misdemeanors;
the State board of control has more
than once become an exhibition of eX-
ceeding offence in the nostrils Of the
good people of the commonwealth, so
that time and again it was necessary
to make changes and bring about re-
formations; scandals almost without
number have tracked us pathway;
charges Of dishonesty have been con-
stant, and the public was made IA
miliar with rebates and the sample
room; in a word, the entire system
has been permeated with suspicion,
distrust and causes OF offence in strik-
ing contrast with the honorable -e-
cord of South Carolina glorious past.
Has the system proven "a step to-
wards prohibition? 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 increas-
ed by the failures and shortcomings or
the dlspensary system, which has peen
weighed in the balances and found
wanting" That is the indictment We
bring against it to-day, and TO the De-
mocratic voters we turn for Verolct.
In its stead we would offer them still
further restriction OF the liquor traffic,
destroying the profit and beverage
features Of tie present system, ana
limiting the sale Of alcoholic liquors
10 strictly necessary purposes, such as
medicinal. mechanical and sacranen-
tai uses. This substitution would take
away the odium OF the States being
engaged in business that is prostltu-
ting the youth OF the country, wasting
the resources. of the poorer classes,
bringing disgrace and degradation
upon families. impoyerishing the
homes OF our citizens, and withhold
ing bread from the women and chl!-
dren who are cursed with the blight OF
the drink demon. Prohibition offers
an opportunity to work for the eleva-
ton OF the entire people, the better IN
struction and training Of the young,
the creation OF incentives to Industry,
and the moral vanecce(u,kae m1ar
and the moral advancement or the
State to keep pace with its material
prosperity.
The benefits of prohibitory law
will not be fully realized in year or
even in FIVE years, for the longer such
a law is in existence with reasonable
chances OF enforcement the greater
will be the benefits derived from its
presence as permanent policy Oh the
State. A generation that shall grow
I'D without any knowledge OF liquor
saloons, whether operated by indivl-
duals or the State, will be population
noted for its sobriety, which will be
the rule and not the exception among
the young men. Once firmly rooted
and grounde in the minds of the peo-
pie. prohibitory measure Will come
to be regarded as necessity. More
than a generation has passed since
this law was enacted in Maine, and
for a long time there was vigorous
fight against its continuance, but at
this time both political parties are
pledged to its maintenance as the set.
fled policy of the State. The cry OF
repeal has been frequently raised, and
not many years ago one OF the polit-
cal parties made repeal plank IN us
platform. with the result that not more
than a half dozen members were elect
cd TO the House of Representatives..
which has over Oe hunderd in its
membership. and the fight for repeal
was an ignominiCus failure.
Gen. Neal Dow, who was the apostle
of Prohibition. d man OF upright char-
acter and irreproachable veracity' IN
his testimony before a Canadian com.
mission on the liquor traffic. declared
that there was no State in the Union
where more liquCr was consumed IN
proportion to population than IN
Maine. prior to the passage OF the
prohibitory law. It was then one OF
the poorest States. and under prohlbl-
ton it has become one Of the most
.,,oro,,. 1oro.I,. rho result of saw