The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-03-08
APPEAL TO PROAlsITloNlSTS.
'Sshessrs., joe! e, Brunson and Others
Issues Stirring Address

~ mlan Slilltn nc di0 HtlcbS dIS "p
uintcd to prcpar" an address 10 tie
ncople sf South Carolina. setting forth
iEe wo:k and ISSUES before us. and To
rian for and perfect an organization "
he prohibitiomiSts for the coming cam
Eaign.
In accordance with tn" above, We
submit The following address:
The prohib.tiUni>t> of the state are
x.uCOura .ed 70 MAKE another appeal 10
g. IL voters for a supreme effort aioh&t
! he line for the abolition OF the manu-
iact,nc and sale uf liquor in South Caf-
.t,iina, For many years the men ana
women of our State have tniled earn
,J.Stlv to effect legal prohibition oi the
liquor traffic, and gratifying progress
was being made not only in bani' hing
The licensed saloon from all territory
without incorporated towns and cities,
hut there was nluch being accomplish
I'D in the way of reducing the number
< saloons here aud There, and also IN
Leu: ing control OF the smaller munlC-
iDaiitieS through the ballot DoN or re-
>.Iictiye legislation. IhiS progress III
cnlperance reform induced an appllca-
lion to the regularly constituted an-
IhuritirS of the democratic party III
..,Outrul of the election machinery ot
The State for Il separate box III Whlcil
40 vote for or against prohlblaOn, anu
lhS privilege WAS granted IN the pfi-
rnarr election Of 1892, resulting IN an
overwhelming majority tor the leSa!
prohibition OF the liquor tEilhc. ana
-Stiong with this result thc'c was oh-
,ained clear majority OF the members
in the lower house, who PASSED y Stricl
prohibitory measure Ill accordance
with the verdict Of Ihc people. rms
measure was defeated. however. anu III
il stead was substituted til" dlSpenSary
law for the regulation and cnntroi Ot
lne traffic, an importation that was
recognized as contrary to the wishes ui
Tie people, and in direct conflict WIN
1neir ascertaiied verdict. Thus the
%tispensary brgaa It's career rs sup
>.Dlantcr. and il has made seven years oi
Mncanny record, marked hy bloody ana
alisgraceful steps from the b.g'nninS.
The present condition OF the liquor
business can hardly be said TO be Satl>-
factory to single Intelligent person III
abe State. WI the dispeliSary law
was first adopted thousands or our non,
.s.st people hoped for and expected
auuch from it. They were told that thr
restrictive features Of the law would be
enforced by sober State officials, WHIT,
Lot having any financial interest ut
stake, would labor to reduce the con-
sumption of liquor and make the dis
pcnsary system Il stepping stone to pro-
nibition. The di>pen>ary had been IN
@lpsration but II short time before the
creed OF gold began to manifest iSeii
among high officials. and pressure was
brought u bear upon dispensers to III
crease sales. The annual salary lsid
~ commeR county dispenser would ony
lnirrv bales of c::tton, and he WAS given
10 understand that his GispcmS try must
Le profitable to the State or IL W"'llo De
rlu.ed and hlmSelt dismissed fr"ni the
service. The sales Increased at oI.cc
aud have Increased month by m"ntii
,.yer since: so that to-day the Sfa'e is
selling nearly as much liquor as ever
did the old barToomS III their pa!n!ics"
~<iays. r,o
md how could it be otherwise: The
apDetite for drink Is the same; ana e'-
t.3r hiudrince to the sale oi ilqlor laS
heen swept away. The door OF the dlH-
pensary stands wide open t" serve every
Sbne that will buy. No knJwieuSt ot
.It,c purchaser necessary, no inQuir! a.
~ tie purpose for which the ltIn'r i
wanted, and no signature TO ANY re-
salueSt; simply pty your miOhcE ana tahe
Aonr liuuor, aS much aS YOU can carry
if Won Ike. SO Indifferent and dcinor-
allied have become our State alu
:. s,ountv officials that although some Eio-
la,ions of law a.c known to all OF thrhl'
s-,5;ley have neither the hailihe>S h"i
.,noral courage 10 try to bring the Ui-
s(enderS IL justice.
Tourist hotel privileges ana peer
shops have been and are san. cohuuc'-
cd under the very nose of the governor
Lot tile State without SladoW % laM,
- nd no effort made to prevent Il. ms
l,epser after dispenser has stolen or lost
tne money uf the Stateau not one naS
ever been punished urevcn proSecute'',
..y,pn in one or two instances. Com
;,lisSianS and rebates ana DriDeS and
1bpfts and murders have been me mat
ural products of This system OF State
liouOr selling and, after years "f sucn
work. its manager: still plead Win us
Z. To give il fair trial.
Those who manage it say tn" dlSpcn-
Sary paid last year Tl3o,oOo 10
1he education OF the children OF
ne Stat, but they did not tell the
startling fact that tao diSpe'sary had
@t,rawr, from the people OF The State at
least 20 times as much anu spent II III
lat salaries ard other EXPENSES, p''r-
,has-S, etc, OF the liquor system. lG
3 NAV he said that in addition 10 the
si30, 900. the counties AND towns re-
aiyed a small sum each, amt To tins
ue reply: The EXPENSES incurred by
the counties and tow.S Ill the trial,