The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-05-30
An ADDRESS
To The People Of the State Of
South Carolina
FROM TAE PRoHlsiIloNisTs
The Oispensary Law Assalied IN
Unrneasured Tstms ard Many
Crimes Laid to Its Door.

The following is the address to tn
Pcohibitionisss of South Carolina tt
the people, which WAS prepared by Col
Hoyt:
The prohibitior;s1s Ct South Caro-
lima in appealing to the Democratic
voters to jim them ia suppressing The
LIQUOR traffic in this S,are, oeem i
proper and right that they should clear
y and urequivoca!ly state their posi-
ton with reference TO the business con
Quoted in the naue Of the common
wealth, which thereby makes all its
citizens responsible IN measure fol
the continuance of this traffic, which
we believe to be a crime against hu
manity aud 3 means Of degradation te
the people.
I'm the first place we haye chosen to
make this contest at the Democratic
primary because We are members OF
this politicsl organization. which IS N
virtual control OF sll the ahsl1s OF the
State.
Eve have the right to raise this IS,
sue within the party lines because the
machinery of the State government has
been used to construct and operate a
system of liquor selling, which has tor
its chief object the constant increase
of the consumption of liquors by the
citizens of the State, mainly With the
view Of making money out Of the busl-
ness in which the State IS engaged
We would violate conscience aud prove
recreant to duty IS good citizens II We
did rot protest against this inlQultous
method Of obtaining money through the
sensual Indulgence ana debauchery OF
our citizenship, and We are making this
protest in fair, manly snd consistent
way, appealing to the higher instincts
of humanity, and pleading for the So
cial, domestic, moral, religious and po'
litical elevation of our whole people:
By bapishing the evils now fastened
upon the State in consequence OF the
system under which the sale OF liquor
is conducted, We would protect our
young manhood, bring relief to owEonged
and suffering women and children, aud
inaugurate an era which would eTentu-
ally rid our homes Of the blight follow
ing the use of liquor as beverage.
The State is now encouraging this use
Of liqsor on the part Of It's citizens
when it should by every means discour-
age that which wastes the resources,
psra!y zes the energies and destroys tue
manlipess Of those who should be the
shield and protection OF cur homes.
The State IS engaged !oE profit n bus
mess that strips she home OF comforts
with as much :eg'a.nty as cycsoae
moHs down The miga;y forest; bust
ness tina. opens the g-ics @ peroltien
to lost souls; business hat the genius
of hell has never fashioned more com
plete method of recruiting It's ranks; a
business that has borne trom time I'm,
memorial the badge Of disgrace IN civil,
ICED and Christian cnUmuciues, and
that IS now exalted IL the sovereign
and enlightened commonwealth oi
South Carolina to the dignity OF govern
nens service and government protec,
ton, SO that our youth are taught by
she example Of the government Itself
that the manufacture and sale Of liquor
is an honorable aad desirable occupa,
zion. Whence caue this usurper o.
governmental suthority? Did the cltl-
gems of the State decree its introduc,
ton as 'the best soluuoa OF the liquor
question:
Eight years ago the Prohibi,ionists
Of South Carolina asked the privilege
of testing public opinion as to whether
licensed saloons should be prohibited
within its borders. This request was
made of the managers Of the Demo
cratic election mschinery, who consent
ed that s separate and unoi:is! box
might be placed at each poll where vo'
tiers could cast ballot for or against
prohibition. The opponents of the
license system were without ehclen'
organization, but the voters voluntarily
went to the polls ant rolled up s decio'
ed majority against the saloons. 70
-litical exigenceies did not favor pro
hibitory law, and although majority
of the house Of representatives passec
such law, enough members were after
wards found to reject the Law which
they had aided il training aud sub
s,i,ute was discovered iu the pcesen
d:spensa7y system. 'Ie asked TO
bread and were given stone; &c asSe'
for fish ard were given serpent.
s'Prohibitionists were then piacet
in an awkward position and many Q
them knew not what to do. The sslooi
had been abolished, and this was on
of the objects for whioh they had strug
gled in the past, Yet liquor selling wa
not stopped. On the contrary, tn
State had been made 10 engage IN to
business un6eT the preteGce OF con
trelIipg the traffic and giving 10 cor
sumers commodity that was "chemi
cally pure, at price that would no
admit of profit. This gas coupIes Wit!
the declaration that the system thus ID
ausuratcd without the consent OF III
people was "a step towards prohlbl
ton, and many acquiesced IN the leg
islation with the belief that the Stat
would really undertake TO ninln'z
the consumption OF liquor. 1t was
law upon the ststule books, and man.
of the law-abiding and peace-lovln
citizens, though honestly opposed t
liquor selling IN any shape, threw To-
weight Of their influence IN favor 0
the execution Of the law.
An. armed constabulaty vas tur
nished with guns to shoot down cltl
zens who violated the liquor law, If Il
the judgment of the constable 1t va
necessary to enforce their authority
and thus began a long reign Of vloleDc
and turbulence in the land, for tn