The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-24
THE DISPENSARY LAW.
IL il Good or Bad-PrOhibItiOn iOnIsts-
Liquor Men-WIII the Former take
the Offices If the Latter are Allow.
ed to Have the LIQUOR?

IL il Good or Bad-PrOhibitiOnlsts
Liquor Men-WIIl the Former TAX
the Offices If the Latter are Allow
ed to Have the Liquor?
rhe Richmond Times and The State are
discussing the dispensary law, and its beue
fetal or baleful effects.
1t all depends upon the point of view, AZ tc
| whether that law Is regarded as good or evil.
We believe the enemies of the law have
not made specific or definite charges as tc
where the evil can be proven. They make
They say at Is corrupting," at ha
an evil influence in politics." "good
men will not take office under it," "al
who touch the offices have their good names
oesmirched,n 1.-THE land Ia filled with blind
tigers" ''whiskey constables do moi respect
the rights OF the citizen,""i is monopoly,
State has no right TO 60 into business" OF
| words to like effect, and many other similar
general charges or expressions of opinions
without In single lnstance-as far az we
now recollect-being able to prove anything
tangible against the law.
The friends of the law speak specifically:
/. II gives absolute prohibition from sunset
to sunrise, every day In the week, and from
sunset on Saturday IN til sunrise on Monday.
2. The drinking saloons have been closed,
and no place exists today in South Carolina
where men may lawfully assemble TO drink
liquor.
D,
and bar.rooms we're closed, an immense capi-
tai was taken out of the business, and five
thousand men we're out Of a job, and ready TO
align themselves on the productive side OF
4. The State has only about 100 dispensaries,
and the number OF men engaged In the busi.
ness has been reduced to perhaps 500 persons.
"six es' for quart bottles. and the pints or half
pints were in like manner short in measure.
6. The quality of the liquor was doubtful,
and the price was high. For Its purchase,
credit might be given, or coliaterals could be
I. Liquor that is bought from State dis
pensary may be relied upon as being pure,
and as being of the quality and strength for
which 1t is sold. This Of itself is enough to
5. Under the dispensary, no credit is given,
and this of Itself has great restraining In
fuence. nv. safl
8. Dispensers have no Interest in the profits
and therefore do moi, push their sales. ~
10. The habit of treating has been broken
up, root and branch. Gentlemen and decent
people, as rule, have an aversion to sneak,
Of the neck of, Q bottle. -. ~. ~
ii. We have positive proof that drunken
ness has been decreased. The arrests by we
police OF any town in the State is the merest
fraction OF what they were under the OLD
law, when liquor was sold at night, and on
Sunday, under the license system.
quit the State because their business had been,
destroyed, at least ,00O former liquor dealers
are now contributing TO the wealth OF the
State by giving their labor ,toeother pursuits,
and as a rule, they have accepted the situa-
IS. We have LETT, after giving 100 places to
the dispensaries, 900 business houses, for
other lines of trade. In Abbeville, that por-
the bar trade, clothing stores, millinery
stores. jewelry stores, and 30 on. are nov:
found. ,..s2{ 20
rule, remained Off the public square on Sat-
urdays and sale days, but now theyBcome on.
the square with perfect impunity, any day Of
the week. fs.esr ~ y
The above paragraphs are from the stand,
point OF one who has lived on the publtcrquare
for forty years, and whose record fol, sobrietys
been doubted, as far as we know. 81
A small number OF honest and Gonsct6nss
tious men In the State are fighting the disper9
sary law, but the great mass Of the tteInpet$
bic and substantial good Cor cbsnmi
schemes, which promiles much; and G9n316
nothing. These "unco gnde9t tptdhih {s
can have no hope Of being elected, Sxc6ptpby
fact that every llquoEman in the State Will
vote for prohibition@ Does not such an af.
hliation Of the great mass OF liquor men with
prohibitlonists, who are seeking election TO
office have meaning which can be clearly
understood? If m en- are known by the COM
pany they Keep, and If politicians are known
by their bed-fellows, what are we to think OF
preachers, deacons, elders and other good peo-
pie who cater to the liquor vote, and sleep
with blind tigers2
The LIQUOR men are honest In their affilla-
tion with preachers and other politicians
who are leading in this fight. They know
that the dspensary has ruined their Uusi-
ness. They know that officers generally
want reelection, and officers who want re-
election generally are not foolish enough to
offend the man behind the ballot. Few men
doubt that If the liquor men can elect the
officers, that the liquor men will be again In
clover.
the "prohibitionists" have had little time
for reflection, we think they will not consent
to lead the liquor men Of this State in their
fight against the dlspensary.
The State Courts, the Federal Courts, the
liquor men Of the State, the Liquor Associa.
this State, supported by. scattering political
prohibitionists who may or may not have
wanted office, have fought the disp6nsary
with all possible energy, but the law has
more friends today than 1t ever had. It ts
stronger With the people, and gfowsln pIblic
and more apparent. Even those who oppose
the law recognize "good features, In 1t.J After
standing the test for eight years temperance
people regard the law as the solution sof the
want prohibition without Office, might ad-
vantageously join the friends OF temperanc ce
In demand for later opening and earlier clos
Ing Of the disper saries. The chief criticism
which temperance men can make OF the dis
pensery Is the length of time during which
the dispensarIes are kept open-from sunrise
to sunset. Fewer hours would serve every
necessary purpose.