The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-09-11
Let US Change the Dispensary Law.

MEssNs. EDITOns: In studying the
workings andresults of the Dispensary
Law, 1t seems to me that ono change,
ut least, would not only be lust and
right, but would add very materially
to tho comfort and sustenance of that
class OF people who suffer most from
the blighting effects Of it's operations
think nll will agree that il anything
can be done to help tho wife and chill
drcn of the unfortunate drnnkerd, it is
high time to do it. AS stand on the
streets and see men 20 in and out Of the
dispenSary clothed in rags and tatters,
and then follow them to their homes,
and sec tho want and despair depicted
Oh tho faces OF the wife and children,
and hear them tell how they have la,
bored and tried to save up something
the father or brother to town for some
thing to furnish tho house or supply
the table. and instead Of tho things
they need the father comes home
drunk or is locked up in the guard
house where something more must be
sacrificed to keep him from serving a
term on the streets or in the county
chaingang, am made to wonder how
long will Christian men and sober cit
liens tolerate M institution which SO
persistently robs helpless women and
innocent children.
shall not go into discussion Of the
evils OF strong drink, because there are
so many people who do not look ut the
evil but the profits of the dispensary.
Now, since the dispensary is q source
OF so much revenue. and MS we cannot
get rid of it for while, let us petition
the Legislature to lot the dispensary go
on for one more year just rs it now is
so far as law, officers, SC, are concern
ed, but let the prico of all whiskey,
beer, &c, sold in the dispensary be
doubled. Then lot one-half of all the
sales be applied just rs they are now,
to State, town and county, and then re-
quire the dispenser to record tho name
of the purchaser, the amount Of money
he pays in; also the name and address
of his wife, if he DO married; if single,
the name of his mother, il she bo llv-
ing, and then when the dispenser makes
out his report to the State officials, let
him send one half of every mans pur-
chnsc money. to the wife or mother
this wny one-half of every. mans
drinking money would 70 back to his
need it. IL n man buys whiskcy who
has no mother, wife and children do
pendent on him, then lot ono-h half be
turned over to the County Treasurer,
a:lG lie used expressly for charging
unu furnishing tno county ilOme LOT
Paupers, for in all probability num-
Der OF those drinkers will need accom-
modations there before they die
This has several things that impress
l"o as being favorable to thinking pco-
pie, and rs the scholarly DR.. Fords so
aptly put it: "Ono good reason is
enough to satisfy any reasonable man.
/. A great many young men would
not buy whiskey,. if they know their
mothers would find out all about it.
9. That class Of people who spend all
they can get for drink, would not
be abletO buy so much. :.
8. These women and children who
are robbed of their daily earnings by a
heartless husband or father would get
half their " Oncy back.
| 4. The dispenser would have to keep
n correct list of customers as the law
| requires. CIvIS.