The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-01-17

in textile manufactOry should be re
quircd to attend school during the
school term, if this can be done under
our constitution without extending
compulsory education to the State
This would permit them during tho
vacation to relieve older sisters OF
brothers and give them Il little rest
and not take the means of support
from the family, and at the same time
accomplish the end sought-the pro
lection and the education Of the chill
dren Of the mill districts. But better
to have prohibitory law as to child
labor than that nothing should be done
for the protection Of these children
Tho mill owners themselves realize tho
danger of child labor and arc doing
what they can to force attendance upon
schools and to keep the children out of
the mills, and law making attendance
! upon school compulsory would have
their cooperation and accomplish the
desired results. With our present
manufacturing interests and their con,
stant increase this becomes a serious
question and deserves your most earn.
est consideration. 1t should be con-
side,cd without prejudice or passion
and by counseling with those who are
interested l am sure wise solution
can be reached.
TIE STATES LIQUOR BUSINESS.
The dispcnsary has been well man
aged during the past year, as the state
ment of the board Of directors and the
State commissioner, which will be sub
mttcd to you. will show.
The dispcnsary system and the man.
agemcnt of the liquor question have oc-
cupied much Of the attention Of eac.l
Legislature since the system was i'll
augurated. The dispensnry has also
been an issue i'll every campaign in the
State since il was passed and has been
more strongly opposed possibly than
any other law that was ever placed on
the statute books of tho State. Every
argument that could be brought to
bear against it has been presented by
some of the ablcst intellects Of the
State, and yet after thorough canvass
Of each county and presentation of the
case 10 the people the system has been
endorsed by decided majoritics on four
different occasions and the p1lrciplc is
incorporated in our organic law.
Under the constitution the Lcgisla-
ture may license individuals or cor
porations to sell under the rules and
regulations governing the lispensary
or it may prohibit the sale and manu-,
facture of liquors. Both of these plans
have been thoroughly and cXhaustlvcly
argued and advocated before the pco
pie and the verdict every time has been
decidedly in favor Of the dispensary
under the management of the State
This reference is made to emphasize
what seems to me to be the duty OF
every patriotic citizen who loves his
State and believes in democratic doc
trine and republican institutions, and
that duty is TO submit to the voice of
the people and go to WORK earnestly
and consclcntlCusly TO improve and
perfect law which has received SO
many endorsements from those whom
it directly concerns. Tie courts have
held that under the police regulations
the state has right to take charge of
the sale of whiskey. The question
when reduced to its last analysis is not
one of principle but Of cXpediency.
What IS the best method of dealing
with this evil SO as 20 secure the best
results ? That is the question.
The present system, as 1t may be
improved from time to time, IS the
best solution yet devised, and is grow
ing in public favor much Of the pre-
juhicc that has existed against the law
is being removed, and many of those
who oppose the system are IN favor of
the enforcement Of the law. AS pub
lice sentiment grows in its favor il will
be easier to enforce it. The mayors
and intentlants Of tho towns and cities
of the State, in response to a circular
which l issued during November, state
that the law is well enforced and that
the sentiment of the towns is for a
strict enforcement. The exceptions
are the cities of Columbia and Char.
lesion and a few counties in which the
sale of whiskcy is prohibited by law.
In fact in those counties IN which no
dispensarics are established il would
conducc to Il better enforcement of law
and there would be less illicit sale of
whiskey if dispcnsarics were cslah'
| lishcd. In the cities named the dis,
pcnsary cannot be rigidly enforced sc
long as public sentiment upholds viola
| tors of the law and grand juries fail tt
find true bills and petit jurics to con
vct when cases are made and the cvi
dence furnished. AS public sentimcn
| grows in favor Of the law in these
cities and the prejudice against it die!
away convictions for violations will bt
had and it can then be more rigidly
{ enforced.
While it is important that the law
shall not be violated by illicit sale o
whiskey, it is equally important tha
those charged with its administration
shall conform to It's requirements. ]
this were more rigidIy done public sen
ment would grow more rapidly il
support of the system. | doubt i
there is dispenser in the State wh'
does not violate the law every day, no
with any criminal intent. The law re
quires that, " Before selling or dcliv