The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-12-12
WRIGHT BILL VETOED
Dispensary Measure Knocked 0ut
By Governor Gambler.
"A DELUSION AND A SNARE"
Chief Executive of Georgia Differs
With Legislators and Gives
His Reasons In Char
acteristic Style.

notified the house of representatives
that be had declined to approve the
Wright dispensary bill. He communi-
Gated his reasons to the house In
message, and in that message he char
acterized the bill as a delusion and
snare, which would not tend 20 prohib-
it, but would increase the sale Of whis-
ky.
The following, in part, is what the
| governor said:
While it purports to be in the inter
est Of temperance and for the restric-
| tion Of the sale and use o. Intoxicating
liquors, it will, in my opinion, however
good the intent, have precisely the op-
| posite effect. 1t will open the flood
gates in the dry counties and over
| whelm them, and at the same time set
back the cause Of temperance in the
| state at least generation.
II the construction put on It by some
| able lawyers is the true construction,
| 1t is a deluslon and a snare, not only
damaging to the cause it purports to
foster, but misleading in its language
| and its details. No matter how the
election goes, whether for or against
| dispensary, the result is the same
| the sale of liquors in the county, If not
| in dispensaries then in barrooms. This
| is the construction put upon the bill by
some good lawyers. If 1t is the correct
| Interpretation, the bill is unwise and
unfair to the dry counties and ought
not to become law. If not, then the
language is ambiguous, and 1t ought
not to go on the statute book, because
it would give rise to pickering and vex-
atious ard interminable litigation.
1t Is evident that it was drafted
with special reference to the "wet"
| counties in the state, and without re-
gard to those, more than ninety per
cent Of the whole, in which liquors can
| not be lawfully sold at all. It's effect
would be to precipitate elections in all
of the counties which have, under the
local option law, prohibited the sale
of liquor within their borders, in or
der to give the wet counties chance
to establish dispensaries; to lose those
counties which have been saved in. or
! der to save those which have been
| lost; to damn the redeemed by an
awkward device to redeem the damned.
Instead Of putting quietus on the
| agitation Of the liquor traffic it will
inaugurate in almost il not quite ev-
cry county in the state fierce contests
over it.
I have heard only three arguments
| in favor of the BILL One is that it will
stop the agitation Of the liquor ques-
tlcn. This is not true. On the con-
trary, it will probably precipitate fierce
contests over it in every county in the
state within twelve months. Another
is that 1t will stop the Illicit sale OF liq-
uor in the dry counties and provide for
its lawful sale by responsible bonded
officers who will not as do the blind IT,
gers, sell on the Gays forbidden by
law, nor to minors and drunken men.
There is some force in this argument,
but not so much as those who advance
| it think.
The other argument which has been
advanced and chiefly relied on, is that
it will be a great source OF revenue to
the counties and towns in which the
dispensaries are located, and will in
this way greatly reduce the burden OF
taxation. It is even claimed that al
ready there has been found county
in which no taxes are imposed Tor
county purposes, because the profits OF
it's dispensary amply support the coun'
tv government. Grant that this is true
and that the dispensary in every coun-
ty will pay al the expenses OF the
county and the people be wholly relleV-
ed of local taxes, can Georgia, glo'
rious state, glorious in her history, her
traditions and the achievements OF her
illustrious sons, and peopled by Chris
tian people, afford to sanction law
| making every county and town in the
| state proprietor Of a liquor shop to de-
bauch the morals Of the youth OF the
country in order to escape the legltl'
mate burden of local government? Can
she afford to put upon her statute book
a law to coin the tears and blood OF the
wives and children Of weak men into
dollars to fill the Golfers OF county and
town treasures that their taxpayers
may be relieved from taxation?
do not think she can, and for these
reasons. and others not necessary TO
mention, am obliged in the consclen'
tious discharge Of official duty to with
hold my approval otrom this bill.