The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-12-27
CHRI STMAS COMES
BUT ONCE 4 YEAR.


The sales of the dispcnsary in Union
on Monday and Tuesday amounted to
two thousand and thirty dollars and
fifty cents. The sales on Christmas
eve being over thirteen hundred dollars.
Notwithstanding this extraordinary pur-
chase Of strong drink it is somewhat re-
markahic to say that there were only
four arrests made during the entire day
and night Christmas eve. This is 81
considerable amount to he spent III one
day for strong drink, but we believe
that the dispensary is responsible for
the Jnictude that prevailed throughout
the day. We can all remember very
distinctly during the reign of the open
bar room that there were possibly
hundred drunken men to be seen on
our streets and arrests sometimes ran
up into the dozens, while brawls and
fights, cursing and swearing was no un-
usual occurrence upon the streets. 1t
does seem that the morals Of the
drinking element are on the upward
grade. The most of the large purchase
of whiskcy this Christmas, possibly so
per cent. of it, was taEcn to the uuirtudc
of the home, where ii has been stored
away to be drank in moderation. This
is SO much better than formerly, when
the social drink at the bar wound up in a
drunken brawl or general boistrousnrss
and rowdyncSS, that we cannot lcG,
giving the dispcnsary credit for haviI =
made Il step forward. in the sense of
morality at least. Another commcnda-
Die feature is the fact that the attractive
feature formerly held out to the h"yS
by the open bar with its comfortahin
| chairs, fine mirrors, billiards, pool, etc .
| to capture the Young man i'll his even
| ings after business hours has been re-
| moved. We believe this is one of the
best features of the dispcnSary law, AMI
we believe we can see u beneficial re-
| suit in the rising generation already
We have small hope OF reforming the
| drunkard, but if We can keep the temp
| tatiOn out Of reach of his children aS
well as our own ii will not be many
years before we will have Il generation
| of sober and industrious young men
| that we may be proud Of, and the tip,lcr
will hc the exception rather than the
along this result by frowning down the
habit among their yuung men associates
| 1t may hc very funny to listen to the
| apparently witty remarks of the young
man whose brain is fired by strong
| drink but no truly sensible and lvup
| thinking Young woman would care to
| link her future destiny with the fellow
whose wit only sparklrd with the spark
| ling cup. Let liquor alone boys. Girls
| let the boy alone who won't let liquor
| alone and You will each he able To
choose your life companion from the
| Very best of the opposite sex. and the
world, the community in which yu,l
| live and your own lives will be made
better and happier by such union.
| Christmas comes but once year il is
| true but had the occasion not far better Ice
made one of JOY and happiness to our
| selves. our families and those round
| about us, than an occasion for allowing
| the brute nature that lies dormant in oul
| being To exert itself and thereby make
| yourself rcdiculouS to say the least Of i;
| in the eyes of those whose opinion YOU
value mos, in your sober moments?
While We say the diSpcnSary is an
| Improvement upon the old lar room
system. We do not approve Of the sale
under any circumstances, but of the
evils lets have the lesser Of tie tWp.
! The thirst for whi~key is Il dcvouing
| lire, the danger is in taking tn" first
| drink. "Hpuch no taste not, for at last
| it bi eth like Il serpent and stingcth like
an adder
The old tnpcr> will drink. Let them
drink until they die ont. but God save
the rising generation.