Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-02-21
The Dispensary Law.

ment in their favor. Compared with
the perjury, open violntion and con-
stant struggle Of the Kansas method
Of prohibition that only prohibits in
spots and which makes a market for
alleged liquors that are mere concoc-
tions Of drugs,it has some good points.
Under this act licensed distilleries
and breweries may run, but can sell
only to the state, or to points with
out the state. Everything they man
utacture is tested by state officer,
and if anything injurious to health,
other than a given grade and amount
of alcohol is found in the liquor, it is
destroyed, and the distillery or brew.
cry is closed The state buys all
liquors that are to be used by the
state, and at state dispehsary they
are tested by a state chemist, and all
must be pure and free from every
substance deleterious to health except
alcohol, and that cannot be Of an in
ferior strength. At this state dis
pensary all liquors are packed in
packages Of not less than half pint
or over two gallons, and sealed in
such way that the seal, il broken,
can never be restored, each package
bears a label giving amount, grade
and chemical constituents OF package,
and the price to be paid therefor.
This price is about 20 per cent above
cost to the state.
In the towns local diSpensares are
established, and these packages Of
liquors placed there for sale at the
prices marked on the package.
The keeper Of this local dispensary
is heavily bonded, and is paid sal
are only. He sells these unbroken
packages only Of unbroken liquor and
the buyer bears it away and uses as
likes, not being allowed to open the
package in or about the local dis
pensary.
The most stringent regulations sur
round the dispensaries. Liquors are
often inspected and tested in the To-
cal dispensaries to see that no impure
or adulterated stuff is about the
house. The dispenser is civily liable
for 800 to every person to whom he
sells a broken package or one not
bearing the state seal unbroken. Also
the greatest safeguards are placed
around the finances OF the system.
A South Carolina letter gives the
following concerning the origin and
workings Of the law
1t is Of Swedish origin, and was
brought from them to Athens county,
Georgia. by professor in the college
at that point in Georgia and was by
the Legislature Of Georgia enacted in
to law in that county only and has
now been in operation for twenty
years with the most beneficial results,
and has now spread over eleven
counties OF that state with like good
results. From there il passed into
South Carolina and was there adopted
as 4 state measure in 1890 and is still
there in full force. 1t also passed tho
the legislature Of South Dakota but
failed for want Of an appropriation to
carry 1t into effect.
1t was started in South Carolina
with an appropriation Of fifty thou
and dollars In 1894 and has since then
paid a revenue to the state and coun-
ties Of $l,706, ,7W.27. During the
fiscal year 1899 1t paid net revenue
Of $4l4,lSl.84, and in 1900 $54l.00O.
First-Since 1864 the drunkenness
has decreased about so per cent In
that state.
Second-Crime has been reduced
about 10 per cent.
Third-Church membership has
nearly doubled.
Fourth-The sale OF impure and
adulteratedliquors has almost entirely
ceased.
Fifth-There is not a saloon in the
state, except about ten in Charleston,
and the bootlegger Is unknown, Tor
the simple reason that the state buy
ing in enormous quantities gets the
liquor so low that with the states per
cent added, they are still able to sell
so low that neither the saloon nor the
bootlegger can compete, and then too,
very few will buy adulterations when
they can get the pure stuff for less
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