The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-02-10
THE pfsPENsARY LIQUOR LAW.

There are people to be found in every commun-
itv who fuss. fume and foam at the mouth whenever
a reform Of any sort whatever is suggested This
class as a rule do not Investigate. do not study.
do not think. they content to deny, to assent and
IN protest The fact that the thing suggested is
ssorrething new not what We have been used to
"a new tangled idea is to their uniformed minds
and immature Judgment sufficient to condemn II
The suggestion emanating from thoroughly respect
able and responsible quarters. that the coming Leg
fslature enact law framed after the South Carolina
aDispensary Liquor Law" as 1t is commonly Called
is one well worth OF consideration when TINS Ia"
was enacted q few years in South Carolina that
-,ior NJ the press throughout the country which is
regularly subsidized by the Whisky Trust assaiied
it I'm every conceivable way lying deliberately about
is PROVISIONS and predicting the impossiblty OF
uniting the scheme into practical operation The
abIest LAWYERS in the land employed to attack
the law and the fight was not abandoned until the
state and Federal courts declared it constitutional
in every particular.
The law has now been in force in South Carolina
about seven years and has not only proven practlc
able but satisfactory in all of its workings and
better still in its results. Those who were the
Interest opponents OF the law when 1t was pro-
posed 10 repeal it would not find any response, eN
cent among a few would be barkeepers and dlVe
operators. So convincing are the statistics furnish
Cd nv the state Of South Carolina in regard to the
reduction in crime the increase in savings banks
deposits the lifting Of mortgages the increase in
bor,,steads and the improvement in the health of
the people-al directly traceable to the Dspensary
law that many states are now beginning to discuss
the ACCESSIBILITY OF adopting similar law. In many
communities public opinion is being shaped to that
end What is almost literal rescript OF the South
Carolina law is now in force in Russia, except in
Moscow where IT will be introduced next year. and
in Siberia where it will go into effect in 1908
EXCEPT as above noted no has the right to
sell sprituous liquors in Russia Their sale has be-
come Government monopoly. The state, however
has not iuterfered with the manufacture of spirits
except to limit and regulate the production The
state alone handles the sproduct as it passes from
the produce to the consumer. The spirits are taken
from the distleries to the Government stores, re-
fined by it, and delivered to the public from the
Government shops with the states stamp on each
hottie When the consumer has emptied bottle,
he may take it back, and the Government will psy
him from five to one kopecks for it, according TO
size II is not permissible TO open bottle, except
in the home or apartments of the purchaser, and
person seen drinking in any public place or on the
road is fined from $3.50 to $4,000. The avowed
purpose in adopting this law was TO improve the
moral and material condition of the great mass of
the population, ana there can oe no uouot 'na' INC
reform is confering blessings upon the peasantry.
great deal of poverty and perpetual Indebtedness
among this class could be traced directly TO the
proprietors OF the inns and saloons. The sautary
effect OF the reform has been felt to great degree
As in South Carolina, drunkenness has decreased
70 an important extent and deposits in savings
banks are on the increase the people are healthier
and happier and the conditions of home life have
greatly improved
Though this great reform undertaken with
humanitarian ends in view. it has also profted the
state Immensely. The sale of the very best and
purest liquors trihe above cost, is giving larg
er revenues to the Government than it formerly
derived from the saloon license and the tax on dis
tiheries.
Public opinion here is becoming more and more
hostile to the open bar and the conditions will prob
ably warrant the enactment OF Dispenssry Law
in the near future