Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-08
Dixnennary w. Saloon.

There has been great zeal OIL ulScus-
sion during the past ten years as to the
comparative superiority Of the dispen-
sary and the saloon from the stand
point Of morality and although most
people seem to be agreed that the dis
pensary Is the less Objectionable, we
are doubtful as to whether this Is true.
The drinking of whisky as bever-
age is harmful under any circumstan-
ces. Whether taken in large or small
quantities, the stuff befuddles minds,
blunts moral sensibilities and degrades
the drinker in the eyes Of those of his
associates who may be total abstain
ers. There is no good ground to deny
this proposition. 1t is recognized as
an indisputable fact by all rational
people, including whisky drinkers
themselves, next day after debauch.
Men of laudable ambitions and high
aspirations, who feel their responsibil-
ty to others along with themselves, do
not drink whisky. Although they may
have tippled little in time, enough to
fully realize the evils and the dangers,
in the final struggle between gull let
and paunch on the one side and duty
on the other, duty always wins out.
It is true that in addition to debauch-
ing men as individuals, the open saloon
furnishes rendezvous for the mental
weaklings and irresponsibles of a feath-
60 aval fY,oh
other with all Of the more vicious char
acteristics of each. This condition Is
so plain that it is fully understood of
all men, and it is not necessary to fur
nish affidavits in order to make the
average individual agree on the pernic-
ious effects of the system.
We have been told that In the case
Of a dispensary, where the purchaser
is not permitted to drink his whisky
on the premises, he goes home to his
own family, opens the bottle, takes
small drink and puts the remainder
away in his sideboard for future use,
and that thus has the great moral in
stitution done away with all of the
more pernicious features Of the saloon.
To the man or woman who does not
drink whisky, and who has not person.
al knowledge Of the inside facts, all
this sounds plausible and practicable.
Instead of looking upon the state IL
quor shop as an evil, they bring them
selves to feel that it must really be
benefaction, and that any community
is necessarily better off with than with
out such an institution.
But how different the real facts.
There is no question Of the fact that
the dispensary is a quiet, respectable
place. There is seldom any disorder to
be seen in one. Of itself, it bears tes-
timony Of all that its advocates claim
for it. But examine into the details OF
it's days operations. During the IL
hours it's doors are open, there will be
hundreds of visitors. Follow up the
sales, and in one or two cases, perhaps,
1t will be found that bottle Is car
ried home and laid away unopened. A
large per cent. Of it goes Immediately
to back lots and back rooms to be
drank by two or three parties who may
have bought it in partnership and who
will stay together until all are drunk.
Then take look into the nights. With
the dispensary develops dozens of re-
sorts in which liquor drinking, gam
bling, etc., are the drawing and cohes-
i've elements.
The tigers help to bring about such
conditions as have been described.
There is no doubt of that. But the IT,
ger business is illegitimate and is more
or less restricted. The dispensary has
the full sanction of the law, and not
withstanding protestations to the con-
trary, the whole aim and object Of the
law is to encourage the sale and con-
sumption of whisky to the utmost limit.