The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-05-14

- A1A8lxLS 30 ~<s
oArPublsshed every Wednesday .. g q
year IN adsance.
Wednesday, May IA. 1902.
The editor OF the Press and Banner and the
Presbyterian will have 10 agree 70 disagree
stands thors was nothing personal In our
note, and no reflections wero cast upon
any one. He 10 Temperance man. and be-
s,s: &: II ans, The Z We ns Sss sa
with any system that sells forty thousand
dollars worth Of liquor In Ab6eviIle county.
and t1o million dollars worth In South Caro-
matter II = dsnse as Editor Wilson seeIns 10
suppose. In fast No know 10 much about IL
end zee 70 much of its efIecis that We can not
adoed mot % oppose it-Associste Reformed
Presbyterian.
We are nov. ard always have been. sorry
that good and honest Temperance men. like
the Presbyterian, could not agree with their
eo-workers In capse which 10 20 important
ssthat OF regulating or prohibiting the sale
Of liquor. United, We could accomplish
someshipg. bat divided. the cause OF temper.
apes may not DO advanced.
Admitting that Abbevllie county sells iorty
thousand dollars worth OF LIQUOR, and the
State two milsiona, In 10 show that the law
ncsds amending. Instead OF keeping the dis.
pensary open during oil the day, would Il not
30 better 70 close II part Of tho day, m well IN
sil Of the nishtf With the assistance OF such
good and slncers men - Editor Bonner those
who oppose the long hours might have som.
eieut influence 10 move tho dispenRary on
oiais 10 open it fever hours, and they might
pexeail on those who control such matters TO
raise the price Of liquor. The low price nj
which liquor 10 offered 70 the people In one Of
the chief objections TO the government OF the
eispensary. The price has been lowered and
raised at different times. The testimony OF
the dispsnser here h that about the same
amount q money II spent. whether the price
- higher or lower. The evil Of the lower
price is thus made apparent All will admit
that the Les hqu0r man gets for hia money,
The bettsr it 70 for him.
Oas great deluaion under which some hon.
ct pnohibitionists arc laborinS In the belief
that all opponents Of the dispensary are pro-
hibiiiooists. The fact b, there are more be-
Levers In license than In prohibition a
egninst the dispsusasy. The last campaign
gase almost solid vote for prohibition.
Thsy did not want prohibition, but they
hopsd 70 break mp the dispensary.
4 Everybody knows that isw or NO prohibi.
ticniass ever did anything to enforce any II.
qucr lav. They are out Of the current. and
arc not In poaitions 10 know OF such viola.
lions. Even h they knew of illicit dealings
In hquoe they generally despise The Office Of
inldfmof. And 70 assume the cffice OF de-
cstsss In order to obtain Information they
must necessarily compromise something OF
their prinotglss. II not OF their solS.sespect.
For this reason. majority OF those temper
aooe men Who favor every possible restriction
On the szAn1e In LIQUOR are supporting the dis.
psnsary witch sivss absolute prohibition
from sensss 10 sunrise. and which furnishes
ths mcuss 70 pay ofliosrs TO see that the law
81 NOS violated.
Under prohihition there are NO official or
rnaiabje figures 70 show the amount OF the
sales q hquos. and under license there can
~ no dennits ascertainmsnt Of facts.
! Bnt ve know that under The license system
We had In this State 90 licensed liquor houses
when tho dispenssry law went into effect.
The Esws and Courier estimated that there
were then 5000 men employed In these
hoesss.
Now, bot about ono hundred houses are &C.
cupisd By iiquor, and, including the State dis.
p9nsasy st Columbia. there are perhaps not
sxcesdins 600 men engaged In the dispepsary
susineas.
Under thu new arrangement 800 houses are
nov accessible for better and less seductive
ssads. 100 men are removed nom the de-
structivs 70 the productive side Of tho public
economy.
Would orr good nsishbor throw away these
savaatasss 70 bring chaos. The right way
n 70 bold fast 10 that which ID good. The dis
psnsaEy 10 bettsf than the license system. and
peohihition being . deiusion, Why should
temperance men yseid what they have gain
cdr
Ths chief supporters OF the recent prohibl
Ton campaign should admonish men Of sin,
oefs and honest convictions TO reflect at least
0s moment We bslieve that every LIQUOR
neuspapsr. es friend OF license. supported the
pfohseiaon ticket. We believe that q large
majority ofths votes which were cas-, for tina,
Scses came nom what ID generally called the
'pef.room element II NO arc right In that
con)eetnre. and We know that We are right In
perk 70 not the comblnation or the assocla.
uoa Of Temperance men and liquor men,
hftis unusual. II not unprecedented:
II our respected friend would lend his aid
tooabefs Who are equally jealous In temper.
anee matters. We might have the dispensary
opened fever hourh and We might Pot fur.
thsr restraining influence upon the trade by
raisins the price Of tho fiery liquid. IL Is 90
: schesp that the price In an inducement TO bay.