The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1902-06-05
A SOVEREIGN SIAIE
Ge0IIy DISh0nOTS Herself When She
Becomes OIIiCIQIIV Inc Vendor Of
Drink 10 Her Citizens.
Strong Argument Against the DiSpen-
sary by Rev. Thos. P, Hay, of
Palatka.
Editor PALATKA NEWS:

Agreeable to your request, shall
attempt briefly to give Your readers
my opinion OF the State DispenSary
as u means of controlling and regu-
lating the liquor traffic.
! | believe that Il sovereign state
greatly dishOnOrS herself when she
becomes officially the vendor OF
drink to her citizens. She makes the
saloon-keeper an officer OF the gov
eminent, us respectable as Il justice
OF the peace. Size engages in selling
ardent spirits as Il business, which
must pay for itself and grow larger
and more profitable. The dispensary
must relieve the taxpayers She adj
vertises her chemically pure" to
attract the notice and increase the
thirst Of those who love to drink.
And her business venture succeeds
and grows great by aer own cOrrup-
don and ruin of her citizens. The
irst dispensary Governor of South
Carolina abandoned the high duties
Of his office, when the first stock OF
dispensary liquors had 10 be bought,
ana visited some OF the great cenUerS
of the rum trade as sampler and buy
or for the state. He also attempted
TO have the coat of arms-Of his proud
and historic state blown, like II trade
mark, on every bottle, but, happily,
the law was against him. When the
state government goes into the liquor
business, she makes it respectable
to buy and sell and drink, and she
lCr.nS public opinion favorable to
drinking; and the result must newt
ably be the deepest degradation and
most widespread debauchery of her
people. And the state dispensary
works great corruption of the public
service. Politics and whiskey, al
ways 100 prone to work together, be-
come legally married. Very soon
after the South Carolina dispensary
was started, rumors and scandals
arose touching the big rebates paid
by dealers to buyers of large quanti-
ties of liquor. Liberal samples"
went to the use and profit of the
leading dispensers. And a cOntinu-
Gus history of shortages" and other
irregularities and sale of private
stock in dispensary bottles, on the
part of retail dispensers, has kept
pace with the institution. The dis
pensary department of the state,
county and municipal governments
will become the most promising for
filthy lucre,n and tempt the most
unprincipled men to become active
politicians.
And the prestige and power of the
state dispensary will work elective
~ against ali local option and pronI-
Dition, as certainly though not as
openly as they do t,SetisG the blind
tiger" Naturally, the attempt will
De made To extend the business to
the whole state; naturally, prohibit
ton counties and cities stand in the
way of business and revenues. The
state of Florida has an uncommonly
large proportion of prohibition coun-
ties; and | believe it would be la
mentable to have the dispensary
take the place of prohibition. The
OF South Carolina |
were encouraged at first to support
the dispensary as "a step towards I
the prohibitionists of that state have |
been the most active enemies of the |
What ara known as "dispensary |
features" However, are unquestiOn- |
ably good The state saloons must f.
open late in the morning and closed |
ut fixed hour early in the evening. |
Liquor can be bought only in u sealed
bottle in the minimum quantity of a
lalf-pint. No drinking is allowed /
IN the premises, and there can be
10 'trta ing at the bar. These fea-
5ures do not belong essentially and
to the dispensary; but, it
must be acknowledged, that they are
more easily carried into effect by
'tate supervision than by other
llans.
Now, Mr.. Editor, l. am clergy
nan, and so have never felt that
here was any propriety in my tax
ng any part in political discussions.
am personally unacquainted with
ny fellsw-citizens who are agitating
or and against the dispensary. | am