Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-05

and flourish, and this being the case
we had just as we'll open the dispen.
sary and get the revenue, etc. That Is
because one place Of evil exists, there.
fore, we ought to open another. Blin6
tigers do exist. They exist in York.
Vile. They exist where the dispensary
exists. Go to Charleston, or Colum.
bia, and you will see. The dispensarJ
does not kill the blind tiger. Even, Il
1t did, that would not justify me ir
voting for the dispensary. I am not
responsible for the blind tiger, and
therefore, am not responsible for the
evils which flow from 1t. But when
vote for the dispensary, then it be.
comes my agent, and I am just as re.
sponsibls for the evils that flow from
1t as II I had given the whisky out
with my own hands. If a man is made
a drunkard by the dispensary, he Is
made a drunkard by my vote. II trou.
BILE comes into home through the dis
pensary, then I am responsible for It
You may try to shift the responsibility
and clear your own conscience, but 1t IL
simply impossible to escape the moral
logic Of this position. There is a very
serious feature Of this question, which
I desire to emphasize just here-it Is
this: When you vote for the dispen-
sary you place your responsibility ir
a sphere where you can have no control
over 1t: When I vote for whisky
I not only put my endorsement
upon; but take the bride Off Of
it, turn it loose in the field and
give 1t license and liberty to &C.
complish all Of its diabolical purpos-
es. You do not destroy the sin that Is
connected with the business by legaliz-
ing it. You can't eliminate the evil by
making the business respectable. Yea
we sometimes increase the evil by CIV
ing the business kind Of respectable
ity; for in this way we give the gigan-
tic evil opportunities for accomplishing
its hellish designs which 1t would not
otherwise have. Thus, instead Of de.
creasing the evil, we increase 1t.
But the most alarming feature Of the
business in connection with the issue
before us is this: The man who votes
for the dispensary deliberately assumes
all the fearful responsibility Of the
dreadful results which necessarily flow
from the sale q intoxicating liquors af
a beverage. He is like the enemies OF
Christ who persisted in demanding the
Savior's crucifixion, and when told
what a fearful sin they were commit.
ting said: His blood be on US, and or
our children" So the man who votes
for the dispensary says by his conduct:
I am willing to assume the responsible
ty Of all the results which are sure to
follow the establishment Of g. dispen-
sary.
Let me now call your attention to
some positive arguments against the
establishment Of a dispensary in oul
midst.
1. THIS BUSINESS HAS BAD LOOK
With all the efforts to make the bus
mess respectable, still it has a bad look
I know there are men who seem to have
no consciences and no moral percep-
ton. These men can see no more harm
in selling whisky to men and making
them drunk than in selling them corn
and meat. They can vote for dispen-
sary and see them get drunk on dis
pensary whisky and never have any
moral misgivings or compunctions OF
conscience. I trust, however, that this
class Of men Is at least comparatively
small.
But men, who have q moral sense,
even though they do advocate the
Of a dispensary, must
have some trouble with their consci-
ences. These men are on the defen-
sive. How can they be sure about their
position from a moral point Of view?
When a man is forever trying to justi-
fy himself, 1t Is good evidence that he
has doubts himself about the right
Of his position.
When I vote against whisky, my con-
science places its endorsement upon the
act; I have no doubts about the right
eousness Of my cause. know that !
have done right. There Is a moral in
stinct in my very being which heartily
approves my course.
But, If should vote for whisky (and
I can't vote for the dispensary without
voting for whisky, my conscience
would whip me for the act. In fact, I
would never hear the last Of it, and I
ought never to hear the last Of 1t. God
has placed the conscience within our
being to reward us when we do right
and to punish US when we do wrong.
In this connection, let me asy, Why
Is it that the authorities who have been
80 jealous in establishing dispensaries
over the state have had special law
enacted which prohibits the establish
ment Of dispensary within certain
distance from Clemson college? 1t is
because they believe 1t will be against
the best interests Of that institution.
Blind tigers may abound and flourish,
but no dispensary Is to be established
anywhere in the community. They will
protect the boys at Clemson against
the evils of the dispensary; but they
don't care what becomes Of your boy
and my boy in Yorkville.
I understand the administration has
never been in favor Of establishing a
in Rock Hill. Why? Be-
cause Winthrop college is there. They
know the dispensary can be Of no ben