Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-04-26
THE DISPENSARY AS 1T IS.
Neither Moral Nor PrOfitablej just a
Respectable Wrecker Of Praise-
worthy AspiratiOns.

Neither Moral Nor Profitable, Just
Respectable Wrecker of Praise
worthy Aspirations.
The Southern Christian Advocate Of
last week has a number of articles
against the state dispensary system
1t is the organ of the great Methodist
church in the state, and the series OF
articles that it publishes is likely to
mean something.
One of the strongest letters Is that
Of Mr.. C. c. Featherstone, Of Laurens,
and it may be interesting just at this
time. He says:
The advocates of the dispensary law
attempt to uphold 1t, generally, on two
grounds, viz: First, they urge that 1t
is a moral institution, and will even
tually lead to prohibition; second, they
insist that it is a good business insti-
tuition and will save the people money
that Is, will bring in revenue to the
state and thus decrease taxation.
There was a time, no doubt, when
the law, to a large extent, through pre-
judice, but that time has passed and
most Of us can now take calm, dis
passionate view Of the situation. With
this end in view, let US then look at
the question and find out where we
stand, whether the law Is a good one
or bad one.
The law was passed as a substitute
for the Childs bill, which was a
straight, pure prohibition measure. At
the time it (the dispensary) had the
support Of many good Prohibitionists
In the state, who honestly believed
that it would ultimately lead to some
thing better-to out and out prohibi-
ton. There cannot be a shadow Of
doubt but that we would have had pro-
hibition had it not been for the dispen-
sary.
Has the law tended, is 1t tending. to-
wards immortality. or prohibition?
Such is the practical question before
| us. The dispensary records show that
the sales of whisky have increased
every year since the concern began to
do business. Year by year more whis-
by is being bought, and Of course, Is
being sold. Year by year new dispen-
saries are being established; commu-
mites in which an old-time bar room
was never seen now have dispensaries;
every year elections are being held for
the purpose Of allowing the people to
vote on "dispensary" or mo dispensa-
ry." Greenwood and York and other
counties, naturally prohibition coun-
ties, are voting on the question and
some of them have voted "dispensary."
People who were, under the old sys-
tenn, bitterly opposed to the sale of
whisky have been led to believe in the
dispensary and are voting for IT..
What does it mean? Is it leading, will
it ever lead, to prohibition? A prob
lem that some Of its advocates ought
to be asked to solve Is: If the dispen-
sary is increasing its sLles year by
year; If new dispensaries are being
established month by month and year
by year, how long will 1t take the law
to get to prohibition?"
And it's advocates are not satisfied
with the sale of whisky alone, but beer
dispensaries are being established all
over South Carolina. They claim that
the people demand beer and the dis
eri1y RI Instead
curtailing the sale Of intoxicating bev-
erages the effort Is to go on and on in
creasing. The effort is to increase,
not to decrease.
People who, under the Old system,
had a horror Of the traffic, are becom-
ing accustomed to it. The very fact
that the state is behind, and in control
of the business, lends to it an air of
responsibility that it never possessed
before. Our people are being told, and
some of them made to believe, that the
revenue derived from the sale of whis-
ky will decrease taxation, and thus
put money into their pockets. And
some of the revenue (blood money! Is
being put into the free school fund, to
help educate our children, and men
who could not be reached in any 9TH
er way are by the dollar argument be-
ing led to favor the dispensary. Some
cities and towns in South Carolina are
deriving more revenue from the dis
pensary than they ever got from bar
rooms, and their streets are being
handsomely paved with the money.
The dollar argument is tremendously
strong with a great many reople, and
it is being used for all it is worth.
Many people for the sake Of dollar,
in order that they may save a little in
the way of taxes, will damn themselves
and their children forever! 1t may be
from sentiment, but the writer firmly
believes that it would be better for
the children of South Carolina to do
without education rather than that
they should receive it through blood
money.
Is there anything moral about the
dispensary, and will it ever lead to pro-
hibition? 1t does seem that any INTEL
ligent, thinking man ought to see at
only half glance that it is leading,
and at a fearful rate, in the other di-
rection; that the prohibition features
of the law are not being stressed, but
on the contrary they are being lost
sight of. But if we have lost sight of
God and the question of right and
wrong; If we will view the question