Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-09-22

their business Is called In queStlon Dy
their churches they can consistently
claim that they are prosecuting our
business, and that is just the long and
short of it. Behold how the mighty
are fallen! Every president Of col
lege. every principal of a graded
school, every teacher, male and female,
Of every school that participates in the
distribution of the public school fund
or receives state aid, Is particeps GRIM
inis in the whole layout from start to
finish.
I have heard 1t said many times by
the friends Of this system that If the
preachers had stood loyalty by the dis
pensary, and the churches would have
allowed their members to hold official
positions in it without censure, the
dispensaries would have been filled by
better class Of men, and the law
more faithfully and effectively en-
forced.
Who ever heard Of Christian man
Of high moral character retailing IL
quor as a beverage to his fellowmen?
A man of moral character as the world
rates morals may sell liquor, but the
moral character and moral life begotten
in the heart and soul Of the true be-
lever in Jesus by the renewing power
of the grace of God through the opera
ton of the Holy Spirit is very differ
ent kind of morality. I hear men
who are good men say that the Scrip
lures do not command that we should
abstain absolutely from the use Of
strong drink, but the trend Of its
teachings are that we may use it In
moderation, and upon this promise
they base the argument that If 1t Is
not wrong to use 1t, then 1t Is not
wrong to sell it. Men, holding this
view have a very superficial knowledge
Of the teachings Of the Word of God.
They forget that the great foundation
principle Of the religion Of the Lord
Jesus Christ is the law Of love-love
to God and love to man. Love work.
eth no i'll to our neighbor" The ar
gument might have some force If all
men used liquors in moderation, but
unfortunately the reverse Is true. The
injunction is laid upon us to "avoid the
least appearance Of evil" If man
standing behind a counter dealing out
intoxicating liquor to his neighbors
does not bear the appearance Of evil,
then we may look In vain for the ap-
pearance of evil In the actions Of men.
When the dispensary law was first
enacted it provided that all the profits
of the business should go to the public
school fund. But it transpired that In
some counties no dispensaries could be
established by the votes Of the people,
and under the law these counties
shared equally in the distribution OF
the profits going to the public school
fund. Political sagacity, or political
trickery, demanded that the law be so
altered as to cut these counties out
Of any share Of this liquor money and
induce them to establish dispensaries.
In order to popularize the system, an
appeal was made to the cupidity of the
people by an amendment to the law
fixing the amount of the profit to the
state not to exceed ten per cent, and all
the balance Of the profits to be equally
divided between the towns and coun-
thus increasing their revenues without
additional taxations. These willy pol
iticians believe If you touch mans
pocket you touch his heart, that men
will condone any and every kind Of
devilment If it saves money and lowers
their taxes. R. B. Tillman was gov
ernor Of South Carolina when John
Gary Evans introduced the measure in
the state senate and at first the people
thought 1t originated with Evans, but
Mr.. Tillman afterwards claimed that he
was it's author. It matters not to the
people who originated it, the bantling
reflects but scant credit on the daddy.
1 have heard Mr.. Tilman say publicly
that he had no religion and was sorry
for it. We understood him to mean
the religion Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now the question arises, and I think
a very pertinent question, in the dis
cussion of this unique system Of re-
failing liquor. Is man void Of relig-
ion a safe counsellor when it comes
to the solution or settlement OF purely
moral questions by Christian people?
1t is said in the public prints and on the
streets, and the belief is becoming COM
mon, that many Of the state constables
are standing in with the blind tigers
for a consideration" This may be
true or not true for aught know, but
l do know that the system as 1t is
operated affords a fine opportunity for
such a condition.
In this discussion I have tried to be
fair and conservative, and have stated
the facts, circumstances and condi-
tions, with results and effects as I see
them. The great mogul Of the system
says the question Is settled. I devoutly
hope that he Is mistaken in this opin-
ion, and with thousands Of other men
and women in South Carolina sincere
ly hope that 1t is not settled. If 1t is,
and this system Is permanently estab-
lished, may God pity the people Of
South Carolina. No question Is set
tied by a Christian state or nation un-
til it is settled right. We thought we
settled the question of an honest state
government in 1876, when we over
turned the radical regime and turned
the rascals out" But we had another