The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-10-15
TIRED OF DISPENSARY.
A South Carolina Town That Wants
to Get Rid of Rum Shops.

A South Carolina Town That Wants
to Get Rid of Rum Shops.
A special from Saluda to The News
and Courier reports that town as being
tired of the dispensary and gives the
further information that petition,
numerously signed, is being gotten up
toto get rid Of it. The petition is as
follows:
ITO the Honorable Members OF the
Board of Directors Of the State Dispen-
Eary-Gentlemen: The undersigned res
iGents and citizens. of the tow and
county of Saluda by this petition would
show:
First. We know of no law making
provision for the removal Of county
dispensary atter the same has been ss-
tablished, and FOR this reason this pc
tition is addressed to your honorable
body On the presumption that your
body can act il the premises.
Second. The undersigned have not,
for the most part, ever opposed the
dispensary law, but, on the other hand
have always and still consider 1t the
lesser Of two evils. This statement is
made in order that an erroneous i'm
preston may not obtain in connection
with this petition.
Third. The undersigned have no
word of complaint to make, either
against the present county board OF
control Of this county or against the
present dispensary at this place, for,
as far as we know, both the board and
the dispensary have been and are yet
complying with the provisions OF the
dispensary law.
Fourth. The dispensary was eStab-
lshed here several years ago, to-wit,
about or just after the town was To-
Gated, to the best of our recollection
some time in April or May of1S97, and
your pet itioners have reached the con-
clusions hereinafter expressed, not IN
a hasty manner, but after several years
of close watching of results on our lit
tie town and the surrounding country.
Fifth. That before the establish
ment Of the dspensary here there was
70 legalized place for the sale OF whis-
kew in this whole co"nty-not even
within the present bounds Of the COUP
ty-and while We do not mean to say
there was no whiskey drinking on the
part Of our people, yet we do say that
since the establishment Of the dispen-
sary here the drinking has wonderfully
and dangerously increased among our
people.
sixth. That while the towns share
of the net profits from our dispensary
annually amount to handsome sum,
and we are thus practically relieved OF
all taxation for town purposes, and
while there is debt upon the town,
which will begin to come due after
while. amounting to something like
$500; yet, despite all this, after seeing
the demoralizing effect that the sale
of LIQUORS in our town is having upon
the town and the surrounding country
we prefer to assume the burden OF
town taxation for current expenses,
and also to meet the indebtedness re-
ferred to, than to see the ruin wnlch
Is coming on our town and county.
"Seyents. We do not pretend to say
that all the lawiessness and mischief
which has been and Is still prevailing
in our county may be laid at the door
of our dispensary, but we do say in all
candor and earnestness that to great
extent we believe that whiskey drink
ing IS the cause and that to remove
the cause or one of the causes 1t ls
necessary that the dispensary here be
closed.
Eighth. We are aware OF the opln-
ion formed and entertained throughout
the State in regard to the laWlessness
III this county and the number OF homl-
cides committed within the past fifteen
months. and as men who love their
town and county we deplore the facts
upon which this opinion is based, and,
having come to the conclusion that
the dispensary here is responsible 10
some extent at least for the state OF
affairs existing and desiring 10 sec the
condition changed, and firmly belieV-
ing that the removal Of our dispensary
would change these condition, your pc
titioners respectfully ask your honor-
able body to discontinue indefinitely
the dispensary at Saluda, S. c.
Ninth. In order that your honor
able body may be informed to some
extent OF the character OF the signers
hereto we have indicated in each In
stance the vocation Of the signer.
ITO the end that the Saluda dispen-
sary may be closed indefinitely. your
petitioners will ever pray" etc.