The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-11-11

Entered as the Pos.on,cc a. Manning as Sec
ond Class matter.
BUILD UP A TEMPERANCE SENTIMENT.
We notice there is 4 movement
on foot to amend the dispensary
law, so as to allow communities
dissatisfied with dispensarles to
vote them out of existence. IN
our opinion there is no necessity
to amend the law, as there IS a
provision to cover that very
thing. Ever since the enactment
of the dispensary law, efforts
have been made to amend 1t to
remove opposition, but the pur-
pose has not as yet been accom-,
plished. nor will it be as long
as the State board Of control IS
allowed the power it has. and as
lone as those entrusted with the
enforcement Of the law are ITS
most fragrant violators> ana
further, as long as the political
machine is run with dlspensary
power. and communities are
forced to accept dispensaries
whether they want them or not,
opposition and irritation: will
continue, dissatisfaction and un-
rest will result, and oppression
and corruption follows. AS a
matter of expediency we favor
the dispensary plan of handling
LIQUOR, that the sale and con
sumption of liquor is an evil IS
beyond dispute, but if we De
lieved it could be stopped even
in q measure, we would favor
prohibition; experiments haSe
been made in several, States and
afaiIsd, anae convinced 1t is
an impossibility to stop the sale
or consumption of liquor by leg
islation. There is only one way,
and one place-the hearthstone,
and the instilling into the minds
and hearts of the young the dan
ger of intemperance.
We believe liquor should be
controlled, and in our Judgment
the best way to control it, is to
localize that control. AS a mat,
ter of principle we are opposed
to forcing upon a people a dis
pensary if,they do not want 1t,
and where a majority say by
their votes they have worked up
a sentiment sufficiently strong to
enforce prohibition we believe
in giving those people what they
want.
All law to be enforced must
have the endorsement Of the peo,
Die. and where a law is enacted
directly in opposition to public
sentiment it is a Gead letter and
a mockery. Look at Charleston,
the dispensary law is not want
ed there now, and never has
been, and the consequence IS
that the law is laughed at, juries
are drawn with Chicco in the
panel, and if Chicco's name does
not appear, some other blind
tigers name appears. Scan the
Jury lists of Charleston when
YOU will. and the names Of noto-
rious blind tigers are there, with
what RESULT ssNo Bill" If how
ever, the people of Charleston
had a liquor regulation Of their
approval there would be no such
defiance of law.
An effort was once made to
get the liquor question submitted
to the voters, so that each coun-
tv could indicate by direct vote
Of the people how they wanted
the LIQUOR traffic controlled IN
their respective communities,
immediately upon the presenta-
ton Of the bill, every man who
was prominently identified with
the dispensary or the admins
tration in power, put on ms
fighting clothes and brought
about it's defeat. Men who were
not holding positions in the dis
pensary became lobbyists to pre-
serve the institution from being
emasculated, contending that 1t
was a step towards destroying
the dispensary, and hence the
Reform movement, but the truth
was, the bill, had it becomea law,
would have taken the dispensary
out of the hands of a few politi-
tons in Columbia, and lessened
the possibility of corruption, by
bringing it home to the people
themselves for control.
We predicted then, and have
not lost hope, there would come
a time when each county in
South Carolina will have an op-
portunity to have a voice IN this
matter, it is right they should.
If Clarendon county thinks she
can keep the sale Of whiskey
out, and she is prepared for Pro
hibition, it should be the duty Of
her representatives to see to it
that she is given that right. We
would like to see fair square
vote throughout the State oa the
question Prohibition, Dispense
ry, License, ard then let each
county have the regulation it
selects. # this is ever done We
honestly believe it will advance
the cause of temperance, by a