The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1903-02-17

Der made the statement that there
is q move on foot to have State Dis
pensary System established in Utah,
instead of the present method OF con-
Quoting saloons. In order that our
readers may understand how the sys-
TEN has worked elsewhere, we publish
the following paper read by Mark
Pendleton at temperance meeting
Sunday night.
THE PAPER.
Webster defines a dispensary as a
"place where drugs are prepared and
dispensed. OF late years an addi-
tional meaning has been given the
word, namely; place where alcoholic
liquors are sold by a municipality or
state. The dispensary system as
applied to state means state mono
poly of the sale of intoxicants.
The object of the dispensary is first,
to promote temperance, second, to
raise revenue. Unlike the saloon, the
dispensary does not have social side,
as drinking on the premises Is prohib-
tied and chairs and tables are for
hidden. 1t is also claimed that dis
pensary liquors are not only cheaper,
but purer than those sold in saloon.
Liquors of certain strength are pur-
chased in large quantities by the state,
shipped to the head dispensary,
bottled, labeled and sealed by employees
of the state and distributed to the
local dispensaries. Under the dispen-
sary system the profit made by the
saloonkeepers under license Is saved
by the state, thereby making taxes
less.
The opponents of the dispensary
affirm that the state exists to secure
to its citizens "their inalienable
rights; that among these are life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
and therefore the state can not right
fully dispense beverage that is de-
structive of life, that endangers lib
erty, and is the foe of happiness.
They also claim that the dispensary
is failure as temperance measure.
Statistics prove that in places where
the dispensary is established that
the consumption of intoxicants is
increasing at an alarming rate, and
thai therefore crime is on the in
crease. They admit that drunken
ness has been decreased in public, but
increased in the homes, since not less
than pint of liquor can be purchased
in dispensary. 1t is also claimed
that state control gives the whisky
business higher sanction and stand
ing than high license. The dispensary
becomes respectable place presided
over by an agent of the state, making it
respectable and fashionable to drink
dspcnsary whiskey. 1t is also claim
ed by its opponents that the immense
profits of the pispensary system acts
as bride, making the people willing
to endure the evils of intemperance
for revenue which is used for educa-
tional purposes, and to build public
buildings and roads.
To get Il clearer understanding of
the workings of the dispensary 1t
will be necessary to consider the ex-
periments that have already been made
in the single city of Athens Ga. and
i'm the state of S. G.
The original dispensary in the
United States was eStablishedsin 1892
at Athens, Ga, city of 1900 inh abb
tants. The first years sales amounted
to $4,000; in 1900 the sales had in
creased to $4,000; in 1901, ST. 1000
worth of dispensary whisky was Sold
In other words the increase for one
year amounted to % per cent; for the
whole period 80 per cent.
REV DR.. John Heidi pastor of the
First Methodist church says:-As far
as | know there is not a minister in
Athens white or colored that does not
deprecate the dispensary and pray for
deliverance from its evils.
DR.. w. Il. Bernard, editor of South
ern Advance (Athens) says: II helped
to establish the dispensary. | am
sorry did it. Its results, as l have
seen them, do not justify It's
establishment"
Claude Anderson of the Athens
Sentinel says; "The dispensary has
proven a success financially, and Tho
success in manufacturing drunkard'
and blighting homes will rival thu
record of open bar rooms.
The South Carolina dispensary Law
was enacted in 1895. The first full
year of the dispensary was 1896, wher
the sales amounted to 81, 305, $40. Th'
population of the state at that tim'
was about 1850, 900. "The annua
report of the commissioners Of tn,
South Carolina state dispensary
rendered for the year closing Noyem