The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-09-23
LAURENs. $. c., Sept. 80, 1908.
The Moderate Drinkers LAVE

The Moderate Drinkers Law?
Three new beer d~ispensaries have
been opened In Charleston. The Char
lesion Post, a consistent and unrelent-
ing opponent OF the Dispensary system,
points out that the laws enforcement
in Charleston will be facilitated by
these new concerns. Patrons Of blind
tigers will in numbers patronize the
legal beer saloons where they car
drink without fear of molestation, The
''tigers" will suffer from the competi-
tion. The Post halls with approval the
beer shops, or beer gardens as it calls
them, because the demoralizing viola
tions Of law will be diminished,-the
gardens affording means to allay
thirst for intoxicants.
While there's no denying tho truth
OF The Posts statement that the beer
gardens will be q strong prop to the
law, it is equally true that these sa-
looms are an important contradiction
and violation of the law itself. One of
the basic reform features OF the system
is that intoxicants are not to be con-
sumed on the same premises On which
they are sold. If it be no violation Of
the dispensary law as written in the
constitution to sell beer in one room
which is then drunk in q room adjoin-
ing, neither can it be q violation of the
same law to sell whiskey or brandy
in one to be drunk in another with a
6nNr hntmnen Nn ha1taua chat ~ do
fender of the ~dispensary, however
partisan, will attempt to contradict
this. The constitution OF the state be-
ing higher than q statute, the beer ga
loon is substantially as much o "blind
tiger" as is any other Illicit establish
ment selling intoxicants, the only dis
tinction being that the legislature and
the courts encourage and protect the
beer seller and relieve him of the re-
s~ponsibility Of law-breaking.
The main fact is that the dispensary
authorities are endcavoring to directly
stimulate the consumption of intoxi-
cants. The fact that it is an effort to
promote drinking of mild at the ex-
pense of strong liquors does not affect
the principle. The dispensary law was
desired as ga step towards prohibit
ton" The diversion of the people in
the direction Of beer drinking may be
q step towards temperance but that is
not what the prohibitionists demanded
and not what they were promised. In
deed, it is rather what the opponents
Of the ~dispensary and prohibition have
favored and advised and the attitude Of
such q paper as The Charleston Post
tends to prove it. The whole policy oil
h dispensary administration is plan.
ned to choke out of existence what atill
remains of prohibition sentiment in the
state and day by day the prohibition.
lists have forced upon them the humil
Eating realization that no set of voters
ever allowed themselves to be SO com
pletely duped and "gulled'' as they die
In 1892, when they had control of both
houses of the Legislature and a popula,
vote OF instruction taken in the pri
mary behind them. The prohibition
legislators, however, feared the Till
man lash more han the voice of TIT
people themselves and abjectly surren,
dered. Now, while the dispensary sys
tenn is being enlarged and "pushed" al
a revenue producer, while the drinking
reform features are ignored or minim,
lied by the dispensary officials as fal
as possible and in South Carolina the
1.-THE business is boomed," prohibition
is growing rapidly in neighborine
states. Changing conditions have made
possible q prohibition that rigidly does
prohibit in at least three fourths Of
the counties of Georgia and perhaps an
equal proportion In North Carolina.
Whiskey consumption is probably far
greater in South Carolina now than in
either adjoining state. Although the
time has come when prohibition is
practicable anywhere and everywhere
In the Sout save in the larger towns
lin which latter the %dIspensary has so
far failed to demonstrate itself o sue
cess) prohibition, through the timidity
of It's own advocates has become q hope
less cause In South Carolina.
Beyond doubt the dispensary is a
sucoess-as q money maker. AS "a So
luton of the whiskey question: also it
is a success--if whiskey and beer
drinking Is the object to be achieved.
Even those who claim that the dispen.
sary lessons the consumption Of intoxi-
cants must and will concede that no
system could be better adapted to
the wants of the moderate drinker.
What The Farmer Needs.
More than anything the Laurens
farmers need a fuller appreciation of
the attractions of their own calling.