The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-03-18

0RoeDW0O0 on the Dsepensofy Soes.
tieu.
Greenwood 10 now having an i~ntenperate
discussion Of the question ss to whether that
city shculd have . d~tspensary.
We have sometimes thought that temper
sncs people are moro intsmperate. more IN.
charitable and moro s~slfconscious than al
most any other Pet OF men. When men ~
sumo monopoly Of The virtues. and, by I'm
plication At least assign . full line OF the evils
% the other follow. they inJure their cause.
AZ matter OF not, IL cannot % successful
~ denied that there arc good men on both
aides Of this question
In point Of abstinence from IN use OF In.
toxicating liquors tho editor Of the Press and
Banner yields 70 NO man. This same editor
for life time OF more than sixty EAR has
never JAILED q strike . blow for Temperance
when the occagion offered.
The Press and Banner was % much opposed
70 the establishment OF the dispensary st Alb
bsville - anybody can now DO opposed 70
establishing q dispensaIy at Greenwood.
Years Of experience with the d~ispennary, at
Ahbeville. however, has convinced "a that
the ~dispensary II the best method that Able.
VILE has ever tried.
In the last forty years We bad license, high
MoenSelprooibitioo, dispenssry.
Onr testimony would be that high license
and prohibition brought the least satisfactory
rssolts. The dispensary has given better re-
suits than sither license, high license or pro-
hibation.
Everybody knows that the sale Of LIQUOR 10
IN evil. and nobody believes that the dispsn'
saEy 10 zone into for the purposs OF either en-
~co1fagiag the drink habit or Tor the bonsft
Of b revenue.
Tho revenue Il only IN incident.
The rules Of the dispensary are restrictive,
and The profit On the sales u putshsre. not for
revenue. bot 70 discourage the sale. No one
viii deny that II 10 better 70 shut tho LIQUOR
shop q sun cot than TO keep Il open at night.
We then have absolute prohibition for twelve
hours out OF the twenty. four. Il II never
opened On Sundays.
A long - physicians prescribe ~intox,cantA.
Il b we'll that those Of their patients who are
willing 70 run the risk Of bscoming slaves TO
the whiskey habit should know whore 70 get
what they want and where they will got
what hsy pay for. .
II q friends, the anti-dispensary people,
would instiIl into tho minds Of their hearers
th0 importance OF abstinence from the use Of
lianor and would not make dsrogatory speech
. % the mon Who disagree nom them. the
eanse Of Temperance would Se promoted, and
ths sincerity Of their speech and the honesty
Of their motives would be respected by all.
The greatest stumbling block In this dr.
pspsary business II the profit II the stun 10
sold a. cost Ne snooangs the drinking Of L.
Quor By ofsSing 10 at . low prioe. II We
charges high pTies No reduce the ccnsump.
sion. The experience 1t Abbeville ID, that
about the same amount Of money 10 spent,
whether the price 10 high or low. This nows.
paper believes that tho least amount Of LIQUOR
which Tho customer gets for his money. the
bettaf IL n foe him. But, the high price puts
the money In tho treasury. What u best 70
b done with Il? That 10 the question. The
people Of South Carolina formerly tool the
license money. We believe ne Theological
Seminary In Columbia va. <once largely en-
dovsd BY monsxy inpssksd In the bonds OF the
-satyNe % 9oau9a6ia. The city Of Columbia thsn
mixed IT. revenue chiefly nom whiskey II
osnses.
ehould the 6eminary people have done
With their bonds - the Northern people did
Win thsir negroes, namely: Sell them, and
Thereafter claim 70 have cleaner hands than
othsrs?
Apain. 10 notice that all sortu OF people are
invited 70 pot their contributions into the
shRfvh. no matter In how doubtful Q manner
the Diver may have earned his money.
Nobody would open Q dispensary for the
purpose OF securing tho revenue. bot In order
% restrict tho uss Of liquor the price must be
raissd. Tho question Of disposing Of the sur.
plus can DO settled iater.