Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-02-07
The Dispensary In Its Native State
(By Rev. c. S. Gardner, D. d.

| actual working OF the ulspensary
law, am prepared to say deliberate
| lily that the temperance people of Vir-
| ginia would make grave blunder
to acquiesce in the establishment OF
that system here. 1t is needless to
say that the dispensary is utterly
and radically wrong in principle,and
an institution that is radically wrong
in principle will inevitably lead to
disastrous results. To say as some
temperance people do, that the sell
ling of Intoxicating liquors as bev-
erage is wrong, and then to advocate
that the State, or the municipality,
or the county engage in that busi-
ness is so clearly and hopelessly in
consistent as in my Judgment to
stultify us.
But what OF the dlspensary in
practice? When the System was first
inaugurated in South Carolina 1t
did for a while diminish drunkenness.
But after it had been in operation
for some years this improvement be-
gan to disappear. The restrictive
features of the law were gradually
disregarded. The administration OF
the law fell, as it will inevitably al
ways fall, into the hands of men who
are not interested in promoting tenn
perance. Indeed, after a while 1t
became apparent that the law was
being operated, not for the pur-
pose of promoting temperance, but
for promoting revenue, and the two
ends were absolutely contradictory
of each other. After a while the
LIQUOR men, who were driven out OF
business by the system, learned how
to adjust themselves to it. 1t is an
open secret that in some Of the larger
cities there is an understanding be>
tween the "blind tigers" and the dis
pensary to the effect that If the
tigers" would purchase their liquor
from the dispensary they would not
be disturbed.
Besides this, beer privileges were
granted in the towns; and the beer
shops were saloons under another
name, purchasing their supplies from
the dispensary. In many of the coun-
ties there were travelling blind
tigers" i. e., man would buy a sup
ply of liquor in nelghboring State
and then cross the line in his wagon
or buggy, in which his liquor was
hidden, and peddle it out through
the country. He would drive his
vehicle up into thicket or some Sc
cluded place, and all who wished to
patronize him would soon know of
his location.
The dispensary in South Caro-
lima has become a political machine
of great and far reaching power,
ideally adapted to do dirty work in
the interest of the politicians who
control it. This is one of the most
offensive features of the system. 1t
has become curse, stencil, a cor
rupt and corrupting influence in the
political life of the State. 1t is run
ming sore in the vitals of the civic
body. As they are logically bound
to do, The chief advocates of the sys-
tenn now preach to the people that
the sale of intoxicating liquors as
beverage is justifable and right.
The father and chief advocate of the
South Carolina law little less than
two years ago stumped the State in
defense of the law and boldly took
the position that the sale of intoxica-
ting beverages was not wrong in
principle and he triumphed. That
was in the State which about eleven
years ago gave good majority in
favor of prohibition when the will Of
the people was defeated by the enact
ment of the dispensary law, instead
of the prohibition for which they
had voted.
Six months ago, changed my res
idence from South Carolina to Rich
mond. After careful observation, l
will say that proportionately there
is as little drunkenness here as in
South Carolina, perhaps less. The
dispensary is not what we want in
Virginia. am very earnest ia the
hope that the temperance people of
my adopted State will not follow
after false temperance gods. was
very favoraoly disposed toward the
dispensary when l went to South
Carolina eight years ago. left there
profoundly convinced that the dis
pensary is not progress, but reaction.
We have two dispensaries in my
county, one at CORTLAND, the other
at Franklin. On one side Of the street
there is dispensary which sells the
liquor in original packages, on the
other side Of the street is a man with
ice, sugar and water. You buy your
liquor on one side of the street, 90
over to the other side and have it
mixed. If you do not drink it all you
can leave it there for next time, SO
you see it is merely bar-room under
another name.
BY request of the
State W. @. T. U.