The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-10-15
DISPENSARY CONDEMNED.
1.-THE Most Immoral, Deceptive, Conn
pIicated, SeIf-Destroying Plan OF
Carrying on the Liquor Traffic
Which Has Ever Been Devised In III :
History of the WorId.'
". H. Kirton in Raleigh Christian Advocate
April g. 1903.

For the same general reason that the
brush of no artist can paint and repre-
sent upon canvas the horrors OF perdl-
ton, recognize my inability to present
the character and influence OF the dlspen-
sary liquor system; but as agoodly num-
Der of sincere temperance advocates in
this State seem to know SO little OF its
character as to be disposed to consider
it as a compromise liquor reform meas
ure nv interest in the common welfare
of humanity moves me to give express
sions to my absolute disapprOvai OF the
dispensary system as the most immoral,
deceptive. complicated, self-destroying
plan of carrying on the traffic which has
ever been devised in the history OF the
world. and as that which represents the
most mature and strategic thought OF
Beelzebuh in connection with the cor
ruptiOn of the nineteenth century poll
tics.
Ny views in regard to the dispensary
are not merely speculative, but they are
a result OF facts demonstrated by the
actual working of the system Tor quite a
number of wears in South Carolina. and
nv statements concerning it are with
reference to it as it exists there, and as 1t
would be in this State ifit were adopted.
The dispensary system is very immoral:
The term dispensary, when pronounced
within the hearing of those not familiar
| with it, is perhaps as much more euphOn-
| iOus as the term saloon is more euphonl-
Gus than that of bar-rOOm, but it Is III
| reality the same old liquor serpent upon
which the curse OF God rests, and the en-
dOrsement of which is reprOach to any
people II we engage in the liquor traffic
and contribute to drunkenness and its
natural details of crime, we sin against
| the latter spirit of Divine law which says:
"WOe unto him who putteth the bottle
| to his neighbours mouth The statistics
| Of South Carolina show that since the es-
| tablishment of the dispensary the drink
habit, independent of blind-tigerism, has
very greatly increased, and that viola
| tiOns of civil law have propOrtiOnally in
| ceeased, thus showing not only the de,
| bauching influence of the system, but
| that it's immoral and lawless effects ex,
coed those of former systems in carrying
| on the traffic No real patriot or Chris
tan who understands enough of the sys
| TEN to see that it is debauching and sin
full can give it any endorsement or dc
| otherwise than oppose it.
! 1t is very deceptive system. Its ap
| parent morally decent and restrictive
features, and it's deceptive show of benev
olence are only such as mislead quite 6
| number of mere surface-thinkers.
But these seemingly favorable features
OF the system are practically like The
truth which the prime author OF the
scheme includes in many of his tempta
ton suggestions, and by reason of which
| he is the more successful in misleading
i nnI r,ipin.r h;l, In Wow nf tn.
fact that the system requires that its
sales close at specified hour in the af
ternoon, and that it be not sold to mi
nors nor inebriates, and that it brings il
revenue which goes into the common
school fund, leads some to say that it ii
better than the old bar-roOm system
and that we should therefore adopt it a
the best solution of the problem. Th
truth is, however that any boy O.
drunkard who has money enough tt
buy liquor can get it from the dispensary
II not directly on all occasions. he cal
hand his money to a second party ant
get all he wants.
If some one fails to get the amour
that he wants before the closing hour
| those who manage it and who natural,
| desire to make the largest possible sal
| returns, and who also have common
interest in the system, are reasonably e.;
pected to be sufficiently accommodatin,
| to help suggest and provide ways ant
means OF success
The fact that the system turns owe
money to the common cause OF educa
! ton makes it worse rather than better
It's false show of benevolence serves t.
debauch some in general moral characte
who do not drink liquor.
Some comparatively thOughtless AM
| avariciOus fathers who do not even driE
liquor us a beverage are led to endors
the dispensary with all of it's gangren
moral rot merely for the small amour
of money that seems to them to accru
to their advantage, and their childre
| the cost of whose education includes tn
pittance that the dispensary furnishe
are likewise brought into sympathy wit
the traffic and cOrrespondingly de
bauched.
The dispensary being much more d.
ceptive than any other system is proper
| tiOnately more ruinous. Almost an
} | one can see that we are largely depend
! ent upon intelligent moral sentimen
to practically neutralize the influence {
the common liquor serpent; but if W
adopt, legalize and white wash it unde
any name and disarm opposition to il
then it will have undisputed right-of-wa
and will soon be strong and respectabl
enough not only to require friendly re'
OgnitiOn by State legislation and by til
} church itself, but as in the case in SOut
, Carolina it will demand the expressed Ell
dorsement of every candidate for offic
: throughout the State, and force then
by a threatened political death penalty
to plainly pronounce the shibboleth: 9
believe that the dispensary is the bes
solution of the liquor problem"
largely lives, grows and fattens upon til
deceptiveness of it's character As til
Scribes and Pharisees were as white
sepulchers, and therefore, deserved grea1
: er condemnation than did the publican
and harlots, even so the deceptivenes
of the dispensary merits it's greater col
demnatiOn than do the other cOmmo
systems of the liquor traffic speculation
~
Shall we endorse a system in carryin
Oh the traffic which more than all other
> secures revenue at the expense of con
mon morals, and which in proportion t
its greater work tends more than a
other systems to undermine and owe
throw the moral basis of common righ1
eous progress? God forbid
WFevsr galloaa; Wears longer. ~1