Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-11-18
THE DlsPENsARY LIQUOR SYSTEM

THE DlsPENsARY LIQUOR SYSTEM
A state, like North Dakota, which
has a prohibition statute, is naturally
interested in the workings Of liquor
laws in other states, and just at pres
ent South Carolina offers some inter-
esting food for thought in this connec-
ton. South Carolina has a dispens-
airy system, under which the state sells
liquor, and it is proposed in some
quarters to substitute such law for
North Dakota's prohibition statute.
But it appears that the dispensary
law is not without it's troublesome
features, as will be seen by the follow
ing article from the New York Even
ing Post:
After being in operation for six
years, the South Carolina dispensary
system appears to be now under more
determined attack than at any time
since the first days of this remarkable
experiment with the liquor traffic. On
election day Cherokee county, which
lies in the region where the system
was believed to be most popular,
availed itself Of the provisions of the
Brice law and voted against the dis
pensaries by an overwhelming MAORI
ty. Out of 2,400 voters, 1900 had pc
titioned for this referendum, and the
early returns from the elections show
a majority of about 6 to 1 against the
dispensary. While Cherokee county
is but small corner of the state, the
election there has been given great
Importance elsewhere by reason Of the
fact that before election Senator Till
man, the father of the system, was in
duced to come down and speak in it's
defence.
The state sale of liquor, it will be
remembered, was adopted as an alter
native to prohibition rather than to a
general license system. As in the
other southern states, the sentiment
is strongly against the unrestricted
sale of liquor. The enforcement of
the law in it's first years, under Till
mans governorship, was marked by
constant friction between citizens and
many cases, and sometimes even
bloodshed. Then came the federal
decisions confirming the right of every
citizen to import liquors in the original
packages for his own use. The novel
ty wore off, and the dispensary be-
came so far an accepted institution in
the state as to be recognized in its
constitution. A northern Investigator
writing for the Outlook in 1897, re
ported that generally opposition to the
system as such had given place tc
suggestions for it's improvement
Illicit selling, he said, made trouble
chiefly in the city of Charleston anG
in the rural counties along the NORTH
Carolina line. Cherokee is one O
these Since then the law has beer
tinkered with by one legislature afte
another. The enemies of the schem
among the liquor dealers, meanwhile
seem to have been undermining it
workings rather than openly seeking
its repeal
Senator Tillman is by nature out
spoken, and his speech at Gaffney
which the state press received as tn
most important contribution in man
years to the dispensary question, wa
frank recognition of the evils in tn
present workings of the law. 81
the dispensary law cannot be LITE
out Of the fog Of suspicion whic
hangs over it," he said, II am fc
killing it, And the way, he though
was simply to return to some of tn
features which characterized the la
when it first went into effect. but hav
/ since been abandoned. He woul
{ have, in the first place, board {
control elected by, the people. Be-
dispensaries should be eliminated e.
sljs.s Ill ely :IAoAA lAO 6ySICAs kaAu1 AAeAA
he would have all liquor bought dire
from the distillers or brewers. an
bottled by the state itself under +
own label. Sd. n s. ..} a. 5;
Under Tillman's own adminfstratic
! the dispensaries supplied four grad.
s8 Of whiskey, sold only In q special be
:, -. ,,,s Z :. - Z, ~,
This was changed through pressu
from several quarters. "a large ella
0f people objected to seeing the 81
bIem of their commonwealth on
s,s whiskey flask many customers b
preferences of their own Tor son
particular brand Of liquor. and 7
81 makers reinforced this BY demandil