Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-29
SWINE Is a mockER.r


against the state dispensary abomisia-
ton In the Associate Reformed church
last Sunday morning. The subject OF
temperance had been especially ap-
pointed by synod for last Sunday, and
Mr.. Ewart's sermon was in compliance
with synod's behest; but there was
nothing forced or labored in what ne
said-nothing to indicate that the
question was new to him. He was ev-
identity full Of his subject and what ne
said was without apology. 80.
Because this one day has been set
apart by synod for sermons on temper
ance," explained Mr.. Ewart, I'VE must
not conclude that we are not to give our
attention to the subject at any other
time. I take It that this day was ap-
pointed because synod recognizes the
tremendous importance Of the matter,
and sought to have unanimity OF con-
centrated thought in the hope Of ac-
complishing the greatest good. How
ever, the question Is with US all the
time, and commands our. earnest con-
sideration constantly" .le,
After a few preliminary obse1va-
tions, all direct to the point Mr.. l1w-
art deduced a logical application OF
his text, "Wine Is mocker," to the
state dispensary, and the corruption
inseparable therefrom. He would
have his hearers understand that the
text did not merely mean that wine
Knocked only those WHO became ad-
dieted to its use, for as matter OF
fact 1t mocks and deceives all men. II
is not what 1t seems to be; 1t Is dis
honest and corrupt.
Along In 1892, as the result Of long
years Of suffering because Of the evils
Of intemperance, and determination
to do something to uplift themselves
out of the baneful conditions by which
liquor had surrounded them, the peo-
pie of this state voted for prohibition.
They gave a majority Of 10000 against
the. liquor traffic In any form what
soever, and they had reason to believe
that they had at last outlawed the
evil. But, wine is q nlocker!" There
came shrewd,. designing men and ar
gued that the people did not know
what they wanted; that the trouble
was not with the sale Of liquor but
with the quality Of liquor and the man
ner In which the sale was being con-
Quoted. They suggested that private
dealers should be driven out OF busi-
ness and that the state should under
take the selling Of whisky itself; that
under such an arrangement, not only
would the consumption Of liquor be
restricted; but the profits would pay
our taxes and the traffic would be-
come a benefit instead Of curse.
Wine is mocker! Many people
were deceived. The incident reminds
US of the promise of Haman, "oh,
king, sign this decree, and 1t will bring
more than a thousand talents into your
Golfers" Misled by the promise Of
personal gain, without investigating,
the king signed the decree, which hap
pened to be intended as the death war
rant of the very wife Of his bosom, be-
cause 1t contemplated the slaughtering
of all the Jews Of his kingdom. Has
the dispensary done what its origina-
tors claimed for It? Examine your tax
receipt of today and compare It with
that Of 1892, and answer that question
in the light Of the facts. An Associate
Reformed brother of this county, the
Rev. oliver Johnson, tells me that the
sales Of the dispensary last year
amounted to $3,000,000. He estima:
that in addition to this. private indi-
viduals and illegal dealers have
brought not less than $4,000 worth
Of whisky into the state from abroad.
This makes say s5,000,000 in all that
we have spent for whisky. The as.
sessed value of the taxable property
Of the state is about $200.000,0o0, and
the facts show that we are drinking
it all up once on an average lifetime
Of forty years. Does this look like
toward prohibition?
Again, we were told that we would
be benefited by the dispensary busi-
ness because we could get our best
men to manage 1t. Is the devil any
less a devil because clothed in the ha-
biliments Of an angel Of light? Has
the management Of the dispensary
been what we had a right to eXpect?,
Has not the liquor business been
steadily increasing instead OF being
Are there not now open
charges Of fraud and corruption
against the management? And; we
are responsible. He that biddeth him
is partaker in his evil deeds"
We have been deceived; but neverthe-:
ess II we continue to submit tamely
70 this greatest Of growing evilB-this