Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-06-29
The Dispensary and Its Evils.

Editors Courier: There is much being
said about the dispensary pro and con,
but all seem to think the dispensary and
the enforcing of the same have broke up
the elicit and the blind tiger business.
1t is a fact that there is no honse insid o
Of the towns doing business, but the
illicit stills are running in spite of Cor
bin and tho constables. They cut two
down to-day, but the next day they have
some up and running as they did the
day before; so the woods and coves are
full of the elicit all the time.
We will nearly al, vote against the dis
pensary, but there is scarcely single
amily but would take little of the
elicit # he could manage to get it. Why
is this? The fact is they are afraid to
touch the dispensary.' Those that have
tried it say it will burst mans head.
They have no confidence in it. They
say 1t is cheap stuff and they have no
faith even in the men who manage the
big tank in Columbia, and Justly 80, too,
for you recollect what had been done in
Columbia in this great moral business.
Many of them that have been managing
the business now should be in the peni-
tentiary, but our State officials have
been handling them very tenderly. But
as general thing people are not pun
ished for big crimes-it is only for small
ones. They will lock up in prison boy
for stealing toy, but a. big man can
steal penitentiary brick yard and all
and never bepunished.
One little man may sell a quart of
blockade and he will have to work in the
chaingang 90 days, and another man will
shoot down his neighbor for q trifle. and
if he can raise few hundred dollars to
pay slick lawyer he is out in few DAYS
and everybody is shaking hands with
him and are so glad.
oh, consistency, be consistent; don't
strain at gnat and swallow camel.
Now lets vote away the dispensary.
Do not be afraid of the tiger and tie
elicit. 1t is here now and will be dispen-
sary or no dispensary and putting away
temptation to those who thirst after
strong drink. This dispensary has
helped to kill several young men in the
last few years and has several more
trembling Q mean in Waihalla.)
Never mind about money to run the
school. Men who have children to send
to school are able to pay their tuition, as
they did before and how Christian men
can speak of this whiskey money to pay
their children's tuition must confess 1
do not understand. Be consistent; send
your children to school and pay their
tuition with dispensary money and then
see one OF your boys or one of your
neighbor's boys toddling on the street
with stomach full! of skill me quick.
It Is common saying, and very true,
that ohickons will come home to roost.
The State cannot do this business and
wc shun some great calamity. You NAV
have an oily tongue and set up your
reasonings, but in this matter you will
not be the judge. God is to be the
Judge and money will not pay you out.
You say dispensary before barrooms. I
say so, too, but putting away the dispen-
sary will not open the barroom. We
do not need either. Put both away and
then we will have 100 gallons where we
only need one.
| have lived an active life for SO years
in Walhalla and / must confess
with shame that drink is on the
increase. 1t is we'll known by all
who know me that never in
80 years have spent one cent in bar
room or in the dispensary. | learned
better when boy and had it not been
for this cursed thing / would have been
now enjoying advantages that | do not.
l cannot express In words how | hate
and have fought both of these curses. 1t
always did me good to succeed In keep.
ing men and boys away from these suoks.
If you do not believe what say ask the
dispensers at Seneca and Walhalla how
much money they take in each day and it
will convince anyone what we are drift.
ing into. j. X. Hendrix.