Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-12
THE DIsPENsARY DEBATE.
Senator Brice Appeals For the Right Of
Local Self Government.

Senator Brice Appeals For the Right Of
Local Self Government.
News and Courier:
COLUMBIA, Feb. S.-The chief forensic
event in the senate session tonight
was the very vigorous attack made by
Senator Brice on the dispensary law
and system. His speech came up on
his bill relative to the manner of es-
tablishing dispensaries and doing away
with them by popular vote. He argued
that if the sale Of liquor is iniquitous
on the part of individuals. as is held,
how much more immoral and injurious
is it in the hands of the state. 1t was
said that the dispensary would reduce
the taxes, but he defied a single sena-
tor to point out single man whose
taxes had been reduced. 1t has been
said that the newspapers ought not to
have said anything about the number
it because it was feared that the true
reason for all these murders would
have been discovered? The dispensa-
ry corrupts and debauches all who
come in contact with it. IF I had a
little dispensary. ring in my county"
he said, II would not mind standing
trial before any court for almost any
crime, because 1 would know that 1
would get free if 1 stood for It," Its
black and polluting hand may be seen
everywhere, even in the administration
Of justice. 1t affects all branches Of
the government and this can be easily
seen. At the outset it was fraud and
it has been one ever since. He called
upon senators as witnesses to the fact
| that the dispensary law instead of be-
ing a step towards prohibition had been
many steps from it. He arraigned the
dispensary system in scathing terms.
He said this bill is fair and it brings up
the question very pertinently, whether
the dispensary shall control the people
the bar-room system a lower element
sold liquor, but under the dispensary
system liquor is the god. The states
purpose is to put liquor in reach OF
every man. woman and child. He said
that the constitutional provision as to
liquor had been violated by the legis-.
lature granting authority for hotel
privileges. If in Russia absolutism is
the spirit, in Germany militarism, in
the United States commercialism, In
South Carolina it is liquor.
Mr.. Brice went on to say that the
true people will finally rise up and de-
stroy this dispensary iniquity. There
are thousands in this state who have
never bowed down to the false god or
worshipped at his shrine. There Is a
class who have fallen down before the
serpent and have been stung to their
bodily and spiritual death. There is
class who have accepted the law In
good faith, when 1t was first introduced
but who now see that it was a make
shift and fraud. Some ministers en-
dorsed it, but he didn't believe there Is
one now who would. If so, he had lit
tie religion and probably no sense. He
said that many papers had endorsed
the law, but there is not one now
which endorses or supports the dispen-
sary system except those under the in
nuence of the system. He quoted
we'll known proverb of Solomon, and
applying it, he said it was too wonder
full for me- to understand the ways OF
the dispensary directors. He never
had heard Of officers who did not want
more salary except these men. That
was wonderful. There were people
who were willing to give up $1,5OC
salaries for the $400 that a director
would get. This Is "too wonderful for
me- he said, Il can't explain it." Mr.
Brice then went on to explain some
conditions as to the dispensary situa-
ton, so far as York is concerned. and
he said 1t would never vote for the dis
pensary. The measure that he pro-
posed is democratic. and however the
senators may argue they cannot lone
dam the stream Of condemnation which
will finally sweep away the dispensary
Mr.. Brice closed with very eloquent
peroration, the idea Of which was that
if this democratic principle was moi
adopted the spirits of Calhoun. Hamp-
ton and other patriotic Carolinians
would rise up as ghosts to haunt them
and condemn them.
Senator Sharpe spoke in opposition
to the bill. He said that If one prin-
ciple was settled in South Carolina 1t
is the dispensary system. He said one
reason taxes had not been reduced Is
that we have kept pace with appro-
priations, even with the increase of the
valuation of property. Our expenses
have been steadily increasing, and
Senator Brice was always the first to
rise up and shout great is winthrop
college," and vote for almost any ap-
preparation in its favor. Appropria-
tions have so increased that dispensary
profits could not reduce them. He de-
MED that the dispensary had corrupted
the courts or any other department OF
the government. The bill Is aimed at
one of the institutions Of this govern
ment and Is dangerous. The people
have decided that they want the sys-
TEN and he did not believe in the local
option feature argued for. If it was
carried out there would be in certain
| counties prohibition which would mean