The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-20
"oUT, The DAMNED SPOT"


sent to York County to enforce
prohibition the Columbia Record
has discovered that the voting
out of the Dispensary in that
county was a mistake. It took
constables to keep down Illicit
selling when the Dispensary was
running at full blast in York, and
it will take these officers to keep
it down now that the Dispensary
has been removed. The opera
ton of prohibition in the counties
which voted out the Dispensary
has not been long enough to be
a test. In fact, some Of the
counties that voted out the Dis.
pensary are still running their
Dispensaries as if no vote had
been taken. The political graft
ers have succeeded in cutting
down a lot of legal technical logs
to obstruct the passage of the
anti- -Dispensary forces, and it be-
gins to look now as if their pur-
pose is to force the question into
the general primary, where the
henchmen and boodlers can get
in their crochet-work to save the
Dispensary and the political lives
of some Of the crew that is fast
sinking the ship of state in a
mire Of corruption.
There is only one thing that
can save South Carolina from
the heel of the political tyrants,
and that is the coming session
of the General Assembly.
VIII it do it? VIII the Leg
islature hearken to the voice
Of the people, and rid the State
of this fostering sore-the State
dispensary. Have we in our
General Assembly men who are
not afraid Of the politicians
whip? This is the time to show
independence of character, and
a wise patriotism. There is no
argument to sustain the State
dispensary after it's long and
miserable debauch, nor do We
believe the time is at hand when
Prohibition as State institution
can be enforced. Then what is
to be done to regulate the traffic
in intoxicants? Our remedy is
today,what it has been for years;
have dispensaries under county
control with the entire profit
going to the county. We are
convinced that the dispensary
law as it is can never be salts
factory, no amount Of tinkering
with it, or patching it up can
take away the bad smell it has
created. If the nasty thing had
confined it's Generalization to the
LIQUOR business, it probably would
be tolerated for a while longer,
bHtsuch is not the case, it's bane-
ful influence has found it's way
into nearly every branch Of our
government, and it has become
a matter Of self defense to rid
ourselves Of it. There must be
something done to take it's place;
LIQUOR will be sold, the question
for our Representatives then, is
bow and where shall it be sold.
We say today what we have said
from the beginning, there is no
better way to secure the enforce
ment of a law than by giving
the people the law they want.
Where is the sense in trying to
enforce the dispensary law in a
community that will not have it,
and look on it as an encroach-
ment upon their civil rights,
these people will have liquor,
and will sell it, they are willing
to conform to our constitution
by selling as does the dispensary
now, but they claim the State
has no moral right to the sale Of
it, and as citizens, they are viii
ling to pay for the privilege.
These people say this, and they
are backed up by the sentiment
and court machinery Of their
communities. Therefore, we say,
what is the use of remaining
blind to the conditions, and con-
tinue to keep that portion Of our
citizenship in the ranks of law
breakers, it would be far better
to grant them license.
Then, there are communities
that are religiously opposed to
the sale of liquor, it is obnoxious
to them and a source of deep
humiliation to have liquor sold
against their will. These people
should have prohibition, and the
people who want liquor under
government control or anyway
they can get it, let them have
the dispensary, and let them
own and control it. There is no
need to maintain a central liquor
station at Columbia. Each county
after majority declare in favor
of the dispensary system can
maintain it's own dispensary,
and If gratis creep into them,
the county can root it out much
easier than if the thing gets the
mastery Of a huge political ma
chine as the dispensary now has
over the politics Of this State.
Down with the State Dispensary
and provide Local Option will
be the Wisest and safest legisla-
4ioro o17r 1aoiS1at,,re ran onacH +