The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-08
The Iiouor Question.

1t ia said that some citizens Of Mccormick
are circulating petitions for signatures ask.
ing for an election on the dispensary ques-
tion, and II Is also said. that people living
along the Savannah railroad will join Nc
Cormick in the effort to vote ont the dispen'
sary at Abbeville. Whether there 10 any
thing or nothing in these reports we are
unable 70 say.
the reports, for these among other reasons:
First-McCormick 10 in the extreme corner
OF the county, more than twenty miles dis
tant from Abbeville.
Second-The dispensary At Abbeville, II a
nuisance or If Objectionable to anybody,
would be less 30 to Mccormick than to any
other part OF the county.
Third-The people OF Mccormick, ss we'll
a. those living along the line OF the Ssvan.
nah Valley Railroad, seldom come 10 Alb
beville.
Fourth-As they can more readily get any
desired LIQUOR from Augusta than from Ao-
beville, VI can see no good reason why they
should bother themselves about the dispen-
sary at Abbeville.
Fifth-We cannot believe that people OF
Mccormick or elsewhere would volunteer to
interfere ina matter where they are SO re-
motely Interested.
But the election. II ordered, may be carried
against the dispsnsary. for these among other
reasons:
FIrst-Because ignorant or innocent tenn.
perancs men no doubt honestly believe that
by removing the practical restrictions on the
sale OF whiskey In tho dlspenssry, q more
sweeping restriction may be inaugurated.
Seoond-Beoause tipplers will vote for thu
closing OF the dispensary-whether to remove
temptation or 10 have less restrictions on the
sale OF liquor we do not know, and give no
opinion. We only state what we believe Il
be q fact.
q. Third-Because q very large per cent. o
those who favor licensed bars, and who de-
spiss the dispenssry restrictions, will vot,
for the closing Of the dispensary.
The license element inc the tipping ele
ment 1t seems TO as are acting intelligently
and shrewdiy in using the prohibitionists &c
effect the desired change in the liquor law
The temperance people are just az honest ir
their effort 10 stop all sale Of liquor, bnt as W,
zee It, they lack diAernment to see that they
are In fact lending. their Influence to In
liquor element anu .nelplnG tnat 6lemenS u
got the ~ascendency In this State.
1t has not been explained 10 US how al
intelligent conscientious Christian temper
ance man can align himself with the SUP
porters Of the bars and the customers Of tn
bars.
We think prohibitionis,s are sincere an,
honest but how an intelligent sensibl
and earnest prohibitionist can join hand
with the liquorcrowd has not been explaine,
10 rs, n we cannot see II.
We are. sorry 10 see coed prohibition
lists do so foolish a thing as TO lend their In
nuence to the license element.
This editor has lived on the public squar
OF Abbeville for forty years. In that tort,
years the town has had license, high license
prohibition and ~dispensary. High license !
as wicked and fully as corrupting as prohibi
ton. Both systems offer the greatest induce
ment to fraud and extortion. But h1gl
license Is less desirable than any other liquo
law.
Policy and prohibition have certainly mad,
strange bedfellows. Who would have eve
thought that the license element and th'
prohibitionists would make common cause