Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-06-06
FELLOWSHIP WITH INIQUITY.
Result of Attempt to Elevate Whisky

to Elevate Whisky
ness.
! INsIDIOUs DEBAUCH,
he Story How, When the People
10 Rid the State Of the Whisky
seded in Deceiving Them Into
al and Support of That Which
ences Condemned.
4AS
THAT a ring keehs no roll book of
{inembers, and 1haa: definite consti-
ktution and by-laRs; so we can scarce
~ ever runsit to earth. But when we
see the then head OF the octopus open
ly hobnobbing with members of the
Legislature to load down, and as they
hoped forever cripple, the Brice bill,
why 1t Is about as plain as the nose
on your face. Mr.. Williams, chairman
Of the board of control. was surely not
acting in his individual capacity, nor
were his lieutenants doing what they
did from excess of patriotism. They
must have had a compact organization
or at least a mighty political influence
behind them.
III. The Outlook.-Let US now
consider that. Things being as they
are. what are the prospects before US?
1t may be convenient just here to
enumerate them: l. There Is ore
thing we should be thankful for. and
that is the constitutional provision
whereby there are but three possible
alternatives In the management Of the
liquor question In South Carolina.
We may have prohibitions: we may
have the dispensary. or we may have
"high license" but under the same
regulations-certainly good as far as
they go: and when properly enforced
under the same regulations as the
sale of liquor in the dispensary.
Doubtless this provision was intended
as a main prop to the dispensary: but
let us be thankful all the same that
we can never, under this sanction.
have the old time barroom again. 2.
In the eighties. the first local option
law was passed --in South Carolina.
We have alreadyS given our high
opinion of this law:S 1t was indeed. a
good law. in purpose and its working.
In 1908 our own SENATOR, Mr.. ].
Steele Brice proposed the practical re-
enactment Of this old law. 1t had
been superseded by the dispensary
law. Mr.. Brice's law was too good
and too popular to be openly and
squarely opposed, and so, as you
know, the tax amendment was added
by the advocates Of the dispensary.
1t was fondly hoped that that would
be the end of 1t. IT was. indeed.
shrewd trick. But the sequel shows
that the people can ever be depended
on to see through and to rebuke such
fartIfce. Already Cherokee, our near
neighbor, has voted out the dispen-
sary, tax or no tax. Already Pickens
has showed 1t under. three to one!
And York, old York. staid and stead
fast old York-slow to move, but
mighty when her mind Is made up
grand old York Is on the march to
the polls!
Nv. Our Duty-But what Is our
duty? /. To pass by on the other
side" of the dispensary. We should
let 1t severely alone, counting 1t as
morally in the same category as the
old time saloon. Let no false Idea
or specious plea blind us to that fact.
Clear thinking demands 1t. Right
sentiment makes 1t imperative. Our
duty to our children compels that
this unshaken conviction find loud
and emphatic voice. The change OF
name makes no change In the thing.
2. But this passive attitude is not
enough. This personal boycott, II
you please, does not fulfill our duty.
We must go farther. We must
change the old cry Of "close the sa-
loon" to close the dispensary! We
must arise In our might and vote the
dispensary out We must not simply
put the width of the street, but the
width of at least from here to the
county line between US and this
stumbling block for unwary feet. 8.
But I hear some one say, well. your
plea, brother. Is all right. but 1t has
no place in the pulpit. 1t Is for the
lecture platform. or for the hustings;
but not for the pulpit" For answer
we will not take time to argue the
high right of the pulpit to discuss all
moral as we'll as religious issues.
Really the most unenlightened in our
community should realize that. No.
we let that pass just now, and con-
tent ourselves with saying that we
are clearly within our religious lines
I'm this discussion because we are
now really after the delinquent
church member. This Is a family
affair. We are seeking to open the
eyes Of those whom God and the
church have committed to our care.
Says a recent writer:
IF the church members alone could
be won to the side of prohibition the
que stion would not long remain In
doubt. Just here might well be
quoted the following from letter OF
protest from an ex-saloon keeper TO
a. preacher of Michigan who had de-
nounced the saloon keepers In vigor-
GUS terms, II think you were. to say
.he least, unfair to saloon keepers.
am an ex-saloon keeper. l rented
my place from a deacon In a Baptist
church. My bondsmen were one
Methodist, the other a Presbyterian.
On the day of election, Baptists.
Methodists, Presbyterians. Congrega-
tionalists. Episcopalians, Lutherans'
Ca holics, Spiritualists, Unitarians..
infidels, atheists saloon keepers and
highway robbers all voted for license
to grant me the privilege to damn
souls you are trying to save.
1t Is strange that the preachers are
whipping the saloon keepers with a
lash that ought to be used upon the
backs Of the professed Christians VINO
use their prayers to mock God and
their votes to build up the Kingdom
of the devil. A saloon keeper Is not
a hypocrite; Christian man OF
brains who votes for license Is
o., T., u1.,.,,tl,o Cbrioti 10 N