The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-09-06
Mr.. Ansel and The Dispensary.

Courier: l have received many in
Quirles as to my views Of the linuor
question in South Carolina, and the
best way of dealing with that all
absorbing question, dispensary or DO
dispensary, and l take this means of
stating my position.
In the first place, am opposed to
the system of a State dispensary. |
once thought it was the best solution
of the liquor question, because l
thought it would minimize and de-
crease the sale of liquors in this
State, but when we consider that
more than three million dollars
worth of whiskey has been sold by
the various dispensaries Of the State
the past year, my hopes have been
disappointed, and it appears to me
that some other method should be
adopted.
In the second place, l am in favor
OF local county option, as between
prohibition and county dispensaries;
that is, | am in favor of any county
in the State voting upon the question
as to whether they wish prohibition
for that county, or whether they wish
county dispcnsaries. If majority of
the qualified voters OF the county de-
sire prohibition for that particular
county, then / am one who believes
that they should have it, and l fur
ther believe that the good people of
such county will see to it that the
prohibition law is enforced.
If the vote of any county should De
in favor Of the sale of liquor in that
particular county, then I favor law
providing for a county dispensary,
with board of control of three mem
bers to be appointed by the Governor
of the State, which county board shall
have control of the purchase of
liquors for the county dispensaries,
the appointment of dispensers, fixing
their salaries, etc.; all sales to be
made under the rules and regulations
Of the present dispensary law, with
such other and further restrictions as
may be thought wise by the Legisla-
ture.
am opposed to beer dispen saries,
as think that beer when sold at all
should be sold in the regular county
dispensaries.
favor a stringent law against the
unlawful sale Of liquor. My expe-
riences of twelve years as one Of the
solicitors Of this State has convinced
me that, whatever system may be
adopted, that unlawful! sales will BE
made by some. tits, therefore, neces-
sary that stringent laws should be
passed to punish the "blind tiger"
those who sell unlawfully.
Make it the duty of all the sheriffs,
deputy sheriffs, magistrates, consta-
bles, policemen and town marshals to
see that the law against the unlawful
sale Of liquor is rigidly enforced in
their counties, cities and towns, .nd
it might be we'll to give them half of
the fines that are collected from those
convicted through the agency of
such officers of the offense Of unl- r.
full sales, transportation or making
Of whiskey.
The county boards of control
should be required to make q report
to the presiding judge at each term
of the Court Of General Sessions for
their respective counties, showing
the purchases made, the amount Of
sales By the county dispensaries and
OF eli their acts as ench county
board of control, and should be lia.
bic criminally for any violation of the
law, rules aud regulations of the dis
pensary law.
am opposed to the high license
system; tits too near the old barroom
system, and would not decrease the
sales of liquor, whatever the restrio.
tions might be, but would increase
| them. The man who pays the high
license would want to make all the
profit he could, and hence, the more
! sales, the more profits. !:
Personally I would like to see NO
liquor sold in this State as beverage
but it is condition which confronte
us, and the question is how best to
deal with that condition. There il
no law that can be passed that will
keep some people from drinking
liquor, STILL bsiieve it to be the duty
Of the State to pass such laws as will
minimize the use of liquor as much as
possible.
This is brief outline Of my views
upon tho liquor question.