Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-28
,r would be wholly satisfied.

islands out. however. with great
lclearness that in all these dispensary
counties the revenue feature makes
largely, IL not mainly. for the sys-
TENS popularity. In Georgetown
and Beaufort, where the white popu-
Ilation Is small and the negro popula-
ton great, II Is likely that the ne
groes contribute the great bulk Of
Idispensary revenues and in the mat
ter of taxation this inures to the
Iproportionate advantage Of the
whites. 1t Is to be observed that
Barnwell and Bamberg favor the dis
pensary, because Of unpleasant men,
ories Of a prohibition regime. An
derson. on the other hand. and
Oconee, which had prohibition. are
expected to vote 1t again.
Besides Greenwood and Marlboro,
Aiken. Greenville and Hampton are
not considered in this summary. In
Greenville- petitions are in circula-
ton and there is chance that the
dispensary will be voted out. Hamp-
ton may. perhaps. In the absence OF
information. be set down in the dis
pensary column for the present, and
the same may be said as to Aiken.
AS to the enforcement Of the law
1t appears that It Is rigid generally
| in the towns, other than Charleston
and Columbia. In only one or two
dispensaries anywhere Is the re-
quest blank feature Of the law re-
garded. In two counties dispensaries
are located outside Of towns and In
these II seems uncertain that the
dispensary regulations are observed.
In Horny county 1t appears that the
friends of the dispensary by estab-
fishing rum shops In the county. In
their greed to derive liquor revenues
from that former prohibition county.
have created a most deplorable de-
mobilization. When the series or
latrocious crimes that have been
committed in Horny in recent years
Is compared with the orderliness
that prevailed before the dispensary's
time, no better illustration can be
desired Of the evil that follows when
the restrictive aims of the dispensary
are forgotten in the reckless endeavor
to swell its revenues.
Perhaps. the most important fact
brought out In the letters Is the fire.
quency of blind tigers In rural dis
tricts. Numbers Of correspondents
| speak Of Illicit sales beyond the town.
and while the information as to them
Is not definite 1t Is sufficient to indi-
cate the possibility that the dispensary
sales In original packages lead to re-
failing by the drink by negroes and
others when the packages have been
carried out of town. Opponents Of the
dispensary have always claimed that
the system has greatly multiplied the
number Of rural blind tigers. These
| tigers, as q rule, do not run shops, but
they carry a bottle or demijohn to
convenient places and dole. 1t out
Most Of the stuff comes from the dis
pensaries. AS the dispensary consta-
bles are stationed In towns and at
railway stations which they leave only
on information of particular yiola-
ton of the law. 1t seems that the with
drawal of the constables after a coun-
ty has voted prohibition would affect
the rural tiger business neither one
way or the other. Thus 1t may rea-
sonably be expected that whatever. II
any, failure of prohibition may result
from the present agitation will be con-
fined to the corporate limits Of the
towns in which dispensaries are To-
Gated.
1t Is interesting also to observe that
In several counties the prohibition Of
drinking on the dispensary's premises
has brought about the opening Of
places which. II not directly connected
with the dispensary. are conveniently
adjacent to them, where the whisky
purchasers may go and drink. 1t Is
curious that In the past IL years this
has not been larger development from
the dispensary system. and 1t may be
predicted that resorts where liquors
may be consumed after they have been
bought in original packages will In
time become common.
In many Of the letters the unrest OF
the people on account Of the corruption
In the state dispensary system is de-
scribed.
Finally, this conclusion Is establish
ed by the letters: The movement to
vote out dispensaries by counties has
gone too far to be checked at present
Senator Tillman's expressed desire
that the question Of prohibition or dis
pensary be left to the whole state,
made in his letter to Mr.. Higgins Of
Newberry. has been, and Is being,
quietly ignored 1t is certain that In
some Of the eighteen counties In which
:he agitation has begun the Prohibi-
tionists will succeed. Judging from
the experience Of Cherokee and Pick
ems in all or most Of these counties the
people will become welded to prohibi-
tion. and the consequence will be that
from these counties liquor selling will
be permanently banished, for even II
a ma ajority In the state shall prefer the
dispensary. II will not have the hardi-
hood to force 1t upon unwilling coun-
| ties.