The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-10-05
A Strong PLEA
FOR PROHIBITION.
SHOWING The EVILS OF DRINK And
The CURSE OF The DISPENSARY.

Does the steady increase III Iue
consumption of intoxicating liquors
in South Carolina indicate a step
toword prohibition?
The factory value of the dis
titled and malt liquors made in this
country in 1900 was s334,O6S, ,l56.
-Rhey cost the men who drank them
five or six times that amount, say
s., ,OO4, 4OS, ,936. Now if the people
stopped drinking they could with
the money saved each year pay all
the distiIlery and brewery workers
their present wages, pay the pro-
prietors Of the industry ten per cent
on their capital, and pay sellers OF
material to it ten per cent on their
sales dc compensation for loss OF
trade at total cost of $50, 100000.
They might even support, until their
bread winners could find work, all
the families of the middle-men in
the business, and still save an
enormous amount, at least 500,000,-
900 vcar. Have lou ever thought
how costly it is to drink liquor and
how much can be saved by not
drinking? Our largest and best
merchants tell me their sales have
been cut not less than twenty-five
per cent by the establishment of the
dispensary at this place and that
they could feel the effects the very
first week of its existence.
Many of our best farmers tell me
their farm help has become demora-
lized by the dispensary; hands leave
the good old country farms and flock
to the dispensary town. where they
can loaf around and pick up enough
Job work to buy liquor with.
The dispensarY is the greatest.
tax gatherer this old State has ever
seen. The daily laborer pays to it
his hard earned money. The farmer
pays to it his strawberry money,
his tobacco money, his cotton
money and very often his real estate
money. The merchant pays his
share too. They all pay into the
liquor treasury money-money that
should buy dresses for pale faced
women. shoes for bare feet girls and
bread and meat for hungry children.
Whiskey causes nearly all the
crimes of our lana-who pays the
cost of the courts? Does North
Carolina or Kentucky OF some other
people? No indeel. The people
right here in Lake City and Will
liamsburg county pay 1t. The
State sells the poor creature u dol
lars worth of liquor; it crazes him;
he GOES and commits crimes that
cost the State thousands of dollars.
For every dollar revenue the State
and county pay their thousands.
Look at the splendid financial con-
ditlon Of the State of Maine. Look
ar the splendid condition of Mari
boro. one Of our sister counties, the
fertile farms, fine residences, heautl-
ful churches and last, but not least,
the big bank accounts of her citizens.
Is Williamsburg with her three open
barrooms keeping pace with
Marlboro? | think not. God smiles
on the good.
Wipe out liqucr from the borders
and old Williamsburg With ten and
twelve and half ceHt cotton will
blossom as the rose and be a garden
spot of our beloved south land.
The physical effects of liquor are
evident. 1t interferes with the
chemistry of respiration, 1t inter
feres with the natural process of
nutrition and waste.
it,causes weakening of the heart
structure. 1t hinders the activity
of the liver. 1t has an injurious
effect upon the kidneys, lessening
the discharge of urea, which, retain
ed, becomes a poison to the system
1t injures the leucocytes, or "guar
dian cells" Of the body, whose duty
it is to prey upon bacteria and otner
organisms. 1t produces delirium