Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-10-11
REV. c. wARDLAw ON THE DIsPENsARY.
Appeals 10 Citizens to DO Their Duty and
Avoid Responsibility ty--Seneca's Experience.

Tuesday, October "a, is the day
on which every lover of home, and
humanity, and purity is expected to
do his duty. The question has been
asked the qualified electors of the
county, What will you do with the
dispensary? The voter is given the
opportunity to put himself on the
side of peace and order and sobriety,
and to wash his hands and con-
science of the responsibility for the
crime and suffering that may come
from the sale of liquor in the dis
pensariea, should they be continued.
And | appeal to and urge each voter
bravely to do his duty. Help your
fallen brother to rise. Bear another's
burden by putting out of the way
temptation. Would Jesus vote for the
dispensary? If you think He would
not, then you, who are His, dare not.
1t is no sufficient excuse to vote for
the dispensary, saying that prohibi-
tory laws are violated. Has not the
dispensary law been the most vio-
lated law of the State during the
last decade, from the highest official
down to the poorest citizen? If one
opposes prohibition because it is
violated, surely the more should the
dispensary be opposed on the same
ground. No one is foolish enough
to claim that voting the dispensaries
ont will stop entirely the drink habit.
But no fair minded man can doubt
that it will greatly decrease drinking.
In Seneca, during the past three
weeks, with the local dispensary
closed, but the Pendleton and Wal
halla dispensaries open on either side
of our town, there has not been
more than one~tenth of the drinking
in Seneca. This is the opinion of the
Intendant of the town, the chief of
police and many citizens. During
these three weeks, SO far as is known
to the writer, there has not been a
drunken white man on the streets,
and only about three colored men,
two of whom got the whiskey at
Walhalla.. and one at Pendleton.
Those who have taded at Seneca
recently know that the closing of the
dispensary has been a three weeks of
blessing to many, and has given to
the town during that time peace and
order anditsobriety. Will you not
help us to continue this condition by
voting the dispensaries out?
Those who vote for the dispensary
are responsible for the crime and suf-
fering that will result from its con-
tinuance, should it be continued.
You would not commit murder, YOU
would not kill your father, you would
not break your wife's heart, you
would not curse God and then com
nit suicide; but from the following
learn lesson:
There is an old legend of man
who sold his soul to Satan. The
conditions We're For certain num-
ber of years this man was to have all
his desires gratitied, at the expira-
tlon OF which his soul was forfeited.
When the time agreed upon had
expired, this man was unwilling to
fulfill his part of the contract, and
asked Satan upon what terms he
might be released. The reply was ::
eff you will curse God will re
lease yon."
NO." said the man, 81 cannot
curse the Being whose nature ia love.
Give me something less fearfully
wicked"
"Thep kill your father" replied
Satan, "and you go free
"No," answered the man, "that is
too horrible to think of. | will not
commit such crime. Are there no
other conditions ?"
zone more," said the temptcr.
"You must get drunk"
"That is a very easy thing to do"