Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-02-15
WALHALLA, y. q. ;
THE PROPER PLACE FOR WHISKEY.

During the past few days the dispen-
sary has come in for large share of at
tention and discussion at the hands of
our lawmakers. That body seems to be
divided into three classes, just as the
citizens of the whole State are divided
those favoring the system, those radi-
cally opposed to it, aud those who are
still undecided as to whether this system
is better or worse than high license or as
good rs prohibition, and who, therefore,
are willing to let things stand as they
now are and await developments.
In the discussion OF this question last
Saturday there were some strong sent-
ments expressed on both sides. Natu-
rally enough the expressions that voice
our sentiments are tho ones that strike
us most forcibly. We have always been
opposed to principle that enables the
State to deal in and sell to it's citizens
the stuff that is damning thousands every
year. We are in favor of national pro-
hibition, or the next best system, that of
high lioense-fixed SO high that the
wealthy can afford liquors only as a
at all. This is one commodity that this
country would be infinitely better off
without, and tho higher the price the
better for all concerned. All measures
looking toward the cheapening of the
stuff work an injury to the people, and
in that respect moro than any other the
dispensary system has proven a curse,
and made beasts of some who, under
high license system, would not have had
sufficient money to make beasts of them
selves.
We do not believe that every citizen
will be held, at the final accounting, as
responsible for part in the degradation
of his fellow-man by reason of his citi-
zenship in State that handles liquor.
There are thousands of citizens of South
Carolina who are, unwilliugly and against
their open protest, made partners in the
business of dealing to their fellow-man
the damning stuff. We do not believe
that such are in any way responsible for
che results that come. But there are
two classes who are responsble-those
who support the system and those who
neither support nor oppose it.
The dispensary system has it's good
features; this everybody will admit; but
we are opposed to the Commonwe ealth
descending to the level of a bar-keeper
when it is admitted that the business is
debasing. debauchng aud unfit for the
private citizen to engage in. II we pro-
hibit the individual, AZ an individual,
from selling to his fellow. man this stuff
which bears curse, where is the con-
Sstency of compelling every citizen to
occcmc, some willingly and some against
their wills, partners in the LIQUOR busi- /
ness and indirectly partakers of the
profits derived therefrOm2 We rather
like the sentiment contained in Senator
Ialbird's talk before the body of which |
he is member. He said:
There is no man in the Senate who
aikes whiskey more than do. like to
smell it, to drink it and to feel it's effect. |
but | recognize the fact that whiskey
has its place. and that place is in hell. |
1t is not right he continued "to put
the cup in the mouths of citizens. We
will have to account to God for it, and
that is when we must give our final ac-
count. Let all who drink go to hell their
own way, but let not the Christian peo- |
pie aid them. Tho law has never been
carried out as it ought to, and it never
will"
GEO, B. CORrEIYOU will be nominated