The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-03-08
The WhiSkey Traffic.

We respect the Laurens Advertiser for It's
large mind in being able 10 see that men may
differ and still be worthy of consideration.
Among other things that paper says: =
'Some of you good, staunch honest men are
consclentiously standing by the dispensary.
We honor you for holding fast to your con-
yictiops. Nevertheless you are responsible
for forttfying whiskey selling In South Caro-
lima, making this State its Southern strong
hold and last refuge OF the traffic. There Is no
denying 1t. Elsewhere in the South they are
driving out whiskey and itihas been banished
from more than half of all Southern territory.
Senator Tillman gave you the dispensary
only sonthern State that has not Stepped "
long strides towards prohibition, in ID years.
We South Carolinians are selling more whis-
key every year."
But our good friend and able contemporary
forgot to tell US that thirteen years ago, the
State of South Carolina had licensed 500 bar
rooms. in which the News and Courier stated
that 5000 men were employed.
When about 100 or los dispensarles were OPEN
&c, the 500 bars were either closed or kept
open unlawfully, the immense capital, 900
houses, and 4.50 men removed from the de
structive side of the public economy. and
were ready to, enter upon the industrial or
useful pursuits.
Ifany State has closed more than nine
tenths OF its barrooms In the last thirteen
years, we are not Informed OF the fact.
We entirely agree with the Laurens Adver-
tiser in believing that good men see this IL
quor business from a different point, and, like
the Advertiser, we yield equal honesty and
conscientiousness to all who speak their con-
victions, be they what they may.
Another great benefit to the sobriety OF the
diffaropf o0no poppifSao 1{ac ~ thu foot thot
liquor is not sold by the drink. 1t Is not sold
on q credit, n at sundown the dispensaries
are closed until sunrise next day. They are
not open at all on Sunday.
1t isn't possible that 100 dispensaries could
sell more liquor and could make more drunk
ards than would 1000 barrooms. kept open un.
til late hours at night and where it could be
bought on q credit.
The increase In the sales may be accounted
for discriminating opposition 10 the dispen-
sary!; The dispensary sells liquor cheaper
than The bars sold 1t In former times, but the
opposition TO the dispensary was so great that
many people sent to other States for It. The
Interstate Commerce so protects the drinker
that there is no such thing as deprivipg him
ofllquor, II he wants 1t.
The apparent evidence of the increased con.
sumption of liquor in this State is accounted
for In realization of the fact that cheaper and
better liquor can be had at the dispensary
than can be had in the barrooms of other
States.
Another matter. The dispensary gives full
measure. which was not always done by the
licensed bars In aforetimes. "Sixes" and not
quarts" we believe, was the rule in many
cases.
The fair treatment Of It's customers, the
c%heapness and the pureness Of the liquor, has
broken much Of the forme opposition to the
dispensary. g.
The dispensary gives us prohibition for half
the time.
We do not know whether the Laurens Ad-
vertiser favors prohibition or license system
But here's three cheers for the newspaper
that can be fair.