The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-27
70 the Citizens of Clarke County

In view of the petitions now being
circulated, and the advertisements
now running in the papers, the object
of which is 10 abolish the dispensary
the undersigned committee of citizens
of Clarke county respectfully submit
this address to our fellow citizens:
We are deeply concerned for the
moral and material welfare OF the com
munity. We are men of business who
have given our best endeavors and the
best years of our lives to the upbuild'
ing of the city and county. Our inter
ests are all here, we intend to remain
here, our families are to grow up here
and everything that affects the moral
and material well being of the com.
munity touches us most dearly. We
feel emboldened therefore to address
you freely on this matter that is OF
personal interest to every citizen OF
this county.
That there are many ard woful evils
connected with the use of Intoxicating
liquors no man will deny in this day
and time. That it is the bounden duty
of every man to do all in his power to
restrain these evils as Tar as possible
all men will admit.
That liquor will be sold legally or
illegally in every community and es-
peclally in every community the size
of Athens, nobody will attempt to
deny.
The question therefore before every
thoughtful, moral man, Is how shall
this inevitable traffic in liquors be best
restricted 80 that the least possible
harm shall come to individuals and to
the community. That there should be
differences of opinion on this matter is
natural, especially among those who
are guided only by theories. But
there are many among this committee
who have lived our lives in Athens
and we have seen in actual practice
every known method of dealing with
the LIQUOR traffic and we know by per-
sonal experience the good points and
the bad points of each of these meth
ods. We have tried barroOms, we
have tried prohibition and we have
tried the dispensary and our unani-
NOUS and earnest conviction is that for
Athens there is more of good and less
of harm in the dispensary than in
either of the other methods.
Up to the 25th day of February,
1885, barrooms existed in Athens.
Among these barrooms and barkeepers
were some OF the worst specimens that
ever afflicted long suffering commu-
nifty. The town was ruled by them,
politics were controlled by them, al
dermen were elected by them, laws
were made and ruthlessly broken by
them. We were absolutely ut their
mercy.
At last patience was exhausted and
on the 25th day of February, 1885, an
election for prohibition was held. On
that morning the citizens of East Ath-
ens, TWO hundred strong, formed in
double column and marched 10 the
court house. AS they advanced
through the town others joined them
until, as they approached the court
house, nearly every white voter in
Athens was in line. The women lined
the sidewalks and waved their hand.
kerchiefs. the men cheered and shout.
ed and threw their bats in the air, ii
was triumphal procession Of The citi.
zenry marching to the polls to inangu.
rate peace, order and morality IL q
sorely harassed and debauched com.
munity. The result was an over.
whelming victory for prohibition, out
of 1856 votes cast prohibition received
1868. In Athens the vote stood $50 fol-
prohibition against 27l for barroOms.
The prohibition majority was great
er than the barroOm vote. Prohibition
thus started out under magnificent
auspices, with tWo-thirds OF all the
x.,,oltGnl ond NJ tao l1u O Ill the
white voters in it's favor. 1t was tried
until July 9Th. 1891, and proved u dis.
appointing failure to ITS sanguine
friends. so great a failure a0as If thai
a clear majority Of all the v0ters in
Clarke county signed a petition tG
bring ON an election for bdrTooTaS.
The prohibitionists rallied theiI
for ces and did their utmost to stem the
tide that set in strongly against them
but their fight was as hopeless as it was
gallant. The ldW aDas openly GnQ
sbanaeLesSy piolated, blind tigers were
everywhere bold and defiant and ply
ing their Defarious trade With impuni'
ty. Juries refused to convict lR the
plainest cases. Barrooms in all bu,
name and with none of the salntary
tDhS LUG Id" Gblo"
around licensed saloons were running
day and night and week day and Sun
day. Men were growing rich by in.
fringing the law and law itself was
coming into disrepute. The state OF
things was iDtOlerable to any map who
knew the facts and loved decency and
order. Rallies aeere held, evangeiists
and pastors preached, men and no
men prayed and aOorked, but p7OhiCi-
ton in Clarke aUls doomed, it had beep
tried and found wanting. Scores OF
men who by profession and practice
were temperance men refused to lend
their aid to continue the intolerable
state of affairs then existing. Finding
that their fight was hopeless and that
defeat was certain, few days before
the election the prohibition club an
nounced the dispensary as it's platform
Then all who opposed barrooms came
to their help and the election was car,
risd by bare majority of eleven in
vote of 1913.
The majority against barrooms had
dropped from 57l to II and the actua
vote had fallen from 1868 out of l555 tc
9Ol out of 1913.
This family represents the change ir
public sentiment that prohibition it