The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-02-28


aiued circulation and influence of both OF
she old papers, and is manifestly the best
advertising medium in Sumter.
The large sum OF money flowing
srom the dispensary into its city treas
ary. has had a very softening influence
on the policy OF che Sumter Item,
and it would not surpise us in the least
se fRd that newspaper whooplng II
ED the coming summer for Tillman,
and other advocates Of the State als-
Sensary. OF course, this may depend
somewhat on who Senator Tillman Will
hack for governor. IF the Senator will
0acs Manning, we will look for The
Item to fy at its masthead T1iiman
and the state dispensary banner, and
II the senator is backing some other
adidate for governor it may be diff
serent. Manning Times.
.My Dear Appel should not i'm
oute motives to others that might, un-
de. favorable circumstances, influence
aim TO pursue particular policy.
The chief objection that we have to
sae dlspensary system is the profit
ma King feature We are of the opin-
son that the system has been dam
aged IN the public eye as greatly by
the agorts the managers have made to
sacrsases the, profits. as by the graft
That has permeated the State dispen-
ssry; and, if it were. managed in ac-
cordance with our views, the sales
would be curtaiied and the profits,
probably, decreased. In cur opinion,
sae system would accomplish greater
good as a regulator of the liquor traf-
<:e. Il nothing but the purest and high
est priced liquors were sold by the dis
pensarys It is not liquor itself that
Is evT, but It's use as a beverage, ana
eae dispensaTy management by selling
cheap liquor and using every effort
[Q lGCEGdSG Liz SAWS AAeA~os
sseft purpose for which it was osten-
ssoiy created. Still. despite this draw
back, we prefer the dispensary to high
license. which would make it to the d.
sect personal interest of the licensee to
sell ali the liquor he could and TO sell
she cheapest that he could get the peo-
pie to sssnG for.
theoretically, prohibition would be
eut choice, but as that is impossible
cs attainment we stand for the dispen-
sary properly and honestly administer
ed. The money that this community
receives from the dspensary is a mat.
Ser of secondary consideration, and if
we could rid Sumter ,of the evils that
ea use. oflauor as a beverage entails
a abahshiag the dispensary we would
gfadly See it abolished imm ediatey.
In so Ear as Senator Tillman has de,
aned his attitude on the dfspepsary. he
Is largely in accord with the views
we have entertained for years but in
some particulars he has not made his
aoesition clear we shall not change
s.a opinions because Senator Tillman
an1erfaias similar views; we shall con-
snue TO advocate the retention Of the
aispensary In preference to high
Dcense or county dispensaries, but in
.dozag SO We do not propose to become
partisan Of Senator Tillman or to
Troop it up for him. We really do
ssol see what the dispensary issue has
90 do with Senator Tillmans
campaign or why he should under
9ase to make It an issue. We cannot
see how either can be strengthened by
linking the two together and in fact
We do not care whether Senator Till
snan is elected or defeated, nor do we
care whom he supports for governor
The Item has always supported the
men and measures that seemed best,
ard that will be our policyin future.