The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-14
Charleston and the Law.

business IN ChaElesloH 10
:ba hands of its own people. The law
forbids the sale of intoxicating oeV-
erages except through the county dis
nensaries. There are eleven Of these
authorized agencies in the city OF
charleston conveniently situated ana
onerated under the rules prescribed
bv law COR their conduct. They are
ven stocked with wines and liquors
and have been established for the
purpose of supplying the people Oh
the community with such beverages
as thev may require for their personal
an6 Family use. All other establish
noents at which intoxicating bever-
ages of any sort are sold are engaged
in an unlawful business punishable by
fne and imprisonment, and ought 10
be suppressed by those who are
charged with the management OF our
local affairs. Ie they are not suppress
"a hv tbis means it will be the duty
of the state authorities to interpose
in behalf of law and order.
It cannot be denied that we have
had fair chance in Charleston TO
amage gooa'' With the law. II we
have failed it is our own fault. 3hae
NO have failed in measure, at least
is amply demonstrated by the ex-
istence in this community Of large
number of establishments Of one sort
and another engaged in the Illicit IL
nuor traffic. We cannot deny that
there are abundant opportunities here
of buying whiskey and other into2l-
cants from other than the regularly
licensed places established under the
provisions Of the law. That such
illicit traffic is engaged in to very
large extent cannot be, and will not,
be. denied even by the local authori-
ties who are charged with the en-
forcement of the law It would prob
bly, be found upon close Investigation
that the city revenues are increased
by something like $4,000 year from
Individuals, corporations and clubs OF
one sort and another engaged in va
rieus industries in violation Of both
the statutes Of the State and the ordi-
nance Of the city.
There is large Illicit traffic in
-everybod knows it, and
none know it better than the city au-
thorities themselves, because at regu-.
lar stated intervals these people pay
the tolls extracted of them, and these
tolls are turned into the city treasury
There is no tiger chasing in the town,
no desperate pursuit of the game
from jungle to jungle. The beast
has become thoroughly domesticated,
and is one of the elements of our pic
turesque everyday life. ghe peonle
al over the Ssat@ are talking about
The inszannity extended TO me tigers
n This town. and they have rtgaE te
tax about It now as they never had
before. ..aer the old state dispen-
sary system there was much natural
Indignation in this and other thor
oughly democratic communities, at
the Interference Of a corrupt political
establishment with our local affairs
That tine is past. The present dis
pensary law was enacted by the
friends of Charleston, and with the
knowledge and consent and co-opera-
ton of the representatives of the peo-
pie of Charleston In our opinion it
does not provide the best possible set
tlement OF the liquor question, but II
afford: us degree, at least, of free
dom in the management Of our sacal
affairs.
There has been a growing senti-
ment in this community in favor of
the strictest enforcement Of this Law
and We shah prove utterly ob1:vious
to our own interests if foc any reason
Of revenue. or narrow local politics
or other insufficient cause we shall
fail to enforce the law in both spirit
snd letter. We say that our conditions
are peculiar, and there is something
n that view. bat it Will not excuse US,
ard ought not to excuse US, in the
Eyes of the law or in the public opin-
on of tne State. Just to the extent
hat Ne fail to carry out the provis-
sons Of the carey-cothran law shall
Qe be judged disloyal 10 our friends
ma sympathizers throughout the
;eaee. And they did the BEST they
ould for US in the passage Of this act.
sd we are not doing the best We can
justly their faith in US and their
egerd fo- US. There is great deal