The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-10-16
Dispensary or Blind Tigers.


opponents Of the dispensary held a meet
ing in the Methodist church last MONDAY al
ternoon, and organized an anti-dispensary
club, with a full set OF officers and q eommlt
teeman from each county.
Abbeville in 1892 was among the strongest
prohibition counties In the Stale.
Whether we are now to have the dispeneary
or blind tigers Is OF secondary Importance.
The great and important thing for each OF
us to do, Is to so act and to 80 speek as not 10
array one against another.
The fact ia, that all men are patriotic and
love their country. The virtue and the hon.
esty Of the country is not all on one side.
The difference between the dispenaary and
blind tigers Is not enough to repay for III feel
ings that may he ~engendered.
Years ago this newspaper advocated the
opening Of the dispensary at later hour IN
the day and closing It In the afternoon. Ii
the dispensary was open for only a few hours,
instead OF all day, the sales would be reduced,
and the demand Tor blind tiger LIQUOR would
not be so great as If the dispensary was
closed.
There can be NO doubt that the Legislature
may regulate the sale OF liquor as they do OF
AQY OIQ6I pOlbOuY dAo NoA
that LIQUOR, like other poisons, Will be wanted
or needed. And whether the dispensary is
continued or discontinued intoxicating liq-
uors will be brought into the county.
Good people have q right to believe that the
love'of LIQUOR is one Of the besetting sins OF
the time. And they even think that the Of
foe OF dispenser is Incompatible with church.
ly relations. AS yet we have heard no decla-
ration as to the propriety OF a good church
man holding the Office OF express agent,
where he must handle car loads OF the stun,
and hand II out to all who choose to order II
from q distant city. Imagine, II you can,
how q good and conscientious Christian
ohurchman receiving jugs on Sunday, and
then hauling them to the office from which
he Is to hand out the stuff to saint or sinner
as the case may be. II II Is wrong TO handle
bottles and jugs OF liquor in q dispensary. Ia
the act sanctihed by calling the place OF de-
livery an express office!
Again: II 1t is wrong for q dispenser or an
express agent TO handl goods In bottles and
Jugs, what about the railroad agent at the de-
pot? II the hands OF the dispenser and the
express agent become unclean because OF the
handling Of liquor. how can the hands OF the
railroad agent be clean, II he does the same
thing7
II the Legislature should enact q prohibl-
tory law, why should the railroads and their
trsinmen be allowed to convey to as an out
lawed article?
It is very easy to assume that we are better
and purer than our nelghbors, and 1t Is equal
ly az easy for such neighbors as are better
than the rest OF us, to assume q monopoly OF
the virtues.
Speaking for this editor: II our preachers
would seek to instill temperance principles.
and would not seek to make men sober by
law, they would accomplish a better work.
II they would warn the young against the
dangers that beset those who drink, they
would act along the line OF their legitimate
professions.
AS q man ought to be honest from Princi-
pie. and not from fear Of the law. 30 a man
ought to be sober from conviction, and not by
force OF the ctvil government.