The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-09-25
The Press and Banner.
Published Every Wednesday.
Abbeville. s. O..
Wednesday, Sept. rs, 1907.
The Difference.

Presbyterian lB an appear 10 Lne peopl
to do the wrong. 1t attempts to ridicul
the higher tax which Will be levied TO pay
for the court house in case the dispensary II
abolished.
The Due West School has been receiving
her share OF the liquor profits since the organ
ton Of the dispensary. AS far as we recollect
no whimper was raised against the dispense
ry until after this county had by authority o
the Legislature, at the request OF Thousand
citizens, awsrded q contract for building 8
court house which. when completed, 1t is es
1imated, will cost sc, 600. The contract for the
bare walls is S58,5O0. Water, lights, sewerage
and office furniture will run the cost up to
$4,000.
Whether or not the sensitive conscience
would condemn the people OF Abbeville
County for taking into account legitimate
dispensary profits in the contemplated build
ing Of court house, makes no difference
The fact Is that the profits were taken into
account, and representation was made TO the
legislature that with these profits the court
house could be built without material cost 10
the taxpayers Of the county. With this nm
derstanding, over thousand good people OF
the county petitioned for the building OF the
court house,
The appeal of the Presbyterian might lead
tho people to think that the court house Is
something In which the people OF the ooun-
try are not equally interested with the people
OF the city Of Abbeyille. .
III this effort which is now being made TO
abolish the dispensary is from sincere and
conscientious convictions why did the Pres
byterlan lie still for twelve or fifteen years,
and then spring this question In way to mis-
lead the people into going into a war
fare against their own interests! 1s the
Presby yterlan making an unworthy appeal
to prejudice against q neighboring town
which has ON many occasions shown sub
stantial evidence OF friendship and good will
toward Due Wests
Have the promoters Of this enterprise acted
in an open and frank manner? Did they con-
suit anybody in Abbeville or did they act
otherwise? Has Abbeville ever presumed to
interfere with the town OF Due West?
, Our good friends at Due West on former CO.
casions, when anything OF interest to thai
town was TO bsldiscussed, came amongst us as
friends. They consulted with those who are
generally described as leading citizens.
learn that Mr.. Sturkey came to Aobe7ille
= and left q copy @ his petition with Mr.. Ed
munds. most excellent mechanic who hiss
lately moved among US, and who is the faith.
ful keeper Of q shop in which good repair
work may be had at any time. He 10 man
who is all right. and deserves the highest re
spect as Citizen.
But has the Presby terrain psid Us that much
IN fobo obor =,
nicipal AFFAIRS OF the town Of Abbevills? For
many years the friends Of Erskine College,
and they include all the citizens. wanted pro-
hibition, and II any man in Abbeville ever
threw straw In the way OF her having her
own way in that matter, do not now recall
the fact.
- The question now Is not whether the dis
pensary is right or wrong. 1t is certainly no
worse to day than it has been from Its foun-
dalton, or from the day Of it's establishment.
Due West having received Its full share OF
the profits during that time. submit that 1t
Ill becomes that pious paper to hold up its
hands in holy horror at this late hour. after
the peoples court house bas been torn down
, and before the very foundations OF the new
one has been laid. Has the Presby terian
been asleep all these years, or has 1t received
q revelation that it should impose the un-
expected taxation on the people OF every pai I
OF the county,
Except on the ground that the Presbyterian
now has an extra spssm OF seli.righteous.
ness. 1t would have put the people OF the
county on notice that 1t would propose to
abolish the dispensary. and thus keep them
out Of trouble.
Bot having remained quiet while the
court house question was being settled
there Is no possibility OF claiming that the
acting in q way that would commend itself
OF the best people.
Let DO man misunderstood me. The char.
acter Of the dispensary business is not under
discussion. The time for that has passed
Having acquiescsd In the dispensary when
the issue was q live one, IT. Is not RIG BIT to
dig 1t up when the people have become
involved because Of the silence OF those who
neg glected, or were afraid to speak cut at the
right time. Even a wrong should be Tough,
with the principles OF honor
The agents Of the county have not been
treated right. Asked to build court house
IT Is proposed. after they let the con.
tract, to take the revenue which they had
right 70 expect.
orsbly and fight fairly.
II the opponents Of the dispensary hat
raised their voices last winter, contracts To-
peither the court house nor the city hal
would have been tet.
II the movement had been made at tn
right time, the friends OF the proposition
might have had an active supporter In th
Press and Banner. but as they waited unit
after the big contract was awarded 1t woult
neither be honest nor honorable In me TO tr,
TO embarass and deceive the people. Tn
people, II they are told fully OF the tact
and then want to assume the payment q
this large debt, I shall not complain. !
is their right TO stop the income from tn
dispensary, tfthey are willing to make goo
the deficit.
This much for the county and the peol
living in the country. If Due West and Nc
Cormick want to contribute to the building G
the Court house. 1t is their right TO do so, an
they must do SO, II the dispenssry Is vote
out.
But. whatever may be the facts, I think tn
efforts Of the Presbyterian are directed at tn
town OF Abbeville, and It's appeal to th
people is to do an act which they would soor
to do II they were fully aware Of the res
situation. Is not the Presbyterisn's g use of th
dispepRary merely an evidence Of illwill fe
the town which has so often In the pa
bsen the friend and benefactor OF the tow
OF Due West4
And who knows but what the town Of Du
West Itself has had Its vision cleared by tt
dispensary7 Due West has always been r