The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-01-29
STRIPES AND BARS.
Yorkville ENQUIRER.

| 1oihNNlo
If there is one perDicious fault that
The Enquirer tries to guard against
more than another, it is q feeling of
vindicativeness against anybody or
anything.
This paper would not lay claim to
virtue superior to that possessed by
others who try to do right, nor would
| 1t put itself in the position of appear
| ing to think that it Is 80 very just that
| 1t cannot be wrong. 1t does, however,
hold to the belief that 1t cannot afford
to stand for any kind of a compromise
with wrong, and upon moral questions
1t Is unwilling to occupy half way
ground.
1t was suggested some time ago by
an esteemed contemporary, that in
overthrowing the dispensary and put
ting stop to the rottenness and co.,
ruption that was permeatipg the insti-
tuition and reaching out into other de-
partments Of the state government, the
people could afford to feel con tent; but
The Enquirer has never been satisfied
with any such view as this.
The virtues of honesty and integrity
have always been held in high regard
in South Carolina. It is true that ju-
ries are not as infallible as they might
be; but public sentiment has always
been powerful against those who would
acquire questionable gain by dishonest
means. There have been men who
stole Thousands and escaped the law !;
but they and their children even of the
third and fourth generation have
found 1t difficult to acquire ease of con-
science as against the accusing attitude
of large class of people who persist
emily insist upon condemning such
practices. s.-.
During the nightmare of corruption
that lasted almost throughout the life
of the dispensary, it began to look as
If fragrant stealing was to become hon.
orable. Men of presumably high 30
cial and moral standing sought and Sc
cured places in connection with the
business and while 1t was evident that
they were stealing thousands and
thousands of dollars, there were those
who would scout the suggestion with :
the claim that such men would not
think of such thing. Duplicity and
hypocrisy were making most alarming
strides in undermining the integrity
Of the commonwealth.
It may be that South Carolina is big,
strong and powerful enough to.allow
ment they have merited without sus-
tanning harm to herself but we do not
think 80. While we would not deny
that honesty is real, concrete virtue.
we are Of opinion that it is not neces-
sarily an innate quality. There are
people who were born honest maybe,
and had honesty instilled into them
afterw ard until there could be no de-
parture but most people are honest
because they realize how miserable
they would become If they should give
the world good cause to look upon
them as otherwise. But dishonesty is
as contagious as the smallpox. When
men OF recognized position and reputa-
ton are allowed to stoop to dishonesty
without being made to feel the weight
'of public contempt, thousands of 9TH
er less conspicuous individuals are in-
clined to use the circumstance as justi-
ficstion for doing likewise. From this
poinS of view, the cost of the dispen-
sary to South Carolina has been terri
BILE.
As we see it, there Is but one way by
which South Carolina can regain any
considerable part of what she has lost
on account Of dispensary corruption,
and that is by putting stripes on the
people who are responsible for that
corruption and putting them behind
the bars. Thus, and thus only can an
adequate corrective be administered to
thousands wLo have strayed from the
paths of honesty on the excuse of hav-
ing such conspicuous examples and
precedents higher up.
There are those who have been dis
posed to preach that Mr.. Lyon had
done enough in throwing on the light
that resulted in the overthrow of the
state dispensary, and that he was war;
ranted in giving his entire attention to
other affairs "more important" than
the punishment of the thieves. But
there has been nothing more impor-
tant than the punishment Of the
thieves and there is nothing more inn
portant than this now. The attorney
general stands more in need of the
backing and support OF all good citi-
zens now than be ever did, and it is
sincerely to be hoped that this backing
and support will not be withheld.