The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-16
Charleston and the Law.

find their level.
1t Is the belief in this adjustment
between public sentiment and the law
that inspires the doctrine of local op-
tion In the sale OF intoxicating liquors.
The local optionist believes that if a
community as whole and generally,
believes in the sale Of whiskey, then it
is useless by statute to attempt to shut
out whiskey from such territory.
The prohibitionist believes, on the
other hand, that the law can keep a
people from drinking even if they
wish. to. The general experience, we
feel safe in saying, Is that prohibition
laws are enforced satisfactorily where
the preponderance Of public senti-
ment Is in favor of prohibition; and
that prohibition fails more or less la
mentally, generally more, where the
sentiment of the community is in op-
position to the principle and practice
Of prohibition. In short the enforce
ment Of prohibition or other law de-
pends upon the support given the law
by the moral sentiment of the COM
munity that lives under the law.
Missionaries who believe that law
may be thrust upon a community and
enforced against the communitys will
ought to try trip to Charleston.
walk around the city bit and gee for
themselves how the liquor laws Of the
State Of South Carolina are being OBJ
served there. AS somewhat cynical
gentleman remarked, the only diff
ference between things now and in the
old bar-room days Is that now the
restaurant is In the front of the build
ing and the bar beh.nd, while former
ly the bar was in front and the res.
taurant behind" And that is the
simple truth Of 1t. There is in Char
lesion, so far as an innocent onlooker
may perceive, no effort nor appear
ance at an effort to enforce the dis
pensary law. There are dispensaries
In Charleston but they are there prin-
cipally for the convenience of those
that prefer 10 buy bottled liquor rath..
er than liquor by the drink. For those
that Wish a bottle or liquor. there are
the dispensaries; for those that pre-
fer It by the drink. there are the bars
Charleston Is not enforcing the dis
pensary law; 1t has not enforced it in
the past and 1t does, not intend to en-
force 1t in the future. Charleston
does not approve Of the dispensary
law; does not wish the dispensary law
and II the State OF South Carolina
sees fit to thrust such a law upon
that city 1t will refuse to observe it
that is the attitude OF the people of
Charleston. They believe they are
right; they believe that they have the
right to dicide for themselves whether
or not liquor shall be sold in that
city. and how it shall be sold. 1t is
little use to argue; it is practically
useless to tell them that the law IS
the law and should be obeyed solong
as 1t is the law. They will admit all
that but they will. however, conclude
as usual with the statement that the
law In this case does not suit Char
lesion.
And the law does not suit Charles
ton. and will not suit her until the
character of her people is changed.
We people from the middle country
and the up-country are accustomed To
say that Charleston is peculiar" and
IL Is true in the respect at least that
Charleston is more strongly under the
influence of foreign sentiment than is
any other city or section of the State.
IL Is a port and so comes in contact
with all the various tribes of men that
go down to the sea and over the sea
IN ships; 1t is the home OF numerous
German population, with their old
world ideas of the uses Of drink: it is
population that traces its descent back
TO the sunny fields OF France where
the grape ripens only that it may be
the happy victim OF the wine-press.
All these people, and all the people
that are under their influence, believe
In moderate drinking, and with rare ex-
ceptions practice moderated drinking.
1t Is hard to convince them that it is
wrong, even when the law says so, to
take a drink. In so far it may be ad-
mitted that Charleston Is peculiar"
Roughly the difference was, numof-
cusly' stated by a wag who remarked
that In Charleston drinking Is "thc
accomplishment Of q gentleman. esle-
where 1t Is the vice Of roproboto.