Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-12-09
WALHAIiIIA, g.. O.:
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER o, 1908
THE PROHIBITION WAVE.

With the coming session Of the
General Assembly Of South Carolina
win also come a revival Of interest
in the prohibition movement. The
advocates Of Statewide prohibition
and they are legion in South Caro-
lima to-day, and their number in
creases year by year-will centralize
their work on the legislative bodies
at the opening Of the session, and
there will be no stay of energy until
rary defeat postpones the inevitable
and hoped for iron-clad prohibitive
legislation against the sale Of liquor.
One-half Of South Carolina to-day
is dry. and we venture the assertion
that If the question OF dispensary or
no dispensary should be Submitted to
the people in those counties still
holding on to the dispensary system,
fully one-half Of them would, by good
maj0rities, vote 1t out. There is no
questioning the trend of sentiment in
the South to-day. 1t is toward pro-
hibitiOn and better morals, the safe
guarding Of the coming generation
and systematic and constant effort
to throw out the lifeline" to the
generation Of to-day. The question
of prohibition Is fast gaining ground,
not only in South Carolina, not only
in the South, but over this entire
country.
If we could eliminate from the
minds OF many OF our people what,
to us. seems an entirely false idea
that prohibition infringes upon the
rights and liberties OF the individual
there would be no question as t.
an immediate and almost universal
turning to strict prohibition all over
the United States. Too many of us
stumble and Quibhle over the ques-
tion of individual liberty, and spend
too much time arguing as to whe-
ther or not prohibition prohibits
There is but one answer to these
questions, and that Is that each of
us Is, in measure, acting as our
brothers keeper, and 1t is our duty,
whether liquor proves temptation
to MS or not, to keep it from those
who are weaker and less fortunate,
and to whom it proves a STUMBLING
block or milestone about the neck.
True, prohibition has never entirely
prohibited, nor will 1t ever entirely
prohibit. We have from the COM
mandmcnts of Christ a prohibition
law, Thou shalt not KILL" but from
the days of Cain and Abel man has
slain his fellow-man, and though "a
life for life" is the penalty we will
have the murderer with us until time
shall cease. Shall we, therefore an
nul the prohibition against murder,
because 1T does not prohibit entirely?
Is 1t useless? Is it Il farce? Repeal
this law, and where we now have
one murder we will have a hundred.
The same rule applies to the sale
of liquor, though OF course the two
cases are not entirely parallel. Oco-
nee has had her day Of open bar
rooms, OF dispcnsarics, and she Is to-
day enjoying her day Of prohibition,
anl while there are violators and
violations Of the law. still who will
say that We are 70, infinitely bet
ter off now than when liquor was
openly and legally sold in our midst?
On every hand we see the benefits Of
prohibition, but If you want to get
at the evidence to convert you to the
prohibition cause 60 to the wives
and children OF the men who habitu-
ally drink liquor, and take deep into
your souls their words. They will
melt the hardest heart and convert to
the cause Of prohibition the firmest
believer in the theory that every
man has the right to do, in all
things, as he pleascs, and that to
say a man shall not traffic in liquor
is an abridgement of his liberties;
they will convince any one that, while
prohibition does not prohibit en-
tircly, in theory and practice 1t is
right.
God speed the day when the cause
OF prohibition shall prevail over this
entire land! Then may we see and
realize the answer Of every Cody
mothers prayer, and know more Of
what true manhood and womanhood
is capable.