The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-04-07
WILL SUMTER REMAIN "WET?"
Correspondent Analyses and Classifies Differ
ent Factors Affecting Coming Election.

Sumter, April 3 (Speciall. Will the
dispensary be voted out OF Sumter coun'
ty next August? That is a question
which is beginning to agitate the minds
of q great many people in Sumter And
the interest in the outcome OF the cleo
ton is greater than was expected to de-
velop so early in the game, so 10 speak,
considering that the election is nearly
five months OF.
There are, of course, different opin-
ions as to what the result will be. One
thing is apparent, however. and that Is
that the careful observer can not fail to
observe that there is going to be much
warmer fight than the average person
expected against the dispensary.
Whereas the general opinion some
time back was that Sumter county
would not vote out the dispensary, now
quite number of the most ardent ad-
vocates OF that institution are uneasy
and some OF them even admit that the
result of the election is IN doubt.
There appears to be p decided I'M
preston that the county vote is by a
considerable, and some of the anti-dis-
pensary advocates even claim an over
whelming, majority against the dlspen-
sary. That there are more voters II the
city Of Sumter against the dlspensary
than was at first thought is also evident.
! That number of the most influential
citizens of Sumter city and county are
against the dispensary. revenue or no
revenue, higher taxes or NOT, and that
some of the business men are beginning
to believe that trade will be helped in
stead OF being injured by the dispensary
being voted out. cannot be disputed. 1t
looks like the anti-dispensary wave is
incr easing some, and that the prohihi-
tionists are making some: converts
against the gin mill is also very plain.
But it cannot be denied either that a
great many OF our most sincere citizens
who would like to see the sale OF whls-
KEY discontinued believe that the dis
pensary is the best solution Of the whis-
KEY problem, and that prohibition will
prove a failure, thatit will not and can
not be enforced, and that it will not real
~ curtail the drinking OF whlskey to
any great extent.
The S25, ,00G annual revenue received
! bv the city and the county each, max.
ing $4,000 altogether annually as net
profits, appears strongly to perhaps a
majority at this time. But then it IS
also evident that the idea is fast gaining
ground that even with $500 net prof
It's from the dispensary every year, the
! fact that the county sends out OF the
county about 100000 annually for the
whiskev upon which the $50, 600 profits
are made, and that the people after all
pay dearly for the profits. this argument
! is beginning TO make inroads into the
diSpenSary forces.
This argument, however, IS combat
ted bv the argument that if the dispen-
sary is voted out, people viii send OF
for their whiskey just the same and that
Hundreds will go to Bishopville, Flor
ence. Orsngeburg, Timmonsrilie and
Columbia TO do their trading because
Sumter has no dispensary. presumlnS
of course that there is Il strong llkell.
hood that the other cities above men
toned will vote their dispensaries back
in
There are beyond doubt many more
Sumter citizens who would vote against
the dispensary if it was question Of
Statewide prohibition. But they vii,
not take chances on Sumber being dry
and nearby pival cities voting wet" be-
cause Of the trade losing or for fear rath'
er of the trade drawing features OF the
dispensary from anti-dispensary 10 dis.
pensary towns
1t is admitted by Clarendon people
and Sumter people that Sumter now get:
a large amount OF trade from the form
er county since the dispensary was vot
ed out in Clarendon. This Is used as ar
argument against voting out the sum
ter dispensaries.
The revenue aud trade-drawing fea
lures Of the dispensary have the great
est influence in favor OF voting it back
IN next August. The deplorable inan
cial condition of the city OF Greenville
is pointed out by the dispensary advo
Gates, whether correct or not. as b9lne
solely due to that city having voted ou
the dispensary and losing the revenue;
thereby.
1t is claimed by many dlspenslrle:
that if the dispeusary is vo:ed out tina
our schools will have to be closed up OF
badly crippled by much shorter term:
in the country districts, that taxes VII
have to be increased so that the people
will be overburdened with taxes, tina
trade will fall off so that our merchant
will loose many thousands of dollars
that hundreds OF people will be thrown
out of employment. wages generally re
duced, that the county changing wi!
have to go out OF business, that there
will be no improvements in the countr,
districts ia the shape Of better roads
that the city Of Sumter will have to in
definitely POSTPONE building bette
;, streets and cement sidewalks, and tha
; there will be general prolongine O
the Roosevelt panic, and dire calamit,
and sragnation OF business throughou
.ha cn,,ntv II the GisneuSarV IS YOtet