The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-21
Lessons Of the Election.

COuullSS IudL fOIS0 oA VIZ A1AooN
question Tuesday declared in favor
of prohibition does not surprise US
in the least. In fact, the result was
.exaotly as predicted several days
before the election by The Times and
Democrat. When the fifteen coun-
ties voted out whiskey on Tuesday,
that made thirty-six counties in the
State dry by the vote of the people,
and left oSSsix wet. There is no
uuestionSegGt what large majority
of the white people of the State are
in favor of prohibition, and with
Alabama, Georgia and North Caroli-
ma in the dry column we have pro-
hibition in South Carolina under
the most favorable auspices. 1t is
now left to the people whether they
will make it success or let it prove
q, failure. We must not depend al
together on the officers to enforce
the law. but every citizen must do
his duty and hold up the hands of
the authorities.
We agree with the Columbia Rec
ord that "the most significant feature
of the situation is the fact that
only in Charleston county was there
anything like organized advocacy of
the dispensary. under disinterested
leadership. The dispensary system
State and county-during the last
sixteen years has gradually put the
liquor traffic more and more under
the ban in South Carolina, and there
are. today few. men, possessing capac-
ity. for leadership, with the oppor-
tunity to lead. who care or who dare
to stand up and advocate the sale
of whiskey under any law" The
adoption of the dispensary system
in South Carolina drove from the
State the wholesale liquor interests,
which, in States where it still has
foothold, is the worst enemy to
prohibition. as it always fights hard
to retain its hold. Prohibition had
no such formidable foe in South
Carolina, which was one of the ben
efts derlvcl IL lcm the dispensary sys-
tenn.
We think the Record is entirely
right when it says prohibition has
a stronger hold in South Carolina
today than in North Carolina, Geor-
gia or Alabama, its neighbofins
States. And why? Because in these
other States prohibition has been
forced on communities against their
will, and in consequence the law is
not observed in the anti-prohibition
centres, the larger cities. But in
South Carolina prohibition has won
It's way step by step, county by coun-
ty, through the will OF. the people
solely, every community having the
to select. There being
no wholesale liquor interests to ex-
ert influence in local electiens-as
there was in the other States men
expression Of the peo-
pies will has been untrammelled,
under the Brice act the Carey-Cath-
ran act and the compromise act of
1909"
The Record contends that "by
reason of this condition-the alb
sence of the wholesale liquor inf1u-
ence-the necessity does not exist
as the prohibitionists said it did ex-
ist in Georgia, for instance-to en-
act q State prohibition law. In
Georgia, under the local option sys-
tenn, while large majority of the
counties were dry there were large
LIQUOR interests in the cities which,
it was asserted, exerted strong in
fluences of an unworthy character
in local option elections throughout
the State. This is not the case, and
has not been in South Carolina,
where under the several local op-
ton laws of the last five years coun-
ty after county has gone dry until
now not more than a half dozen re-
main wet" This position Is well
taken. It might do more harm than
good to pass Statewide prohibition
bill. Charleston was the only coun-
ty that gave whiskey a substantial
majority. We believe that in short
time all the counties in the State,
with the single exception of Char
lestion, will vote whiskey out vol
UNFAIRLY, which would be better
than forcing a prohibition law on
them against their will.
The Record goes on to say that
''the lesson for the prohibilionists
Is obvious, and it will he very strange
If their sober-minded and sensible
leaders do not see it. Local option
has been in this State the strongest
ally of prohibition-making prohl-
bition, where it is voted, a force
and not farce To pass now
Statewide prohibition act will be
to lose in reality much that has been
already gained in substantial bene-
ct, swapping off the substance Tor
the shadow. That may he splendid,
but it is not practical" What the
Record says, we believe is true, but
the Drohibitionists are now fushed
with victory, and it is doubtful II
they will stop to consider the Ques-
ton in the practicable way the