The Washington herald., 1909-06-30
PASSING OF DISPENSARY.
Bv FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

BY FREDERIC D. hAekIN.
The South Carolina liquor dispensary
viii close hnally to-day. The dispsnssry /
method OF regulating the liquor traGc
viii be continued in twenty-one OF the
forty-tro counties OF South Carolina, bat
the State VII go out OF the liquor busi-
ness for itself. leaving to its civil sub
divisions the field which It entered six
teen years ago. The people OF the Pal
metto state. just prior 10 the assembling
OF the state legislature for the session
at which the dlspensary law was enacted,
/ In 1898. voted to abolish the sale OF
liouor, and q was thought that a law 70
enectuate the will OF the people would
be enacted. They were given the dis
| pensary instead OF prohibition, although
| the lower house OF the legislature passed
a prohibition bill by a large majority
/ From the time Of the enactment OF the
State dlspensary law the system. or some
1 phase OF it, has been q principal issue
| IN every election IN South Carolina One
OF the chief concerns Of every legislature
has been TO correct some OF the evils of
the great moral institution. as the advO-
| Gates Of the system termed the dis
pensary. This term. as used by enemies
OF the dispensary, degenerated in the
vernacular into the &C. NJ l." The people
have never voted directly upon the ques-
ton Of dispensary or no dispensary.
The control OF the state dispensary was
vested In a board Of directors and a com
missioner. the latter the highest salaried
of1cer or the State government He man
| aged a business valued a. S3.00a 000 q year.
The commissioner and the board OF d.
rectors were chosen by The legislature
Each county dispensary WAS IN charge Of
| A dispenser. appointed by board OF
! control created for the county manage
ment OF the institution. Enforcement OF
| the dispensary law was vested In a con-
stabulary. under the orders Of the gov
ernor OF the State. This feature OF the
/ law produced most intense opposition. es-
Z peciaIly I'm the cities and towns The
/ constables were empowered 70 search rest
Z dences suspected OF containing contra
band LIQUOR. and the sexercise Of this
power occasioned riots and bloodshed 4.
various parts Of the state
4 The so-caIled police features Of th'
: system. and these continue 10 exist. d
2 not excite great criticism; indeed. thel
- appear 20 appeal 70 the great majority
n OF order-ioving citizens. Dispensers mus
u less than a half pint IN the case o
: whisky. and IN the case OF beer not les
r than q pint nor more than fve gallons
5 No Equor must be drunk or opened ol
e the PREMISES where sold. and no loiterin
i IN dispensaries IS allowed All dispen
> saries must stay closed from sunset Z
r sunrise. and must be kept closed on sun
DAYS. state. and national holidays. an
= on election days. including days on whic
20 primary elections are held. No liquor
Is allowed 10 be sold 20 minors. 70 intoxl
ie Gated persons. or 70 those who are in IN
'r habit Of becoming intoxicated The pei
y son desiring 20 purchase liquor must 4
N ont an application blank setting fort
" the purpose for which the liquor Is 70
purchased. and the amount desired. an
sign his name and address II the az
plicant IS not personally knOwa 10 n
dispenser as a reliable and trustwcrth
person OF good character and habits. II
dispenser must state that he Is not
ID minor nor an habitual drunkard-
e. But Il IS admitted by some OF the mo
al pronounced opponents OF the system til
:, II has not had a fair trial In South Car
lima. either as a trade enterprise, a p
a lice regulation. OF a Temperance measur
De The overwhelming majority OF the peop
% of the towns in which the dispensaTi
Il were located were bitterly opposed
IA Gov. now Senator) Tillman. and CO
re sequontly opposed the dispensary. whi'
90 he fathered. On the other hand.
= friends shouted for the system witho
? regard 20 its merits South Carolinisr
81 now that much 81 the heat OF tho
sA earlier days has passed. admit this. a.
II that the dispensary has not been fair
tested
n Virginia has the dlspeRsary IN oPeT
- ton IN nine counties and twelve towI
bs and has had some OF them for yea
he Il is said that no Virginia town has eF
abandoned the dispensary system once