The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-11

Rev. {. B. Kennedy
Argues for Prohibition
According to The statement of the
dispenser more than $153, 900 was spent
for whiskey and beer during the yeal
1908, and the profit on the sale of this
liquor was less than 100000 Does
this pay? Would a merchant call il
good business if he spent two and q
half dollars to make one dollar? We
sent out of the county last year 1858,
900 and not one dollar was received in
return. The $50, 1000 which we speak
of as profit came out of the county.
Abbeville pulls out of one pocket $2l3,-
QUO and says: "Messrs. Brewers and
Distillers, 1 will give you $3.50 If
you will let me put $50, 900 in my other
pocket" 1t is claimed that the dis
pensary reduces the tax rate 81 mills.
Who pays the 81 mills, the Brewers or
the people of Abbeville? Abbeville
says: "Messrs. Distillers, if you will
furnish the liquor I will coax out of
the pockets of my people 354 mills and
give you 20 mills if you allow me to
Keep 81 mills" A large amount of
money is sent north annually for in
surance. 1t is a great drain on the
county's resources, but the people re-
ceive compensation in policies paid.
What do the distillers send us for the
$l53, 600 we annually pay them? Is
not the amount the county spends for
liquor, the $2l3,00 taken from the
legitimate channels of trade-the gro
Ger, the milliner, the dry goods mer-
chant Would the county not be in
q better financial condition If the
$l53, 900 sent to the brewers were kept
at home, in the pockets Of the people,
in the homes, the schools, the banks,
buildings, or roads 2 Balance the
treasurer's books against the dispen-
ser's, the 81 mills against the 20 mills,
the $50, 900 against the $l53, 900, and
say whether Abbeville county gains or
loses by the dispensary.
1T might be objected that some of
the money Of the dispensary comes
from other counties; that many. In the
county who pay no tax on real estate
are made to pay indirectly through
the whiskey they drink ; and that the
dispensary draws trade to the town of
Abbeville. Grant that some money
does come from other counties the
force of the argument is not affected
in any considerable degree, for over
500, 900 is sent out Of Abbeville coun-
ty. AS to the indirect tax paid by
those who drink whiskey, it may be
said that they are already paying an
indirect tax in the rents paid for
houses and lands. I believe the white
man asks nothing of the negro except
that he be sober and faithful laborer.
Does the dispensary help or hinder
him as q laborer AS to the claim
that the dispensary draws trade / be-
lieve the citizens of the town Of Abbe-
Vile will resent the imputation of that
selfishness that would live upon the
weakness and vice of men. Some of
the best business men OF this commu-
nifty and some of the wealthiest citi-
zens think the dispensary Is q finan-
Ncial curse. Did the dispensary build
Ahbeville Can the town not pay Its
taxes and support it's schools without
the dispensary Abbeyille has been
built by the intelligence, enterprise
and thrift of certain well known men
of her citizens. It Is slander upon
them to say the dispensary is essential
to our prosperity. The railroads pro-
hibit the use of whiskey by it's en-
ployees. This is business, not sentl-
ment. The conductor who reads the
kilograms must have clear eye. The
Lengineer whose hand is on the throttle
must have a steady nerve. Why is
not prohibition as good business for q
county as for a railroad 2 Drink
causes accidents and crime and power
ty in the county. Every life lost
measured in dollars and cents is great
loss to the county. Every man whose
working time or working ability ID
diminished by drink means loss to
the county. View it from every stand
point and answer, does the dispensary
pay?
BLIND TIGERS.
But it is objected that I am assum-
ing that prohibition will prohibit,
while blind tigers will sell as much
whiskey as the dispensary sells. But
both reason and fact refute the objec-
tion. The harder it is to get whiskey
the less of it will be used. The farther
temptation is removed from q man the
less strongly he will be tempted. Not
as much whiskey can be sold through
blind tigers, when the county's brave
and vigilant officers are hunting them
down, as through the dispensary, when
the County is encouraging increased
sales.
And, moreover, what are the facts in
prohibition counties and prohibition
States? The claim of the prohibition
lists is proved by the official records Of
Anderson, Edgefeld, Newberry, Spar
tanburg, Maine and Kansas, and so
far as I know by every prohibition
State and county. A leading business
man of Spartanburg, handling per-
haps q million dollars year, says
things have been improved in Spartan.
burg one hundred per cent, by abol-
ishing the dispensary, and that he Is a
convert from a whiskey man to pro-
hibitionist, So speak some of the lead
| ing farmers and merchants of Ander-
son. Officers of Newberry, Edgefeld,
Anderson and Spartanburg are on rec
ord as saying by the official record and
their own observation that prohibition
prohibits. So speaks Ex. Governor
eileen of North Carolina and the pres
ent Governor of North Carolina. The
same testimony is given by the Gov.
ernor of Kansas and the records Of
Maine,
Of course some whiskey will be sold,
but is that an argument against law
prohibiting its sale? I'VE have law