The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-08-03
TWENTY -ONE WET COUNTIES
TO VOTE ON LOCAL OPTION
Pros Have All TO Gain and
Nothing 10 Lose in
the Contest

Columbia S. c.. Aug 3-Today
South Carolina was added TO the fold
of state wide prohibition territory
which now embraces almost all the
Southeastern states. The "drouth' in
this state is to be temporary, unless
nhe voters in tae twentg-on wet
counties that are 10 hold local option
elections on Tuesday. August H. de-
clare for perpetual dryness.
Due to the strategy of the prohibi-
tonlsts in the South Carolina iegis-
lature, the drys have all to gain and
nothing TO lose in the approachlng
contests. Literally, this state is half
and half" twenty-one counties being
In the prohibition camp and exactly
the same number being officially en-
gagged in the sale of intOXlcants un-
der what is known as the county dis
pensary system
At Last Legislature.
The law enacted at the last session
of the legislature took no account Of
the territory already dry, providing
for elections In the wet counties to
determine whether they should re-
main wet or Join their sisters Of the
White Ribbon camp Further, that
the folk in the dispensary counties
might have taste OF prohibition
before depositing their ballots, the
prohibitionists had it provided that
all Iignang ghun -IAua "a. rr.,Irt.
before the elections and remain
closed until the close Of the election
A howl Went up from the vets
when Attorney General Devine de-
liyered an opinion TO the effect that
the resolution would not be "knOwn"
until officially declared by the state
board of canvassers. which means
county gr0g shops will be closed for
at least a month. AS Governor Ansel
has concurred in this opinion, It
stands, and any attempt to open any
lispensary before the vote is official
ly declared would unquestionably
mean the dismissal from Office Of the
offending dispensary commissioner.
In County Elections.
I'M the elections each county votes
as a unit and it is admitted a mum
Der Of them will set the seal of dis
approval upon the sale of lntoxicants
within their borders. Rchland I'm
which Columbia is situated, and
Charleston are among the counties
which will participate in The elee-
tons
The county dispensary is the out.
growth Of the late state dispensary
system Of which Gov. Tillman. now
United States senator was the ac-
credited daddy and which was
wrecked on the rocks of political
strife and internal corruption After
thirteen perilous years. at one time
eliminating In a riot with resultant
bloodshed and calling forth from the
then GOV. Tillman a proclamation OF
marital law and the m0bilizng in
Darlington Columbia and other
points of such Of the state troops as
did not lay down their arms and
! cOl0rs when summoned to enforce
with bayOnet and shell the law which
| was repugnant TO them. later seeing
| rebelliOus Charleston patrolled by
state police in frui@ss endeavor by
| Tillmans successor as governor 10
| enforce the unpopular state liquoi
| system in the metropolis Of the state
and followed in succeeding years by
the Staying of perhaps a dozen citl.
zens by armed state constables and
the killing Of a number of these same
| officials, the state dispensary system
was Two wears ago killed by a small
majority in the legislature after one
Of the stormiest sessions in its his
tory.
At Liberty on Bonds.
A half dozen of the officials of the
state dispensary. charged with ae
cepting thousands Of dollars in re-
bates from whisky houses, are now
At liberty on bonds ranging from
$1,000 TO s25,00O
Since the inauguration of the coun.
ty dispensary system there have been
no charges Of corruption.
!. Differing from saloons. the dis
pensaries are operated under control
/ Of a county board: the bartender Is
known as a dispenser and is bonded
! there are no screens in the dispensa-
| ries. intOxicants are sold only In
original packages. ranging from hall
pints to three-gallon demiiohns. and
there Is no drinking on the prem
ises. the dispensary Is opened al
sunrise; purchasers are required IA
sign a request blank" for each pur
chase. IN which he must give ~.
name and address. Minors and
drunkards are not allowed to make