The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-04-21
Wednesday, April 81, 1909.
Which is the Lesser Of Two Evils?

Which is the Lesser Of Two Evils
There having been some speculation as to
how the election on the dispensary in this
county would result II may no be improper
for US to speculate a little, too.
l. In the first place, we do not know how a
dozen men will vote, but we assume hat q
few men may be misled by a cry that Able
Vile receives more benefit from the dispen-
sary than does the country, Such men may
vote against the dispensary.
=. Some men may have a grudge against
Abbeville, and they, without regard 10 the
merits of the issue. may vote against the die
pensary.
8. In the third place, there are some good
and sincere men who believe that sobrlety
and morality Will be advanced by foroidding
the legal sale of liquor. They will vote
against the dispensary.
4. In the fourth place, there are men IN
Abbeyille county who may be opposed 10 the
education of the children OF poor men, even
though the tlec schools should cost them
nothing. They will vote against the dispen-
sary.
5, Again, there are men who are indlner-
ent TO the educational interests OF the chill
dren. Some OF them will vote against the
dispsnsary money for schools.
g.. There are men who would reduce the
salaries of teachers and shorten the term Of
the schools. These men may be depended
upon 10 vote against the dispensary.
4. There are men who may think that
they will be raised In the social scale by
doing the bidding OF clerical politicians who
.,~o 1othino mora for tho MANILA than tn ga
cure their salaries. These men will vote fol
the closing OF the dispensary.
s. There are men who do not do their own
thinking. They may be depended npon To
vote as they may be told to vote.
9. There are hypocrites who make a pre-
tense at greater virtue than is possessed by
others. This class, II watched, may be de,
pended upon TO vote according 10 the wishes
OF their overseers.
10. There are men who do their own think
ing, and who believe that the legal sale Of
LIQUOR is less d~emoralizing than the illegal
sale of intoxicanta. They may vote for the
dispensary.
IL. There are men who tako a practical
view OF the legal or illegal sale of liquor
While the illegal sale is demoral!zing, and
while the | egal sale may not be %elevating, We,
they think that the money profit is som
compensation.
u. There are men who see through the
pretense of a desire for prohibition. The fact
that the alleged prohibitionists In the Legis'
lature appropriated not one dollar for enforc-
ing the law, satisfies them OF the deception In
the claim of intention to have prohibition
Voters who see the trick will vote for the dis
pensary.
Is There are men who are Disguised at the
effort OF clerical politicians to reduce the pull.
pit TO the level Of a political stump. These
clerical politicians may be depended on to
receive q rebuke.
Il. The falsehood that has been circulated
TO the effect that the court house is being paid
for by dIspensary profits may not be correct.
ed in time to influence q few votes.
Is. The fact that the dispensary profits
are equally divided between the town, the
schools, and the roads and bridges, may not
be known 10 all. This division gives the
country two-thirds OF the profts. The city
OF Abbeville receives one-third and out Of
that third pays several thousand dollars 10
policemen, while not q cent is taken from the
schools or the roads and bridges for that pur-
pose. 80
l8. And then there may be men who
believe that the city of-Abbeville will levy
a tax on It's own citizens to enforce the law
against the Illicit sale OF LIQUOR. ST ch men
may be counted on to vote out the dispen-
sary, even though they might not expect us
to tax ourselves for country schools and
country roads.
II. There are men who would vote against
the dispensary because some Of their farm
hands may love q drink. Such men might
be depended on to vote against the dispen-
sary. Their ignorance of the fact that Illicit
liquor can always be had is dense. No hope
for them.
Is. Adjoining counties are complaining Of
b lind tigers. Those OF our people who may
think that we are better than the people OF
the neighboring counties may vote against
the dispensary.
10. II may occur 10 some, that If the pee
pie Of adjoining counties were not so free to
admit that they are not en- forcipg the law,
and would attend more to the suppression Of
illegal sales N their own counties. they
would have less time to intermeddle with us
and our legal sale Of the stuff.
\. XNoDOuS hSCo oOuDL ludI hll luOb6 Clll-
zens who have punished the violators OF the
dispensary law on the Savannah Valley
Railroad will vote against the dispensary.
y. All those blind tigers who think that
the d~ispensary has interfered with their bus
iness may be depended upon to vote against
the dispensary.
%. We have heard that blind tigers always
vote for prohibition, but We really are not
personally acquainted with any men OF tina,
class, and, therefore cannot speak for them.
Let no man thirk we are advocating or de-
Tending the sale or the use OF intoxicating
liquors.
The only question is, (which is worse-the
legal or the illegal sale of inlozicants9" Be
lievipg that the illegal sale Is worse, and
believing that the profit is some compensa-
ton, we believe that there are men who will
vote for the least Of two evils.
This newspaper Ia a Democrat. We believe
in the rule OF the majority. II the majority
prefer the illegal sale, without the incidental
advantage OF the legal sale, then be 1t 80.
But we hope the people Of Abbeville county
may not expect the people Of the town of
Abbeville to furnish all the money to fght
the illegal sale OF liquor.