The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-01-27
The legislature in Doubt.

The Legislature in Doubt.
1t is not yet certain that the Legislature
will enact a Statewide prohibition law. For
a time 1t seemed that such q bill would GER
tainly pass the House. but now 1t seems that
delegates from "~dry"counties are expected In
some instances to stand by local option. This
editor believes that each County should be
allcwed to decide for itself. That would be
the kind OF Home Rule that Hampton fought
for In 1876, and which has been 80 satisfactory
TO this people. II the people ofAbbevilleCoun-
" wish to close the dispensary II should be
closed.
The editor of the Press and. Banner is as
much interested in the sobriety OF the people
as anybody, but we are not convinced that
prohibition means sobriety. We are waiting
10 hear from the adjoining counties. Up to
this time reports from Anderson, Greenville,
~Spartanburg and Newberry would lead us to
believe that some citizens think that prohi-
billion is conductive to the general welfare,
but the report that some members Of the Leg
islature from "dry" counties intend to vote
against Statewide prohibition would lead US
to doubt.
A good many years ago we had prohibition
In AbbevilIe. For the first six months the
town was as dry as the proverbial powder
house. The eyes OF the blind tigers began TO
open in the Summer and the drinking was 30
notorious and the drunkenness was 30 often
sive that a good old Presbyterian elder and
others carried around for signatures a petition
to the Legislature TO restore license. Later
when the Supreme Court had declared
against the d~ispensary, we had prohibition.
The air was full OF rumors to the effect that
an indefinite number Of restaurants would
soon be opened where drinks would be served.
There was then no law under which license
could be granted, but the tow council, In
order to better preserve order by reducing the
drinking places gavei notice hat those who
would pay q fee would not be prosecuted. Or,
in other words, the council would grant sim
diligence" These, we believe, are the facts.
II public sentiment favored the expulsion
of LIQUOR there could be no sort Of doubt as to
the beneficial effect OF a prohlbitory law. The
question is: Does the violation OF prohibitory
laws demoralize the people, and teach them
to disregard all law? There is u law against
murder. The way it is disregarded makes
life unsafe for humble citizens In South Caro-
lima. Occasionally poor men,, without inhu.
ence, are punished, but when" appointment"
men commit murder the necessary witnesses
are generally on hand TO prove that their :act
was in self-defense. Rich men shoot their
victims like dogs and 60 scot free. Perjured
Witnesses. sympathetic jurors. and kline
Judges on technical issues, generally let the
guilty man escape-ifh he is prominent.
If we trample under foot the law against
murder: and II we disregard the liquor laws,
VIVA is to become Of us?
Nobody doubts the danger and the curse OF
LIQUOR, and whether we have prohibition or
license all good men should seek to teach
young men the Importance OF ,~abstainlng
from the use of intoxicating liquors.
In the olden times liquor was In many
homes. Bar-rooms we're kept open in towns
until a late hour at night, n they were
opened early in the morning. n all'the
adverse circumstance the great majority OF
men were sober, and We believe that II anti
dispensary people would devote half their
energies to teaching sobriety that is now e1-
pedded in abusing people that are as good
and as patriotic as they are, bat who see
things from a different standpoint, much bet.
ter results would follow. The closing Of the
dispensary at Sundown removes more than
half the temptation that was offered by the
bars that were Kept open until a late hour at
night.
This editor believes that II the dispensary
was kept open for half the time that 1t is now
Kept open that great good would follow. One
of the worst features OF the dispeusary is the
profits that comes tothe schools.
the county aud the towns. The profits this
year from the Abbeville County dispensary
will be for county purposes. for schools and
for town not less than from $4,000 to s2o.0 600
for each. What will the schools do with this
extra SIS, 900 or 2O,Os0f How will the county
spend the increased sum-? What use has the
town for the money!
If you say that the profits, 90 per cent. is
too high and the price should be lowered,
ence of the Abbevttle County dispensary ts,
the average amount OF money IL spent,
the price Is high or low. From the
OF sobriety the less inco1icants q
man gets for his money the better 1t Is for
him. If he gets more LIQUOR for the same
1t is encouraging The drink habit.
AS we understand the town Of Abbeville
has to pay the police out of It's share of the
which Is q large per cent. Of the part
that comes to the town.. The profits on the
liquor Is perhaps the most demoralizing
thing in the whole business, but cheap liquor
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