The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-02-25
COMPROMISE ON PROHIBITION
There May be New Referendum Pro.
posed in Senate.

The whiskey situation in the Sen
ate has within the past few days
taken into it's fold referendum that
is somewhat in the nature of mid
die ground" proposition. Although it
is generally admitted that the local
optionists have a majority in the
upper branch of the legislature, the
proposed amendment to the prohibi-
tion measure comes from the local
optionists of the Senate.
There has, however, been no eau
Gus, but merely an understanding on
both sides that the matter would be
acceptable to majority of the sena-
tors. There has not even been real
caucus among the local optionists,
but the matter has been discussed
by several of them and the proposed
plan seems to meet with general IA
vor.
The amendment which will be pro-
posed is to the following effect:
Pass the prohibition bill for State
wide prohibition to take effect July
| 1, 1909. Then, on August 1, 1909,
let the counties now "wet" hold spe-
cial elections for or against whiskey.
II the counties, or any one OF the
counties, should vote prohibition,
then let the county dispensary be
closed. If the counties, or any one or
more of them, should vote for whis-
key, then let the county dispensaries
remain as they now are, or in as
many of the counties now wet as
NAV vote TO retain them.
This would give Statewide prohl-
bition, practically, from July to
August /, being somewhat of the ma
ture of the hiatus which existed be-
tween the State dispensary and the
county dispensary system when the
latter was put into force.
Enforcement of Law.
A peculiar circumstance would
arise in the event of the passage OF
this bill with the amendment as pro
posed. Some think that this would
practically do away with the Carey
Cothran act. In such a case there
would have to be some provision
made for enforcement Of the law.
With this end in view, Senator
Christensen, after having conferred
with local option men and those ID.
terested, will offer an amendment
which will practically be the same
"a the provisions now in the Carey
Cothran act as to enforcement or the
law. That is to say, whether there
will be Statewide prohibition or not,
there will have to be some enforce
ment of the law. AS matters now
stand, the Carey-Cothran act pro-
vides that the county officers shall
| look into this part Of the whiskey
traffic with appeal to the governor IN
certain matters.
Whether the referendum referred
to above would result in several
counties going dry, CIR would result
in all the counties now "wet" retain
| ing the county dispensaries, this
amendment as to enforcement Woufo
be necessary. Senator Christensen
has looked into the matter and Will
offer the proper amendment when
the bill comes up for consideration
It will be recalled that at the be.
ginning Of the session it was stated
that there would be four prohlblt1or
bills as follows: To provide for state
wide prohibition; to provide for the
closing of the various county dispen'
saries; to license LIQUOR drummers
| to provide for the enforcement OF the
law. The last measure mentioned
has never been preesnted as separ'
! ate bill. The license for nquol
drummers passed the Senate witl
the amendment making it unlawful
for liquor drummers to do business
here at all.
There is not much doubt that tne
proposition as contemplated by the
local option men, which has also me-
with some favor by both prohibition
lists and middle ground men, vii
90 through the Senate when present
ed. The local option men wish te
throw every safeguard around tne
enforcement Of the law, Whetne'
there are dispensaries or prohlbltlon
columbia State.
PROMOTION FOR MIR MASTERS.