The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-28
D|SPENSARY RAN
FOR JUST ONE YEAR
Florence Experiment Mixed Up
With Politics
PROFITS SATISFACTORY
Large Stocks on Hand. and Caused
Trouble By Disposing of
1t Illegally
BY AMELIA BODDIE

Florence, June 27.-(Special.) 1.-THE peo-
pie of Alabama have delegated their au-
thority to a few scores of men, a legisla-
ture has been elected which until an
other election Is held four years hence will
have power to make and unmake laws vi
tally affecting the welfare of the state.
The overshadowing question to come be-
fore this body of men is the control of the
liquor traffic, or its prohibition, and to
settle this great question governor and
a lieutenant governor holding diametri-
cally opposite views have been elected and
legislature whose verdict no man can
foresee with certainty.
In this nebulous state of the public
mind every phase of the liquor traffic Is
being discussed and interest naturally
turns to the dispensary as a possible So
luton of the question.
Florence for one year, beginning July l,
1901, and ending July l, 1902, made tho ex-
pertinent and financially the success of
the plan cannot be questioned. The dis
pensary was established here as result
of petition to the legislature bearing the
signatures of more than half the voters
of the city. It's net profits for the year
three-fifths of which went to the city and
two-flfths to the county were 6.36226 as
against $2250 revenue from the nine sa-
looms that had been in operation with the
license at $3.50. Even after the license was
fixed at $1,000, as was done when on June
so, 1902, the state supreme court declared
the dispensary bill unconstitutional, there
was falling off in the revenue from the
business, as only five saloons opened.
The money derived from the dispensary
went to the general fund and was used
to defray current expenses. o.
Chosen BY Governor
The dspensary commissioners were
chosen by the governor and We're men OF
high character, who saw that the business
was conducted in the strictest compliance
with the law. The hours were from a.
m. to p. M on week days and no liquor
could be bought on Sundays. No drink
ing or loafing was allowed about the
place, thus eliminating one of the most
Objectionable features of the open saloon
Whisky was sold in quantities of not less
than a half pint and not more than four
and a half gallons.
But with internal conditions most salts
factory, there were external conditions
which initiated against its success. Chief
among these was the fact that nine sa-
looms had just been put out of business
with a stock of goods on hand to be dis
posed of. During the first six months
some of these came into competition win
the dispensary, both selling whisky and
attempting, by giving 1t way, to make
it appear that as much drunkenness ex-
listed under the new order under the
old A number of these Illicit dealers
were arrested and indicted by the grand
jury. They plead guilty and promised not
to violate the liquor laws again to save
themselves from the coal mines.
During the last six or eight months OF
the dispensary it was under a still great
err disadvantage owing to the change
from friendly to hostile city admins
tration. With a majority of the city and
county favoring the dispensary, liberal
mayor was elected For the first three
months of the new administration the
town was wide open" and competition
naturally cut down the profits Of the
dispensary.
Declared Unconstitutional
On June 30, 1902 the supreme court de-
clared the dispensary law unconstitution-
al and a legislative election coming on
at that time the liquor question became
the paramount issue in the campaign
In the race for representative were two
men who have since become prominent
In state politics-Capt. R. T. Simpson,
now associate justice of the supreme
court, leading the dispensary fight and
Emmett O'Neal, now democratic nominee
for governor, making the race on the sa-
loon ticket. The campaign was bitter
and acrimonious one and resulted in the
election OF Capt. Simpson and his run
ming mate, II. A. Killen and the defeat
of Mr.. ONeal and ]. c. Thigpen. Capt
Simpson and Mr.. Ki1len fulfilled their
pledge to the voters by having enacted a
second dispensary law for Lauderdale
county. which became effective January
l, 1903
But the dispensary was never reopen
ed for the charter of Florence gives the
mayor and city council control over the
liquor traffic and these officials, rather
than establish an institution which they
had fought so bitterly, created a sensa-
ton in the town by passing an ordinance
prohibiting the sale of liquor altogether.
This move was very satisfactory to the
dispensary people. whose aim was the
final establishment of prohibition and the
ordinance was never repealed.
AS to whether drinking is less under
the saloon or dispensary system men
differ with the preponderance of opinion
largely in favor of the latter. An exam
ination of the police docket shows small
difference in the number of DRINKS I'M
der the three systems, saloons, dispen-
sary or prohibition but the accompany
| ing entries of ''dsorderly conduct"
fighting" minors entering saloons
etc, under the saloon regime left no
doubt as to which is most conducive to
| sobriety.
| At the present time, though the boot
| logger and the blind tiger make many
| breaks in the oasis of Florence, drink
! ing Is greatly decreased, and men who
| formerly loafed around saloons contri-
butte more to the support of their fami-
lies, while drinking among the younger
men is becoming rarer.
! An ex-police officer who has had much
experience in dealing with law breakers
said recently. "of all forms of the liquor
traffic l approve most of the blind tiger.
The boot-legger is afraid to have the
topers hanging around him and after
selling him one or two drinks will refuse
! to let him hang around for fear his
| proximity will lead to detection"