Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-10
The Prohibition Question.


who have so long been fighting to re-
strict the sale and consumption of in
toXicating liquors are going to make
very serious mistake, if they assume
that their labors are at an end, as
many of them seem inclined to do.
1t is a common thing to hear men
say that prohibition is now a settled
issue, and that people should give their
attention to other matters of more i'm
portance. This suggestion appeals
strongly to people who do not think;
but to those who take correct and
comprehensive view of conditions not
as they would like to have them, but
as they are, it appears only as the de-
ceit of the enemy.
The liquor question is not dead, and
what is more, the probability is that 1t
never will die. 1t is true that the sale
of liquor has been outlawed in many
counties of South Carolina, and it looks
as if there is no probability of its re-
vival; but this is very deceptive ap-
pearance. The appetite for whisky is
as strong as ever, and so is the greed
for the gold that is to be made by sat-
isfying that appetite. That the whole
thing will be bobbing to the fore again
when those who would forbid least
suspect, is as sure as the coming of the
seasons.
There is no business under the sun
that appeals more strongly to the Gu
pidity and the appetites of men than
does the liquor business, and herein is
the secret of the tremendous strength
of the enemy to be fought. In commu-
mites where liquor has flowed freely
until large numbers are besodden, it is
easy to arouse the public conscience
to put down the evil; but so soon as
the evil begins to hide it's head, the
public conscience subsidies, and the
process starts over again.
Only a few years ago, GreenVllle
county arose against the liquor busl-
ness and voted the evil out. Every
body rejoiced for the time being. The
good work, however, was not follow
ed up by enforcement of the law. Ii
gers thrived here and there, and most
of the appetites that already existed
were supplied along while new ones
were being created, until now there is
enough appetite to demand free and
easy access to more abundant supplies.
There is a movement for another cleo
tion and the outlook is that the county
is going back to the liquor business like
dog returning to its vomit.
Some time ago there was sugges-
ton in the hearing of the writer, alleged
TO have come from a prominent poll
tician, outlining what great scheme
it would be to vote the dispensary back
into York county so as to permit the
establishment of a liquor shop in Rock
Hill that could cater to all dry territory
in North and South Carolina. The
maker of the suggestion painted an
alluring picture of the big revenue that
could be derived, sufficient to pay the
expenses of the city and county; but
said not a word of the increased de-
Dauchery of the people and the certain
corruption that would grow out of the
enterprise"
If Greenville county goes back TO her
liquor selling, people may well look Tor
a rapid spread of the movement to the
other counties. The spread of the re-
establishment of the dispensaries, we
Ln
movement to vote them out. This will
certainly be true, if there is any relax
alton or vigilance on the part of the
people who have fought liquor out of
the state down to the few strongholds
it is now occupying.
Our reference to the few strong
holds" is to the counties in which Ii
uuor is being legally sold. 1t is more
than absurd not to recognize the fact
that the evil still has a footing in ev-
cry county. Men cannot get rid Of
facts merely by refusing to see them.
In spite of what is being done in York
county, liquor is still being sold in
large quantities and the illicit sale is
gaining rather than losing ground.
If those who have fought the good
fight so far would prevail in the end,
they must continue to exercise vigil
lance. They must exercise their inilu-
encc for the enforcement of the law;
they must incur risk and trouble.
otherwise they may look to see the Ii
quor business restored in all of its de-
bauchery and with all of it's horrors.