The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-26

From The Daily Item. Feb. "a. so
Citizen" who wrote piece for the
paper yesterday. asserts that cuisines,
has improved since the closing of thu
dspensary. which shows that less
money y spent for whiskey than for
merly." which Is lame and impo-
tent conclusion. Business has un.
doubtedly improved since the dispen-
sary was closed last fall. but this does
not prove beyond the shadow OF a
doubt. that less money II spent for
whiskey than formerly. It would be
strange. indeed. II business had not
improved since the closing of the dis
pensary. which was co-incident with
the opening Of the cotton season and
such season II the South has not
known In many years. The average
price Of cotton since the closing OF the
dispenssry has been higher than the
average for any season since 1901
our recollection ID not at fauit--and
there has consequently been more
money to spend. therefore business
had to improve. even though Ore
had been no decrease In the amount
spent for whiskey. Business has i'm
proved In Florence. Richland. Char
pst0n and other dispensary counties.
- result OF the general prosperity
Of the county. not on account OF the
continuance of the dispensary, al
Enough men are TO be found who will
assert with dogmatic positiveness that
the dispensary II a great trade In
ducsr. In our opinion the conclusion
reached by "Citisen" IL az far from
the truth an In that Of the man who
believes q dispensary attracts a large
and desirable trade to town. The
truth II to be found somewhere be-
tween these extremes. We do not
know and have no means Of ascertain
Ing accurately how much liquor Is
now coming into Sumter county. but
We are informed and believe that a
great deal is brought in. Every freight
and express ONCE I'm the county is
handling great deal Of liquor. While
the aggregate amount Is unquestion-
ably large II docs not seem reasonable
that II can equal or exceed the total
sales made by the dispensary. Our
observation Is that there has been less
public drunkenness I'm Sumter since
the closing of the dispensary and
there have been fewer arrests by the
police. and In this respect conditions
are improved. But on the other hand
hquor 10 being sold In this city and
at many other places In the county.
the disrespect for and defiance Of the
law Is increasing. The city and coun-
ty officials whose duty II Is to appre-
hend iaw-bteakers cannot or do not
enforce the law against the sale of
liquor and the people who patronize
the liquor sellers many Of whom are
professed prohlbitionists and voted for
the abolition OF the dispensary. will
not furnish the evidence necessary to
convict the blind tigers so there we
are--iiquor selling Is Increasing. as
even the real prohibitionists reluctant
iy admit. and nothing Is being done to
enforce the law and make II effective
and respected.
"Citizen's' comments on the social
clubs Is another matter entirely. As
We understand the law the clubs have
q perfect right To exist and their men,
bers have a right to order liquor and
keep II In tho club rooms and use Il
as they see fit AS long as they COM
ply with the law they cannot be inter-
fered with. but II II can be proven
that the clubs are selling liquor to
outsiders OF otherwise violating the
law they can be closed up anu the in
dividuals responsible for the sale OF
liquor can be punished. III the facts
establishing the guilt OF the managers
OF any club or clubs are known and
can he proven I'm court the remedy for
the evils complained Of by Citizen" Is
obvIoua