The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-05-24
Shall the Dispcnsary be Restored! :!


true upon their face, and do not now
demand discussion.
1t has been shown, IN many thous-
and instances. that licensed whiskey
selling, in its clearest analysis, is a
drain and not an asset in any COM
munity 1t cannot be defended upon
any ground Of morals, decency or
business.
Even when whiskey is sold under
license it rebels against the law that
allows it, fills our jails and multiplies
the cases in the courts.
1t corrupts our elections, debauch-
es our ballot and often puts in Of
flee friends of vice and the enemies
of virtue.
1t besmirches our legislatures.
drives mad our chief executives and
"a thousand times has perverted the
judiciary.
1t is the foe of the home and the
school, and hangs as q constant mem
"NO oNci thc ntdu, OF our children.
1t invades the domestic circle, and
leaves long trail of miserics behind
it,
1t has no kindly feeling for religion
of any kind, no desire for heaven ard
no fear of hell.
The use of whiskey brings q tran.
sient sense of physical elation. fol-
lowed by hours of anguish and re-
morse. Because Of the first fact. men
drink 1t; because Of the second, they
curse themselves for drinking it.
1t units for business, perverts all
sense of honor, blunts the keener SEN
sibilities of the mind, and leaves the
victim in possession of disorders be-
yond his control.
Still, men will drink whiskey. They
love the sensation it produces, and,
by and by, become slaves to the habit
If they cannot get the stuff from one
source, they appeal to another There
fore, If they will pay for it, and 9th
ers-foreigners-are to receive their
money why not let us enact a law
Which VIII divert part OF this mon
ey into our pockets? That is, why not
let us make barter of mans vices
take money from his pocket when he
Is down-pave our streets and edu-
cate our children with the price of
our fellowman's health, happiness and
usefulness?
II we can go thus far why not go
a step beyond? Men will always kill
each other. From the day Of Cain,
until now. a brothers blood has been
crying from the ground all over the
world. Law does not stop murder
any more than it stops whiskey drink
ing. Then why not license murder?
There is money in 1t, and the astute
economist ought to be able to see it.
So, too, there will always be some
to steal. Thieves are born as we'll as
made. Confinement i'm jails and pen
evil. Then why not get money out of
ii with which TO pave our streets and
maintain our schools? If we are to
convert law into license because en-
forcement of law is impossible, then
there is no crime in the catalog Of
crimes which cannot enter it's plea to
be licensed, if it can ever be right to
allow evil because out of it we can
make money. Law is only a printed
page, and has no power to enforce it
self. If we are going to license the
wrong, let us be consistent, and re-
open the market for "indulgences,
and for money paid in hand, let US
sell to any man the right to commit
any crime he may desire.
The money argument for the dis
pensary is the only argument l have
ever heard. Having no dispensary
they tell US. carries the money away
from our town; To have a dispenSary
would allow us to keep it here This
Is the argument. in a nutshell. 1t
means We are willing to sell out our
morals and our domestic welfare for
money. Let those who drink whiskey
so To the devil; the rest of US are in
the market for money.
III there is another argument in
stock anywhere beside the money
argument. | wish some one would al
low me to see it I'm the open light.
because the closing of the dispen-
sary has not suddenly brought on q
great reform, and blind tigers abound,
some men are dIsheartened, and here
and there good man will vote to
legalize the traffic in whiskey. These
IN a na inn. ti..,N ,.E