Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-02-19
Do Not Be Deceived.

When the dispensary profits OF Al
ken are paradad before you for the
purpose of prejudicing you against pro-
hibition do not be deceived. Any state
ment to the effect that the Aiken peo-
pie are making money out of their dis
pensaries Is deception and fraud.
The fact is, the more money they
seem to make the more impoverished
the Aiken people become. Although
apparently contradictory, this state
ment is unques tionably true. Where
do the so-called profits come from?
Out of the Aiken people themselves,
and chiefly out of the pockets of the
wage-earners. Is taking money out OF
one pocket and putting it in another
increasing the wealth of the people?
What is worse still, in order to get one
dollar of profit they have to send two
or three dollars away to the northern
or western distillers never to return
again. Hence the more they seem to
pile up as profits, indicates that they
are sending larger and larger sums
away.
Then there is the decentralization that
must not be overlooked. The Aiken
dispensaries can only increase their So
called profits by increasing the amount
Of whiskey that is drunk. In proper
tion as the sales increase demoraliza-
tion and crime increase. A man is less
fit for business when he drinks so or
100 quarts in year than when he
drinks only one. The earning capaci-
ty of the people of the county is re-
duced more when they consume 10000
gallons than when they consume 1000
gallons. Therefore, it is a misfortune
to Aiken that she is piling up the So
called profits. Would it not be better
to advertise to the world that the dis
pensaries had to close for lack of
patronage than to exploit the fact that
money is being made hand-over-fist by
them.
Speaking of crime in connection with
the dispensary, Aiken stands self-con-
victed. Her frequent tragedies and
court records speak loudly against the
Governor Blease has just
ordered an extra term of the criminal
court for Aiken in order to relieve the
docket. Contrast Edge
fields criminal record and court rec
ords with that Of her sister county.
While our Jail has only one prisoner,
and has not had more than two since
Christmas, Aiken's has had more than
a dozen. While it requires generally
not more than from one to three days
to dispose of Edgefeld's criminal busi-
"Ass, it requires sometimes two weeks
vr more in Aiken.
Notwithstanding the fact that there
are few blind tigers here and there
in this county (they are also found in
counties), our people are
growing in sobriety and as law-abid-
ing people. Let the thoughtful, OBJ
serving man contrast in mind condi-
tions in Edgefeld with what they were
ten years ago. Is not such desirable
Transformation worth ten-fold more
than the so-called profits? Is it not
worth millions of dollars to know that
our people, particularly the boys and
young men, are becoming more and
more sober people as the years paas?
Let other counties do as they please,
but as for Edgefeld county we believe
our people have put their foot on
liquor once for all time.
South Carolinians glory in the fact
that this state stands alone in the
matter of refusing to grant divorces.
None are granted because our people
believe divorces, while accomplish
ing good in some instances, are de-
stroyers of home and happiness. In
like manner, let Edgefeld stand alone
if needs be i'm the matter of keeping
out whiskey.