The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-26

men OF Sumter county and especially
'hose men who are willing to put this
curse on our city and county again
and all for few rotten, blood stained
dollars they may get out of it:
Alcohol Is curse to any people,
Doth commercially and morally. The
traffic in intoxicating liquors deadens
the moral sense of those who are en-
gagged in 1t and debauches the lives of
those who greedily seek gain through
this channel. While the strongest ar
gument against alcohol is it's curse up
on the spiritual life of a people, yet
It's blighting effects upon CONNER
cial life offer an argument that should
appeal to every one.
Statistics have proved that the sup
preston of tie traffic has been fol-
lowed In many communities by an in
crease In bank deposits, by an enlarg-
ed volume of business along indus
trial lines and the turning of much
money that was squandered in drink
into the channels of legitimate trade.
Recently the State corporation COM
mission of North Carolina has pre-
pared statistics, with reference to the
bank deposits Of that State which
show very plainly that these have
been greater since prohibition went
Into effect January /, 1909, than be-
fore. In 1907 there were 375 banks,
with a capital stock Of more than
fourteen millions and deposits on
November 1 of $53,894,519. In 1913
there are 461 banks with more than
eighteen millions of capital stock with
deposits of $98,0S2.645. While it is
not claimed that all the increase in
bank deposits is due to prohibition,
yet prohibition has been a large factor
In encouraging and promoting the
savings Of the people. 1t Is well for
Christians to read with attentive
minds the decision Of the United States
supreme Court. rendered by Justice
Field in summing up the case or
Crawley VS., Christensen, 1877 u. S.
Rep, Sc. by the general concurrence
of every civilized and Christian COM
munity there are few sources of
crime and misery equal to the dram
shop.
THE statistics of every State show
a greater amount Of crime and mis-
cry attributed to the use of ardent
spirits obtained at these retail liquor
saloons than any other source. There
Is no inherent right in a citizen to
thus sell intoxicating liquor by re-
tail; 1t is not a privilege of q citizen
OF State or citizen of the United
States. AS business attended with
great danger to the community, it
may. as already said. be entirely pro-
hibited. or be permitted under such
as will limit to the utmost
of it's evils"
But what need is there to go out OF
Sumter County for evidence Of the
wreck and ruin, the liquor business
brings Four years ago / lifted the
curtain that hides the past years, and
laid bare and wrote out, Liquors
Death Roll. The sad and awful rec
ord left by the barkeepers of Sumter,
and If you did not read 1t, get a copy
from Knight Bros book store, OF
send me a postal and 1 will mail you
as many copies as you need. Keep 1t
and read it to your boys and girls,
for it Is no fancy tale, it is the record
for which somebody must answer at
Gods judgment bar and the fate that
awaits your boy. If these dens are
opened. / have heard many good
men say: There is as much liquor
now as when we had the dispensary."
But after careful search of undis-
puted evidence by Mr.. Jenkins and
Other men Of high standing, this has
been proved to be false, as the record
in The Daily Item shows. No man
can truthfully say the city Of Sumter
and the County of Sumter has lost
anything worth having by running
this curse out and yet in the face Of
truth as above stated, and the awful
death roll that stands against liquor
selling in Sumter county in the past
years, the degradation, misery and
shame 1t has brought to many a
happy home, still we have over q
thousand men in Sumter county who
are willing to start this hellish traf-
fc in our midst again and all for the
money the city and county can get
out Of 1t. The man who would rear a
beautiful home. stock it with the
choicest furnishings and then set fire
to 1t and burn it down to get the
nails to build his pig pen would be
counted by all as a lunatic, and yet
here I'm the city of Sumter we have
been spending money to educate our