The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-07
News and Courier.

regulate the sO-called social clubs"
the managers, which has resulted IA
the closing of the three clubs said to
be of this order which have been run
ming and fiOurishing in this city. The
ordinance, passed unanimously by the
new city council, has resulted in put
ting on the lid tight and fast and if
1t works out successfully it will like
ly be tried by other cities and towns
in South Carolina.
The distinctive feature of this new
ordnance is the requirement for the
manager of any club where intoxicat-
ing liquors are kept, to get q license
from the city clerk, the amount be-
ing liked at two per cent of the gross
income of the said manager" for the
first twelve months The manager is
also required to file an approximate
statement Of the probable gross in.
come for the twelve months and TO file
a bond Of $1,000 that he will not vio-
late any city, county or State law. in
reference TO the sale, storage and
handling Of Intoxicating beverages
Upon violation of any Of the liquor
laws the bond is forfeited to the city,
three sureties being required on the
bond.
No loOphOle is left in designating
just who is the manager. Says the
purpose of, this. ordinance the term
manager" of any such association
shall be held to include any person
or persons having or exercising any
part in the management, direction or
control of any such association, or
receiving or expecting to receive any
salary or compensation, or deriving or
intending TO derive any income or
profit therefrom."
If the Chester ordinance stands tho
tests 60 the courts other places will
more than likely write it in their or
dinances, for the regulation of the so
cial' clubs has grown to be a vital
issue all over South Carolina With
the voting out of the dispensariss in
all but eight counties, locker clubs
Sprang up. 1t is generally understood
that locker clubs--where individuals
buy and keep their own Intoxicating
beverages in their private lockers
are not contrary to the dispensary
laws But it has long been found that
just where the dividing line is drawn
is hard to determine and as a result
social clubs have sprung into ex-
istence in practically every county in
the State, both in those Officially dry"
and in those having dispensares
The constitution of the State for
bids the licensing of liquor selling ex-
cept by the State or county to the
dispensary TO sell in original packages,
absolutely taking away from the in
dividual the right to engage in the IL
quor traffic. Any attempt To license
an individual or set of individuals to
store and retail liquors is against the
constitution and statute laws. accord
ing to the opinion of high State Of
hcial, and this same official expressed
the opinion the other day that the
chester ordinance was in effect "A sys-
tenn Of licensing. IF any Of the
clubs affected would come forward and
pay the tax imposed il would be para
mount To confession that they were
engaging in the liquor traffic in viola
ton Of the State law and would inn
mediately be subjected to it's provis-
ions was his view. But the Chester
people differ. In the opinion heard on
the street the "occupatiun tax is
placed on the managers income and
is not license measure. They are
confident that it will stand the test
of the courts.
is the ordinance imposing an oc-
cupation tax in effect a system of Ii
ccnsng liquor selling or not" is the
question at issue, and on it's decision
rests the result of whether this meas
urr provides a solution of the veNed
problem of the regulation of the so
cial' clubs or whether it will fol-
low the fate of the dozens of cher
attempts to stamp out this problem
which has become To be Statewide.
None of the three Chester clubs. So
IT was stated 10y member of the city
council, had complied with the ordi-
name" and they had all closed tight
and fast ON Sunday last. No attcmpt
has SO far been made towards testing
the legality or constitutionality of the
ordinance in the state courts ana il
IS clearly up 10 the clubs a. To