Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-06-13
#istsllansnas gsading.
BLEAsE TO WILSON
Federal Government Should Not Issue
Liquor Licensed in This State.

.4Gil gUia 80 . "
Federal Government Should Not Issue
? Liquor Licenses in This State.
? In a letter to President woodrow
Wilson, of the United States, last
Tuesday, Governor Blease pleads with
him to instruct the revenue commits
sion not to issue any more internal
revenue licenses in South Carolina to
retail liquor dealers. declaring that
such aicourse would assist him great
ly in enforcing the liquor laws. II
there Is no authority at present to re-
fuse to issue such licenses, the govern
or asks the president to send special
message to congress urging the enact
ment Of such law. ~
1.-The United States government can
be q great moral and legal force in
helping to enforce the liquor laws in
this state, instead of. as at present.
countenancing their violation" says
the governor In his letter. He says
that when he gets to- the senate he
will introduce such q bill. His letter
in full, follows: : " -.
Columbia, s. c.. June 8, 1918.
His Excellency, Woodrow Wilson,
President Of the United States. Wash
ington, D. C.-Dear sir: have posi-
tive information that there are now in
this state several parties holding IL
censes from the United States govern
ment as retail liquor dealers, and /
am informed that these licenses will
expire on the S0th Of this month. AS
yop know, South Carolina has g stat
ute which prohibits the sale Of whisky
wine, or beer, except In eight counties
In which whisky is sold by the county
dispensaries, and any person, firm or
corporation, engaging In the sale OF
any whisky, wine, beer. malt or vim
Gus liquors, save the legally authoriz-
ed dispensers in these eight coun-
ties. Is guilty of a misdemeanor. Still,
the United States government has
been and is yet continuously licens-
Ing, people other than dispensers in
thet counties which have dispensaries,
and people within the counties which
have legal prohibition. to violate the
lave of this state by becoming retail
liquor dealers. ia"t s..'."
20 1T does seem to me that you could
be Of great assistance to me in the
enforcement of the liquor laws Of this
state II you would instruct your Unit
ed States commissioner of, internal
revenue not to grant license to any
person, firm or corporation In this
state, except the licenses necessary
for the legal dispensers, to engage in
the business of retail or wholesale IL
quor dealer, and by instructing your
United States marshals to see that
any person, firm or corporation selling
whisky, wine or beer in violation of
law shall be tried and punished by
the United States courts. ~.
.Gf; after investigation by your at
torney general 1t should be found that
there is any provision Of law requir-
ing the issuance Of licenses to people
giving them the right, so far as the
Federal government is concerned, to
violate the state law, then would
suggest that you could be of great as
sistance If, in a special message to
congress you would urge the passage
of law remedying this defect to which
l have called your attention.
"Of course, under no conditions or
circumstances would I put myself in
the position of suggesting that I might
want to dictate to your excellency or
even to. suggest to you anything that
would be unpleasant, but 1t does seem
to me, as a private citizen Of the Unit
ed States of America, and as govern
or of the greatest state in the Amert-
can Union, that 1t is inconsistent for.
the United States government to IL
cense people to violate state law, so
far as the United States government
is concerned, saying to them. you have
our license to violate the state law.
without interference from u.s. 1t Ia
true the licenses the Federal govern
ment grants are only to sell under the
Federal laws, but at the same time,
the holders of these licenses, when
they apply for them, give notice that
they intend to violate the laws OF our
state, Therefore 1t certainly seems to
me that the United States officials
ought to say No, your state law pro-
hibits the sale by you Of these goods
and we do not propose to make our
selves parties. to your violation OF the
state law by guaranteeing you immu-
nifty from prosecution in our courts II
you do violate the state law. In 9TH
er words, the United States govern
ment certainly can be great moral
and legal force In this state. instead
of, as at present, countenancing their
violation.
There are q great many social
clubs in this state today-so-ca called
social clubs-which I am satisfied
would not dare attempt to violate the
state law without a Federal revenue
license for the sale of whisky.
II hope that have not made this
letter too lengthy, and that If I have
made myself clear. When get to the
United States senate. If some action
has not been taken before that time,
I shall introduce a bill along this line,
but I do not conceive that 1t is neces-
sary to wait year and half or two
years for the government to take this
action along the line of the law, Of
justice, and Of morals.
VERY respectfully,
"Cole L. Blease,
Governor"
GREATEST OF ALL DISASTERS