The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1915-01-12

ecutiye's Office who will see to 1t that
what is law for Anderson county is
also law for Charleston county. Why
cannot law be inforced by a central
government? Has not the chief exec
utive power TO enforce any and all law?
Are we to admit that any county or
any section can set aside any law? II
the prohibition law. why not any
other? Why cannot any county defy
the central government" We admit
that this has been done in effect, but
We feel sure that Governor Manning
will see to 1t that even Charleston
obeys some of the laws of the State.
According to the history OF the past
few years. that county has been a law
unto itself, and especially In the mat
ter Of liquor laws. This era will end
soon. we opine, and Charleston will
again be annexed to South Carolina. -
But, the enforcement of the law, II
South Carolina votes State wide prohi
bition. does not bother US in the least.
The editor of The Intelligencer was
recently at the town of St Matthews
on Monday morning, and went down
TO the police court to see the offenders
rounded up. 1t appeared that half the
town were present to take part in the
proceedings. 1t was learned that at
the dispensaries the Saturday before
there had been sold approximately
$4,000 worth OF liquor. The result was
In this town Of $500 persons, there
were more than score of offenses
against the law to be tried. In Ander-
son, more than ten times as large as
st. Matthews, on the same morning.
there were not half dozen cases all
told. Orangeburg dispensaries sold
during December over $4,000 worth
OF liquors.. OF course ali this was moi
sold to the citizens of these two coun-
ties, and this is the very thing VIC
should provide against-the corrupt
ing influences of liquor being sold over
'the lines. In other words, the nullifi-
cation OF the local option exercised
by adjoining counties which are not
allowed to go dry" because of the
wet" counties on their border.
The News and Courier says:
The Anderson Tntelligencer, which
favors prohibition. confesses neverthe-
less to some doubts as to the proposed
referendum. It, is afraid the liquor
people would spend thousands Of DOL
lars in the effort to defeat State-wids
prohibition, and 1t breads the debauch-
ing enects OF such al election.
But do the liquor people care
whether South Carolina goes dry or
hot? Have they made any effort in
those States which have Statewide
prohibition to vote back local option ?
The liquor people might even wei
come Statewide prohibition for South
Carolina. At present in many of those
counties which have voluntarily voted
liquor under local option the senti-
ment against its illegal sale Is strong.
Local authorities are active in pro-
|ceeding against offenders. The law Ia
enforced. Under stnfa-wida nrnhi,,i-
tic-,, with tine central government as
Stunning the Obligation of making pro-
ass,sion effective, tho same alertusss
ana efhciency might not be manifest
ed locally. 1t Is entirely possible that
IN time more liquor would be sold In
South Carolina under prohibition than
ls sold at present under local option.
one OF the strongest arguments In
favor OF local option in q matter of
this sort is. that the central govern
ment has no moral right to enact a
statute which 1t is not prepared 70 en-
force. Whenever 1t does so II con-
tributes to the disrespect for law, I'm
general. 1t helps to breed lawbreak-
ers and hypocrites.
III the reports from those South Car
olina counties which now have prohi-
bition are to be trusted temperance
Is making great gains In this State as
matters now stand. There was less
drunkenness during the recent holt.
days. 1t has been stated again and
again, than In many. years-perhaes
than ever before in the history of the
counties reporting.
Why not let we'll enough alone? We
are making headway as IL is. The st,-
preme need in South Carolina Is IN
higher regard for the majesty of the
law. Why make progress In this d.
rection virtually impossible by the en-
actment OF a statute which is sure to
be disgracefuliy ignored9
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HARD TINES AND BAD ROADS