The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-08-11
THE LIQUOR TRUST
AND PROHIBITION.

The editor of this paper has been
favored with a copy of "The Anti
Prohibition Manual" a pamphlet got
zen out by the National Wholesale
Liquor Dealers Association OF Am
erica. With this manual comes an
inquiry as to whether this paper &C.
cepts advertisements for liquors,
The inquiry is from another source,
but it is a coincidence that the two
come together.
The introduction to this book is
frank. 1t states that its pages are
compiled with but one purpose in
view. They are intended to furnish
a quick and easy means of answering
arguments offered in support of pro-
hibition. 1t is further stated that,
"This book should be the constant
tompaion of the MEMBERS OF THE
TRADE, THEIR EMPLOYEES AND
FRIENDS"
From all Of which we are reminded
that a prohibition election is draw
ing near in South Carolina, and that
The National Liquor Dealers Associ-
ton is not asleep to the fact For
me next several weeks the voters of
this state may expect a great deal of
information on the liquor question
from this source. There are a great
many men who are opposed to pro-
hibition on conscientious grounds,
but there are others who msy argue
The matter to you on other grounds.
When you find q man favoring the
cale of liquor in this state, or a news
paper advocating it, you should in
uuire the connection with the Nation
81 Liquor Dealers Association and
whether he or it is an employee or
a friend OF THE TRADE. AL men
who oppose prohibition will not c,.ne
under these designations, but most
Of the man who, in the next few
months, will be openly advocating
the sale of liquor in South Carolina
will be either employees or friends?
End we imagine it will be a time when
jobs will be easy.
Only a little while ago, this state
-.
was being flooded with copies of the
speech of Representative Under
wood of Alabama, soon to become
Senator from that state, advocating
local option. If Mr.. Under wood
favors local option for the District
Of Columbia, or for Alabama, he is
entitled to say so, and to think ac-
cording to his best judgment. But
the fact that these speeches have
found circulation through the mails
among the voters of South Carolina,
lust before an election on prohibition
IS suggestive. MI. Underwood may
perhaps be called on later to explain
whether he is a friend of the liquor
trust, or on just what grounds he
allowed his speech to be sent broad
cast over this state in an endeavor
to influence votes thereby.
We hope that Mr.. Underwood is
innocent of any intention to NEEDLE
in the affairs of this commonwealth
on a purely local issue. His speeches
may have been sent out without his
knowledge and consent, or he may
have been misled as to the purpose
If having them sent. We are re-
minded that President Wilson il also
for. local option, and we shall per-
haps hear his views on the subject as
the election approaches; we shall
also hear from Abraham Lincoln,
George Washington, and others, and
of the failure of prohibition in Kan
sas and Maine.
But none of these things have any,
thing to do with the election about
to be held in this state, in so far as
we are concerned. We have had
The saloons, we have had the dispen-
sGry, we have had prohibition. with
and without the gallon-a-month law.
The books of the Southern Express
Company will show that since prohi-
b:tion was voted in Abbeville county
;he liquor shipments into this city
have constantly fallen off, at least we
are so advised. We know there is
less drinking in Abbeville than there
was with the dispensary, and we be-
'leve the d~ispensary at Abbeville was
as well managed as was practical
Under the law. The gallon-a-month
act has had a good effect, and liquor
shipments continue to fall off. We
desire to see the amount allowed de-
creased to a quart a month, or better
still to none. The doctors, whom