The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-03
THE QuART-A-n0N1H Law. \
BELIEVED THAT 1T WILL NOT
BE AFFECTED BY NATION
AL "DONE DRY" ACT.
Not Exactly What Governor Wanted.
! But He Signed it as the Nearest Hc
Could Get to His Idcas-Givcn Sum
- for Enforcing Law.
(By Joe Sparks.)

Columbia, Feb. 28.-The new
quart a month" law is exciting
GOOD deal Of interest in South Car
olina and letters which are coming
into Gov. Manning show that some
who at first were opposed to the law
think that, in the light of the bone
dry act lacked on to the postoffice
appropriation bill by congress, it
would have been wors& from one
standpoint, if the legislature had not
enacted the present law Had the
old gallon-a-month stood when the
federal law went into effect this
state would be absolutely "bone dry
AS it is the quart q month law will
stand, in the view of authorities. be.
cause it is for medicinal purpose
thus coming in the federal law.
There is not very good under
standing Of just what the federal law
allows in the way Of importations Of
Whiskey and wine for medicinal, sac
ramental, scientific purposes, but it is
pelleVed here that the South Caro-
INA statute will not be disturbed by
the federal act. The quart q month
or whiskey allowed is for medicinal
purposes. strictly, and only males
over Fl years of age and women who
are heads Of families are permitted
to get the quart after they go before
the judge of probate and make af-
fdavit that they need it for medicinal
purposes, and obtain a permit on
payment of fee of ten cents.
1t is known that the quart a month
did not meet the ideas of the governor
for in his message to the general as
Sembly he favored reduction of the
amount of whiskey, and wanted some
beer and light wines. The medicinal
attributiOn was not his idea, but was
born in the committee of free con-
ference between the senate and house
which were trying to reconcile the
bone dry sentiment Of the house and
the quart month prescription bill of
the senate.
The main features of the new act
in the opinion of the governor over
the gallon a month are in the
strengthening of the measures for its
enforcement. The limiting to the
heads OF families will do away with
the negro women nuisance Of getting
whiskey, for SO great had become
this complaint that the negro min
listers of Columbia had petitioned the
city council to take some steps to
remedy the situation. =.
1t is felt that under the new law
1t Will be almost impossible for blind
tigers to get much, if any, whiskey.
Under the old gallon a month statute
the tigers could "rent' names and
get good stock of liquor and one
of the complaints in Columbia was
that this was done in many instances.
Under the new law it is believed that
the renting" of names will be al
most, if not quite. eliminated for it
Will be easier for the officers Of the
law to check up the records.
OF course there is a widespread
sentiment in South Carolina for alb
solute, iron clad, bone dry prohfb-
ton end undoubtedly, if the present
quart q month act does not almost
bring this to pass, the legislature at
it's session in 1918 will very probably
enact "bone dry act. On the 9TH
CT hand, If there is too great a re-
action against such stringent legisla-
ton and it does the cause of temper
ance harm, those who want an allow
anco Of light wines and beer for bey-
cragcs will be encouraged to seek
changes to that end
Gov. Manning has been given a
fund of $4,000 with which to enforce
the prohibition laws and if the local
county autohrities are unable or neg
lect to enforce the laws the governor
can send in constables to catch the
Violators. The new law enforcement
fund is not limited to the mere en-
forcement of the prohibition laws. but
is for all laws. point which is of
more than significance.