Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-20
"HURRY-UP' YOST
FAvORS DRY LAW
Daniel C. Roper, Former In
ternaI Revenue Head, Also
Supports Measure.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

merlCOr1OuS pnGbeS 10 JIlc law ASS1A ANeAAs
purchases and preventing sale to minors,
and explained that revenue from the
State Central Bureau went to the
school fund, while the local dispensaries
paid over their revenues to the COM
munities.
OF former Gov. Tillman in connection
with the law, Roper said: mo cause
ever had a more forceful or more con-
scientious proponent and defender as
long as he thought the system was de-
feasible. 1t was hoped that the new
law would receive the support OF pubic
opinion from the people generally
throughout the State and thus eliminate
the liquor question from politics by
united effort on the part of the people
in the enforcement of the dispensary
law.
This hope however was soon blasted,
for factional political lines frightened
around the enforcement Of this law as
an issue and illicit selling rapidly
Increased.
Called Blind Tigers"
"Illicit sale places were called .pllno
hsers. " he continued, adding the sup
plies for these were at flrst secured lroIh
;moonshine stills
"The dispensary opposed its rival by
opening beer dispensaries, when were
conducted with much latitude he SAID,
"and by putting on the market WHISKY
known as 80 proof which sold at a
lower price than the 'moonshine' PROD
net. This 80 proof whisky was merely
4 mixture of whisky and water In the
proportions Of so to 20.
"They and the dispensary keepers
found that they could enlarge their
trade by cultivating closer relatlons
an. Ill aGGeTtH0.
'An understanding was alleged to nave
been reached that these blind tigers
would supply themselves exclusively
from the dispensaries and that the dis
rensaries should, in turn, protect the
blind tigers as far as possible, from
the clutches of the law; and the dis
pensaries thus degenerated largely into
supply stations Tor blind tigers.
Roger said, however, that local
dispensaries closed in accordance with
the law at nightfan and remained
closed during the night and on sun
days. but that the blind tigers re-
nosined open all night and Sunday.
scandals developed in the purchas--
ing departments" he went on. and
FREQUENT defalcations were reported
from the offices of the dispensaries.
Robberies and fires, removing or con-
suming all records, became frequent.
Rum Consumption Increased.
"The belief grew that the manage.
naent of the dispenSary had degenerateo
into a graft machine, using every enort
to increase sales and make profits. the
result was . greater consumption OF
liquor. especially among the Negroes
And lower class of whites, than ever
before. Prominent citizens of the State
alleged that, because drinking on the
premises was not allowed under the law,
and as a minimum quantity sold was
half mint. drunkenness ana roWdlem
on the public highways had increased
until the system had become intoleraple.
SIN dispensary politics the tendency
soon became pronounced to measure lts
success by the profits turned into the
state treasury, he concluded; Eacn
administration laid stress on the grow
ing profits from its conduct of the
LIQUOR business. The effect, therefore,
was an endeavor to sell not as little as
possible, but as much as possible from
year to year"
years and was finally abolished in
1907" Roper added.
Enforcement System Destructive.
Roper said too much attention had
been paid enforcement and not enough
to observance. He added that the pres
ent enforcement system had desCruc-
tive and not q constructive attitude
and urged a building up of self-respect
among the people to observe the law.
AS he finished reading q prepared
statement, Representative La Guardia,
Republican, New York, asked II the
"faiiure of the dispensary system in
South Carolina was due to maladminis-
tration."
mot entirely" Roper replied.
Of prohibition enforcement forces, Roper
said the difnculty had been In getting
men who had the proper attitude to-
ward the law. He added he left the
bureau In April, 1920.
But some Of the state enforcement
heads you appointed" La Guardia said,
remained in office for q time and re-
tired wealthy"
yes" Roper responded, but I didn't
share in that"
Roper recommended conferences be-
tween judges and enforcement officials
to determine how best to obtain OBJ
servance Of the law.
Roper asserted an educational pro-
gram was, In hts opinion, one Of the
best methods Of obtaining Nationwide
observance.
Referring TO the last Democratic ma
tionAl convention at Houston. La
been enforced there, and attempted to
read two stories from q Houston paper.
Roper said he saw no violation of the
law while he was In Houston, and
added:
"T have no bootlegger and, strange to
say, no one has ever approached me-"
Committee Members WrangIe.
Committee members then wrangled
over what some Democratic Committee
men asserted was an attempt to criticize
the Democratic party. I'm Difference
TO the wishes Of some members of this
committee" La Guardia said, II shall
not, then, read the price list Of liquor
as printed in Houston"
Don't you think" Representative
Celler asked, that If the President has
recommended transfer Of enforcement
to the Justice Department and has
urged other measures, the drys should
give him that legislation"
Continuing. Roper said, in response
to q question, he had recommended
transfer Of prohibition enforcement to
the Justice Department in 1920. The
as requested by President Hoover and
the Law Enforcement Commission, is
pending In Congress.
Praises Work of Hearings.
Roper said the hearings before the
judiciary committee were doing much
good toward ironing out the questions
revolving around enforcement and con-
stituted a part of the beginning of an
educational program toward law OBJ
servance.
The former internal revenue COM
missioner said it was the marvellous
cooperation the States gave the Fed
eral Government in the World War
period that convinces me that prohibit
ton can be enforced
He advocated that wet and dry lead
GrS hold HOnfarAncas knoefhar Ia seek