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She Cowntu fiend KINGSTREE. S. C. C. W. WOLFE, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. TERMS STBSC1UPTK>X liATrls: One copy, one year, ? ? ? One copy. >ix mont lis ? ? One copy. three months. ? .25 Subscription payable in advance. ADVERTISING RATES: ft One*inch, first insertion, .$1.mi: each subsequent insertion. 50 ()i?ituaries and Tributes of lie-pert over l> 0 words charged for as regular adverti merits Liberal reduction on advertising made for tiiree. six and twelve months' contracts. (Jonmilinnieatioiis must be aceoinpanied by the real name and addros of the writer in order to receive attention. No communication of a pcr?onal nature, will be published except a- an advertisement. Address all letter- and make all draft- pavable to C. W. WCl.KK. Kingstree. S t;. THURSDAY, SEPT. 7, 1905. In Re the Dispensary. The question has been asked us by one whom we regard as a friend? although we differ with him on the present issue?why wu are opposed to the <1 isnensarv svskem and also we have been requested to set forth our reasons for the benefit of the public. As briefly as possible we shall comply with this request. In the primary election of 1892 the question of prohibition was submitted to the people of South Carolina and answered aftirmatively'by a majority of sixteen thousand votes, every county except eight showing a clear majority for prohibition. At its next session the legislature, instead of carrying out the wishes of the people as expressed at the ballot box and passing a straight prohibition law, concocted a "compromise measure'" in the form of the dispensary law as we know it today. Thus m was the will of the majority made subservient to the.will of a minority and the dispensary born in the betrayal of the people, w ho were forced to submit. Undoubtedly the law in its pristine form presented some good features as compared with the former license system, ami having failed to got what they wanted those who conscientiously opposed the selling of lhjuor accepted the subterfuge with what grace they could command and before condemning it waited to see the practical working of the law. From time to time there were heard complaint and criticism and expressions of dissatisfaction, but the friends of the institution lightly disposed of everything by ascribing the kicking to "sore-headed ex-barkeepers and their friends. When this explanation grew thread-bare and ceased tn ovnlttin. fht?n Sjiid the ai)olo<?istS ~-r ? - o for the system: "Oh, give the law a chatice; the legislature will remedy all the defects next session and every thing will be lovely." The legislature did amend the law and kept on amending it, and with what result? As has been demonstrated within the recent past the institution is reeking with rottenness and corruption. State and county, wherever probed, reveals a condition of fraud and graft and jobbery so flagrant as to excite the disgust of friend and " v foe alike. Permeating through the devious rani iti cat ions of the entire system, root and branch and from center to circumference, is the trail of the serpent, and in mauy counties the people have risen in their might and resolved to rid themselves from its insidious coils. With the disclosures at Spartan burg and Columbia fresh in their minds the most ardent dispensary (Partisans argue their cause not as ilhela*- now stands;, but. as it might <V amended and carried out. And v.vlio is to do t hi* work of pu rification? The legislature?tlu- same power rhat in 1892 flouted the will of the people atal for twelve years has been tinkering w ith its spurious off-spring. Does it stt^d ho reason that by some miracle of statesmanship a scheme will be evolved whereby such a channel-houst* of vice and corruption can be transformed into a ien? pie of beauty ami purity? We think not The liquor ptobleu is a vexed | oik- at best ami we are prone to ac- ' eept anything that will shift the ( ' burden of restiunsibilitv from our 1 i : shoulders and j?av money into the . public treasury, for money lias a magie chat m to salve the lacerated eon ' : science a? well as to "help the hurt tiiat honor feels." Thus the peoph have been for a time beguiled into i I accepting the dispensary as the "best I solution" without really knowing [what thev were endorsing until their j eyes were opened and their slumber-( nig consciences quickened by tho | ! revelations that the investigating: v committee lias brought to light In view of these exposures the: ! I system has lost all claim t>? the title; ! of' best solution", even if it were bloVtll into I he bottle al??Ug with tile: palmetto tree ami tile State seal, ami1 lone may well be pardoned for modifying his \iews on the subject. One of the catchy arguments for 'he "Great Moral Instil ition" is the I restrictive feature. Let us see howlit has restricted the sale: in IOC" j thejtotal sales amounted to .$2,406," 16 I and the net earnings were $560,S9?>: | iu 1903 sales $2,817,998, net earnlings $638,482; in 1904 sales, $3,374,786, earnings $775,375, and; in 1905,by the showing made before | the committee of investigation, the ! I State dispensary now has on hand and bought for future delivery a stock of about $1,000,000 worth of liquor. Moreover, when it was found that | the plain liquor of the dispensary 1 |did not suit the taste of its patrons ' I they laid m a supply of mixed) | drinks and fancy brands of case. g<XHIS ill HI UVUJ Jillturg? i" l certain individuals who sell all kinds of liquor by the drink or "any old way.*' That's restriction with a vengeance. There may be such a thing as fighting tire with tire, but as a rule water is a far moie effective 1 weapon. Then there is the profit feature, ' | which, after all, disguise it iis you may, is the main prop of the institution. Take that avvav and the I thing would fall of its own weight. o e ( Here is where the system gets in its tine work. Like the darkey's coontrap it "ketches 'em a-comiu' and ja-gwine.The law discourages the j useof liquor by restricting the sale. : Yet it encourages the sale by giving la part of the revenue to the schools. | i W as there ever a more ingenious de- i I . . I' vice for whipping the devil around the stumpy Then, too, when a uispensarv ceases to 'pay'' it is very soon closed. T he dispenser's salary is commensurate with the volume of business lie does. Aside from the question of morality let us consider the profit feature I Iiti.'inu? vt inrlnni ii t \<<r.ni j ing that the profits for this county ^ amount to $13,000 a year, how much : liquor sold and consumed does this represent? Where does the money J come from ami what becomes of the difference between the profit and the ' purchase price, something like $50,000 a year? It passes into the ; hands of the distillers of Kentucky ( J and North Carolina and Richland i J county, while its equivalent debases i the consume] here at home. W^nid'nt the county be just that much better i off if no liquor were sold? Ristribu- < ted amo ig our merchants the effect I 'of ihis nionev would be distinctly i I * , , 1 appreciable, or invested in buildings | we would have 50 or bo comfortable ! dwellings put up every year. , Viewing the matter as we do we honestly believe that the county i would b- vastly better off by voting out the dispensaries. The issue is a weightv one and should not be lightly disposed of. It is worthy of the earnest and tlnughtful atten tion of even* citizen, who when he conies to vote .should cast his ballot for that which will benefit the greatest number. In the foregoing we have hurriedly and imperfectly outlined our views as opposed to the dispe.isary.Next weeK we shall continue the discussion and try to show how prohibition will be an improvement on the present svs- j . telll. FOLEYlSKlDNIYCDFE Bakes Kidneys and Bladder Bight Now it's M:ull>oro, Greenwood, Cherokee, Pickens, lTnion ami Newberry. Next!*' The State constabulary now costs (lie State a year. Wonder wliat the State hoard costs. It is a pretty "given" man who will befooled by the a-scrtion that tiie time is not "ripe" for prohibi t loll. Marion, Dailington, Florence, \\ illiamsburg and llorry are ail trying to shake off the dispensary men bus. Let the good work go on. Tlie "small minority" in every community that oppose* the dispensary seems to l>e quite a ponderahle factor troin the efforts fliatuiv b.-ing made to . tjueich it. If prohibition lie "negative and external'" what is the dispensary positive and internal!' Many people think prohibition externally preferable to liispeasatv internally In every county where prohibition takes the place of the dispensary the people express themselves as being perfectly satisfied. Is that, the case in the dispensary counties? If so. whence all this agitation? The State dispensary may yet turn .nit to be another Independent Oil Company affair. The bookkeeper of the dispensary admits that it owes over a half a million dollars, and has not paid a cent to the school fund this year.?Pee Dee Advocate. "The State is not in the liquorselling business on account of the prolit derived therefrom," say the dispensary ad vocates. Then why al low a man to buy as inuth as five gallons a day and why charge more tor the same grade of whiskey than do other dealers outside of the State. Whether or not the dispensary wi' 1 lie voted out of Williamsburg county lemains to be seen. It is an aid political trick to discredit opposition by asserting that public sentiment is changing from prohibition to dispensary. The boot is on the other leg,as a matter of fac'. Sentiment against 1 he dispensary has been increasing eveiv year untii .mx>ii the momentum will be so great as to sweep it from the bounds of the Palmetto State. "1 do not hesitate to say," says Senator Tillman, 44tii.it I can find in tlr.' Hi hie a dozen or two dozen tex's recognizing the us?- of liquor io where von can find one that dis:ou rages it or denounces it." We doubt not also that Senatoi fill man could find a dozen men in lell who recognized tin* use of liquor .o one who denounced it. The proportion may be even greater. We lave no definite statistics on the subject.?Walhalla Courier. "Damn the law," said Supervisor Speegle, of Greenville, when the county treasurer remoustrated about I he way he conducted his office. After that Senator Tillman telegraphed to Greenville: "Vote for Speegle.*' Of course the Senator hud not heard t)f the supervisor's defiant remark but citizens of the county had, and they turned down Speegle and the message from Washington. It Jocks is if they were goiug to trout the same way th* message which came from Trenton: "Don't vote out the dispensaries now. Wait another year and see if they can't be purified. Pee Dee Advocate. We desire to keep the yecord straight and would not intentionally make a misleading statement. In 1 i-' - I i , lUSt WCCK S issue \> c 3ini.ru iuui i.it amount per capita received by pupils of the public schools 111 this county was about thirty-five cents. The correct estimate ijised on tile tiguies from the aiulito? office for 1905 is 74 cents per pm>il. We cheerfully make this conecnton us to the number of cents per pupil, but the point remains the same. In ten veaisat the same rate, the average public school scholar would receive from the dispensary fund the princely mm of fffire Siii New Qiitib. And rhere is Something Doing on the Bargain Counter. Entire Line 01 ^^^^0 dry goods, notions, hats and shoes, j.. . Going at Actual Cost and Below Cost. . .. GROCERIES, FANCY AND STAPLE tmammmtamu lc * - ? a????? ^?o? No Su' li Stock Ever Seen Here Before. Call For What You Want and It Not In Stock We'll Order It at Once. ?Headquarters For r-. cigars, tobacco, fine candies, soda water : q and ice cream. + : We Thank Our Friends For Past Patronage and Cordially Invite Them to Our New Store. Yours to Serve, P. S. COURTNEY & CO., main street - - KINGSTREE, 5. c. I llimwill H'HIIMH III 11 IPWI l> I'II Mil [.The Best Of AIL | Examine the Analysis of Harris Lithia Water and You Will Find that no Other Mineral Water Can . ' Compare With It. Thousands Testify to its Cura% tive Properties and the Medical Profession Unanimously Endorses It. I Hotel Now Open Come to Harris Lithia Springs If You are Seeking Health i | and Pleasure. IFOR TERMS, ETC., APPLY TO Harris Lithia Water Co., | HARRIS SPRINGS, S. C. IIS REDUCTION^ ~~ rim mine mint. AAiMlft UfiVAAA#? i AlAllliMr On account of the crowded condition of our ware-rooms, we shall be compelled to thin down our stock, so as to jLfive us * more room for alterations on tirst and second floors, as it is impossible for the carpenters to work iu the store until a part of the stock has been moved. We therefore announce a bitf reduction in prices on our entire stock of over one hundred new pianos, for thirty days only. These pianos have all been recently received from our factory and are in the best possible condition. They comprise the following world renowned, hi??h grade pianos: Mason & Hamlin Conover, Cable, Kingsbury and Wellington pianos: Our out of town customers will get the same prices as our City friends. Drop us a postal for catalogs and prices, and we will tell you all about it. THE CABLE COMPANY, FACTORY BRANCH: 2*2 KING STREET, Charleston, - S. C. P. 5. Also several slightly used upright pianos at sacrifice prices. i THEY kM HERE! A AAil A AAAVM IAMAWH * Big Lot of Busies and Wagons at THOMAS & BRADHAMS. Ail Standard Hakes. WREN, TISON & JONES and BABCOCK BUGGIES. MILBURN, TAYLOR and CHATTANOOGA WAGONS. ' HARNESS and SADDLES Made at Our Factory and Guaranteed Hand-Sewed. No Better Can Be Bought. mi o "D IllUillclo QD DldiUildilil) -fiftOlltS, KINQSTREE, S. C. $7.40, to obtain which the amount ElitB Art 10 I invested represents considerably j Has just received a complete more of "Silver Spring" than of line of choice mouldings suitable . . for framing I'hotos, Diplomas, the pterian spring. certificates and fancy pictures. ('.ill and examine our stock or FOR SALE. uiai; us your orders stating size Hereafter the Cable I'ano Co. and style wanted. Frames made will keep one of their new pianos from sxl0 uj) and satisfaction fur sale at the' office of J)r K J Me- in workmanship guaranteed. Cabo, where .t may ue seen and i M Wilbur Jones, Mgr. j tested. Lake City, S C *.-3-tf. i 3t-*M7-e. o. w. I -AT- mmm u. mi 1 M THE CLOTHIER, fc- . Jfl Special Line of the Celebrated Lion Brand :"0JB NEGLIGEE SHIRTS. COLLARS and CUFFS. Also a swell line of neck wear?the prettiest lot of Hfl four-in-hand ties that has been here in a long 91 c o i fiH oterson onoes. The Shoes made by btetson are Standard - Every H pair warranted and unequaied for looks and comfort. We have just received a shipment from J the factory. 444 'St*1 CLOTHING^CLOTHING! N Two Piece Suits for Summer Wear. YOUTHS^ SUITS^Ages 16to 70.rM 4??f|gCall and see our line of8??3?i> | Straw Hats. 1 We have the Latest Shapes and Styles. m 3z=r "; .y. SB YOU'LL BE NEEDING I S-u.rn.mer Underwear, 5 We sell the better kind at moderate prices, also a NIGHT SHIRTS-In fact anything in the Clothing S line can be found at m J. B. Steele's, ^ingrstie e, S.C. COin RECORD 11.1 M IWoffl't Youa Writ? Us A Letter? m OUR 'BUSY" DRY GOODS STORE Is now tilled with choice winter fabrics. From now until the spring season opens we'll make strong efforts to clear out this stock. If there's something in winter goods you can use? JUST WRITE US A LETTER *I ________ We'll forward samples at onr? HERETOFORE we have sold out our surplus stocks by means of CUT-PRICE sales twice a week,and only our home customers reaped the benefit. Now IF YOU'LL WRITE US A LET- 9 TER, we'll quote prices for the next sale. This opens the wav for our out-of-town customers to -l secure the unusual bargains offered at our special | If you want prices on Furniture, iYLark your 1 " ... ..fntii-, r-???-?t innnpi T I"? I~> OTAnPH 8 [Letter tor I nt diu ruKi^i 1 ukc ^ i ukc $ BUELL a ROBERTS, I / Clia-rlestoziL, S. C. j Get In The Habit j OF COMING "TO_ J 5. nAKiu b ' 1 IN GOURDINS'THREE-STORY SKY-SCRAPER We have just received a fresh stock of MENS SPRING . \ Also the latest styles of SPRING M1 U PINERY I We \yish to receive your patronage and tlien if you are not pleased after purchasing from us> refund you your money in exchange for the goods sold you. \ -? S. Marcus, V Kingstiee. - - S. C - i ?EE US FOR YOUR I RUSH" JOB WORK 1 'Vfl^