The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-12-19
DEBATE ON THE DISPENSARY,
THE GOVERNORS DRASTIC MEAS
UItE UNDER FIRE.

Conservatives and Rcformcrs Take n
Hand in the Attack-,rhc Senate Re-
fuses to Strike Out the Enacting
Words.
The State Dec. 14th.
1t became noiscd abroad that the dis
pcnsary bill would come up in few
minutes and the galleries and aiSlcs
were soon filled with spectators.
1t required nearly thrce-quarters of
an hour for Reading Clerk Caughman,
assisted by Clerk Pope. to read the
bill. When that job was finished Mr..
John Gary Evans began the task of
patching up its defects with amend
mcnts, ! Among those Of Importance
was ono that whislics found in posses
sion of common carriers be regarded
as - contraband :" another striking out
the word knowingly AZ to persons
using counterfeit dispensary tags:
third substituting the adjective "alco-
holic' for Intoxicating wherever
1t occurs, and still another permitting
the bringing into the State of alco-
holic liquors in quantities not exceed
ing one gallon as personal baggage.
When Senator Evans moved to
amend section 26 by inserting the word
shall in lieu of may" lin effect to
require the issuance of warrants.) Mr..
Smythc sprang to his feet. The
amendment, he said, took away dis
erection from Il Justice even Of the SUI
prcmc Court.
Senator Evans stated that there was
nothing III the objection. 1t had been
discussed last session. Then MIR.
Evans began TO rcgalc the audience
with his liquid cloqucncc. He ON
phasizcd the necessity of making the
issuing OF warrants mandatory. 1t
would indeed make "tOols of the JUS
ticcs and Judges, but they would also
be tools Of the people.
Senator Smythc observed that it was
novelty to him that a judge should
be elected and then not be Judge.
Have we so little confidence in our
Judges whom we have elected as to
leave them no discretion ?"
The amendment was put 1.-The
noes have it, said the president.
Division :" Quoth MIR. Evans. and Mr..
Buist demanded the yeas and nays.
The roll was called with the following
result:
Aycs--Abbott, Barton. Derham. W.
ID. Evans John Gary Evans. Fuller,
Glcnn. Harrison, Hcmphill, Magill
ODcll, Peakc, Ragin, Rcdfearn, Strib-
ling, Wilson and Wiliams-l7.
Nays Bcaslcy, Bigham, Brown,
Buist Etird, Finley, Jenkins, McDan-
icl, Millcr, Moore, Nov er, Sloan,
Smythe, Timmcrmah ana Verdicr-l6
Senator Buist in his positive way
words Of the bill. but first allowed
Senator Evans to bandagc it with
another amendment or two.
When Senator 3uist took the floor
Senator Wilson desired shat all the
amendments should be put in before
| Senator Buist'S motion was made, and
| intimated that the motion would be
| voted down Of course. Senator Buist
answered that after his words of sober
| ness the Senate might change it's
| mind. Miracles had occasionally come
to pass before.
Senator Buist's speech was model
of eloquence. He began by asserting
that he had mover seen u good point in
the bill until the amendment was Of
fered permitting the bringing in of a
gallon as personal baggage. That had
u tendency to modify him, but it was II
discrimination against his city. 1t
was TO the effect that the constituents
of the author of the bill who lives
within twenty-five miles of Augusta,
Ga, could 90 to Augusta and bring
back IL gallon at night. II was dis
elimination against his people, because
they lived l3O miles from Augusta.
He would give as title to the bill ITO
reduce the population of the State, to
add to the commercial prosperity of
the cities of Augusta and Savannah,
and to restrict the liberties of the peo-
pie" He had his say on this subject
in eXtenso, as the Senators knew. He
had been told that there was no chance
OF his motion prevailing, but "while
there is life there is hope, and we are
told from the pulpit that the "vilest
sinner may return" He declared in
vigorous terms that the law drove from
the State good men, merchants whose
money had helped to make Hampton
| Governor and thereby made it possible
for his brother Senators TO represent
their people.
h Senator Smy ythe followed in a speech
Helivered in short, cleaving sentences,
sm which he Literally tore the bill to
frazzles and exposed its cnormities in a
l style ewhiehtmade them appear erotss-