The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-06-01
PROFITS WILL BE BIG
TILLMAN TALKS ABOUT THE Dlspen-
SARY SYSTEM.

Somc OBS orYations Oh tho PrsvaIsnce NJ
f Adulteration-~Ru and K,ep,a+,on.
) PrnmuiGatod-Somo Information About
, BLANKS and Forms.
COLUMBIA, S. g., May Ex-Governor
Tillman last night gave the newspaper
men the most important interview re-.
iatlng to the dispensary ever given out
1t is chocl full of interesting informa-
ton. 1t shows that the Governor has
posted himself thoroughly and that he
is satisfied that the dispensary will be
a big thing for the State. 1t further
shows determination to enforce the
law at all hazards and to teach the
people of the world that the laws Of
South Carolina are not to be laughed
at.
Governor Tillman said, when asked
as to the price at which the liquor
would be sold under the dispensary
! system, that the cheapest Whiskey
| would be retailed to the consumer at
50 gallon, 10 cents quart, 40 cents a
pint, and 20 cents a half pint, the diff
terence in the smaller packages being
the cost OF the packing and glass This
price will apply to both rye and corn,
and the liquors sold at $3 will cost
LOO at the distileries and will be Of
the best quality obtainable at that
price. lie went on to say that since
he has been investigating liquor, he
has discovered two things: First.
that very little honest liquor is sold in
this State, nearly all Of it being COM
pounded liquor; and second, through
his dealings VITA g.aSS manufacturers
OF bottles and TASKS that the dealers in
this State have beeu using vessels from
two to eight ounces trtnw the require
ments. Quarts have ruu uwenty-oix to
twenty eight ounces, wi hen they should
have been thirty.two ounces, and
smaller tasks show the same proner-
ton.
He had further discovered, he said,
that nine-tenthS Of the liquor sold in
this State was from 60 to 80 per cent.
proof when it should have been 100. 1t
has been watered as we'll as doctored
and colored and sugared. Practically
none Of the liquor sold in this State
has run over the 80 per cent proof.
The whiskey that will be sold by the
dlSpensary will be from 20 to 30 per
cent. stronger than that now sold, and
there Will Ue an absolutely honest
measure and al absolutely pure article.
81 have had collected" he said, "about
twenty-five samples of liquors from
different parts of the State, which will
be turned over to DR.. Burney for chem
| lcal analysis as soon as he has the time
and we will show the people what
kind Of stuff they have been drinking"
From the talks he has had with the
men who sell liquor to dealers in this
State, he said, he was csnvinced that
nine-tenths Of the whiskey sold in
South Carolina is not o yer two or three
months old and has not time to get
| mellow or lose its in uriouS properties.
| When asked what he thought about
| the opposition to the establishment Of
dispensaries, he replied that "the July
sun would evapOrate all that" and that
before long diSpensaries would be es-
tablished in nearly all of the counties
and, before January, even in those
counties where there is now absolute
prohibition.
AS to the profit to be derived from
the system he said: "From the best
information have been able to get
from variety Of sources there is now
over million gallons of whiskey sold
IN this ate, possibly a million and
half. We estimate that there will be a
falling off of about one.thlrd in the
consumption. certainly not over half.
we VIII get net p.olit of one dollar
out OF every gallon of whiskey we sell
and IN addition a considerable revenue
from wines, beers, brandies, etc. 1t
wont cost more than 100000 to dis
tribute the goods, and it may cost
$50 600 to enforce the law" Altogeth.
er, he SAID, he could not see how the
mlnimum profit would be less than
$oUOOO the first year
Talking about the enforcement of
the law, ho sad that he bad just ord.
cred badges for special constables and
detectives, and he was going TO have q
good c'rps of cOnStabloS and detectives
4 ;li
ina the law was properly enforced, as
well as keep an eye on the county dis
prnSer3. These special cOnStables will
probably give an eye to the clubs. He
says Sections II and % prevents the
dispensing or the Keeping of liquorln
Il club for use by Its members.
Our ldeh Is to have samples Of all the
leading DreWerleS analysed. Eyerv
body will be given d fai. chance and
when the selections are made and the
beer offered on the market the labels
Will be ldentl"al, except as to numbers
that IS, NO. VIII represent the beer
OF certain brewery and No. 2 of an
other brewery. The labels will sat
forth that it IS bottled exclusively for
the south Carolina State Dlspensarv
The beers that have been Offered us
snow variation of as much as So so a
case of bottles (ten dozen pints.) "Now
our idea In putting on the numbers ia
10 90 away with tho difference which
long established reputation has had on
our imagination. We propose TO LET
the beer, after it has stood the chemi.
cal test, stand the test of the stomach
anu 40 away with an imaginary sumo
rlorlty. We won't force our peonle to
drink Stops because they are made at
nome or are cheap. We will not Inv a
nigh priced beer because it has a repu-
Catl0n that IS not better than home
product. All the beer must stand on
its own merits on the market, and viii
De sold at the uniform price of fifteen
cents per bottle. 1 hope the Leaisla-
.n tnre VIII allow us to buy it on draught,
where 1t can be obtained cheap, lee
viii be used and the beer will he soId
IN palatable shape. The State board
or Control Will receive proposals from
the different ice companies that choose
20 20 compete tor the contract to provide
pensers." "'''