The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-18

OIOCh oA ut~lO ~ oSSScA'1S
Machinery and furniture.... 2,5o9.9I
Amt due by dispensers...... S2,953 80
Rev. tax advanced. ......... 1O,336. "A
Cash in treasury. ............. l9,13.ll
Stock on hand d........... 1926 6O
Amt. due by dispen'rs, Others. 101, ,4S1 81
s272,s32 70
Liabilities on page 5........$280,47.27 5.
Assets as above. 272, 1882. "
Discrepancy y................S 7,514 90
II there had been reported In the
State treasury as on hand February l,
1894, S27 ,222.66 the account would have
balanced.
Governor Tillman admits that he ex.
ceeded the appropriation Of $4,000 90
made by the Legislature. The follow
ing statement taken from the report
shows the amount of that excess:
Merchandise purchased from
May %, 1893, to July Z, '94.S 1921 .43
State appropriation. ..... 100000
Excess. ss................S 48,321 43
In the above purchases the amount
paid during the above period for bot
ties, TASKS, kegs, corks, sealing wax
and Iacking cages is not included
Fifteen thousand dollars would be
low estimate for these items, which
would make the expenditures over S63.
600 IN excess of the State apDropria-
ton:
Now | would like to know where he
gets the authority to disregard our
fundamental doctrines Of our form OF
government, that no executive officer
can spend one dollar of public money,
except that which has been allowed by
the legislature, the representatives of
the people. Sec. 18, Of the dispensary
act makes the appropriation $4,000, if
so much be necessary, and not a dollar
more and by all rules of the admins
tration Governor Tillman was restrict
ed to that amount,and be could not ex.
ceed it without usurpation of au-
thority.
Section 2 does not avail him, because
the expenditure of $4,000 or $4,000
was made before he had sold a gallon
of liquor. How can he Justify his &C.
tion, which is palpably IN violation of
the constitution and laws o. the State.
If he can exceed the appropriation by
$4,000 he may by million of dollars,
so you can readily see where such loose
administration will lead. There is one
other phase of Its administration
which I cannot quite understand. A
friend has handed me a commission
given by Governor T1llman to r. Y.
CAN'T, of Lexington county. It is
dated the S:h Of January, 1894, and
appoints him a special constable under
the dispensary act. How many of these
special constables have been thus CON-
missioned we do not know. Governor
Tillman alone can inform us, If he will.
In transmitting his commission to Mr. Z.
CAN'T, Mr.. D. A. Tompkins, private
secretary to the Governor, writes the
following letter:
State of South Carolina
Executive Chamber
Columbia, S. c., Jan. 8, 1894.
r. Y. Can't, Esq Irmo, s. c.:
Dear Sir-Governor Tlllman directs
me to send you the enclose commission
of State constable and TO say you will
receive as pay $25 for each conviction
of a white man aud $40 tor each con.
viction of a negro you secure, and 81
for each seizure. He has no room on
the regular for you, but may Call on
you some time. Very respectfully.
D. A. TOMPKINs.
Private Secretary.
1t will be observed that Mr.. CAN'T Is
offered S25 for the conviction of a
white man and only $40 for the convic-
tion of negro. Why this discrimina.
ton against white man, [ confess l
cannot comprehend. Perhaps that also
may be explained. All these facts re.
late to the administration of the dis
pensary law and do net touch the mer-
its of the law itself. They are legiti-
mate subjects of inquiry. Governor
Tillman has made fair proposition to
pay the expenses of experts to exam
Inc the dispensarY accounts out Of his
contingent fund. l do not object to
that, but it seems to me that 1t is i'm
posing an extra and unnecessary eX-
penss upon the taxpayers of the State
as these matters ought to be explained
by those charged with the administra-
tion of the law. This, I believe, Is the
usual custom where public funds are
entrusted to public officers.
The last speaker was Governor Till.
pIaD, and his Introduction was greeted
by long and ringing cheers. The Gov
nor said that one of the plesantest Of the
campaign meetings In 1892 had been at
this place, and while the crowd was
small it was because of the sparse
white population and the long distances
people had come to get here. But
those you left at home are just as true
Retorme1s and just as determined to
vote for me as ever. (Applause) He
alluded to an incident of the last can
Vass when Colonel 7 Youmans had claim
ing he was better farmer than he was
and could split more rails, and pointing
to one of tie old farmers present, be
said: "Y ou told him the people intend
ed to make a fence around the Cover
nor's Office of brand new rails and keep
Tillman in there till be got as fat as a
mufi ed-jawed pig. daughter and ap-
plause) You see, said the Governor, !
am growing fatter and have gained
some flesh, but if you want those muf-
fles to come you will have to send me
to Washington in Senator Buffers
place.
Voices: "Well do it,. daughter and
applause.)
Butler says be has plowed more than
| have and is as good farmer, and as
be has had his place eighteen years, l
think you had better let him go to his
farm and plow awhile and let me 60 to
yVoobiorto on in hIs stead
Replying to Gen. Buffers dispensary
questions the Governor contented him.
self with offering to have an examlna-
tion made into the whole business and
if anything wrong was found to sue
Traxler on his bond. AS TO exceeding
the appropriation, he said he simply
bought on credit. He had told the
whiskey makers be would see that they
got either the money or the whiskey
back. AS to offering S25 reward for a
White blind tiger man. and only $40 for
negro, he said: "The white man
deserved just that much more
punishment, and l just discrim-
mated, for l can make the
rewards what l please" If the Supreme
Court had let him alone he would have
had Charleston drY, because he had seen