The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-10-24
DIR. POPE GETS PEPPERY.
WANTS TO KNOW WHY GOV. TILL.
MAN is so ACTIVE.


MAN is so ACTIVE.
In Columbia for the Canpugu.Hsx
Something to Say Alb out the Dnp snsary.
A Series OF Pertinent Questions.
COLUMBIA, S. c., Oct. 1s.-Dr. Samp.
son Pope, who isrunnlng as DR.. Pops's
candidate for Governor, as a protest
against rings" and "ring" methods. is
IN the city. He will be here until af-
ter the election and has established
headquarters at the Grand Central
Hotel. He says that he is confident of
success and thinks that he is continu.
ally gaining votes.
Yesterday upon his arrival In the city
he was seen and asked If there was
anything new in his campaign, and he
replied:
Il have recently read the dispsnsary
act of 1893 closely. Section of the act
reads as follows: The Governor, the
Attorney General and the Comptroller
General, shall, ex ofico, constitute q
State board of control to carry out the
provisions of this act Section gives
the Governor authority to appoint at
the expiration of the term Of the pres.
ent commissioner (ses the connection
between the acts Of 1892 and 1883 and
every two years thereafter commits
sioner, etc.; the appointment to be ap.
proved by the Senate. The same Sec
ton gives to the commissioner the right
to purchase all supplies, etc., subject
to such rules and regulations as nay
Demade by the State board Of control;
makes him subject to removal by the
State board Of control and makes him
State officer. All rules and reguIa-
ttcns governing said commissioners In
the performance of any OF the duties
OF bis Office shall be prescribed By the
State board of control, etc. I fail to
find In reading said act, any duty de-
volVing specifically upon the Governor,
it. The Governor Is member ex Off
clio of ssVeral boards-the penitentiary,
the asylum, etc. His duties as such
are simply those Of any other member
OF them. The majority controls and
what Is done Is executed by the proper
officers and not by the Governor. The
superintendent Of the pentsentiary car
ries them out for that Institution, the
upesintendent Of the asylum Tor that
institution, and by parity of reasoning,
Mr.. TraXler should do so for the dis
pensary.
"If the law had intended that the
Governor alone should manage the dis.
pensary it would have said so. but it
does not say So, for it puts two others
on the board with him, all Of them ex
oficio members. It means that ma
Jority Of the board shall govern; shall
say what Mr.. Tcaxler shall do. The
Governor has usurped power which
does not belong to him. he admitted
during the canvass that he did so when
he said that he did not consult the 9th.
or members about reopening the dis
pensary.
"He has no more right to issue orders
with regard to the dlspsnsary than he
has with regard to the psnitentiary
and the asylum; he is but a simple
member of all Of those boards, and has
only the authority that any other
member has. The board, I suspect, has
not had meeting until last week IN
many months. Au that has been done
Of his own motion then is illegal, un-
lawful, and is q usurpation Of power
that does not belong to him. South
Carolina has never had but one lawful
dictator, John Rutledge. aud the power
was given him during the revolution.
ary war when the State Wasoverruu by
an enemy, and when it was impossible
from the very nature of things to call
the Legislature together. Governor
Tillman has as much right, and 1t Is
as much his duty, to issue a prociana-
tion or an order, carrying out the pro-
visions Of any other law, as he has as
to the dispsnsary.
"Has he done it? Then why does he
single out this law to be enforced at
this time? Is i5 to destroy the peace
and harmony of our people for political
sect? Is 1t an attempt to bring back
those Rsformers who have left the fold
because of rings? He has sworn to ex-
ecute the laws In mercy, not in ter
rorizing, Ytndtctive maaner, calculated
to frenzy the men and frighten the
women and children. Let 1t be remem-
bered that when the dispaasary Was
| closed many of the conSGa6ulary went
home, under instructions, it was said,
to open illicit barroom5 for the purpose
of proving that prohibition did net pro.
hiblt. When the Supreme Court decid-. :.
ed the act of 1892 unconstitutional, was
i1 not as mucn the Governors duty to
issue proclamation to prevent tbs
sale OF Whiskey, as it Is now to carry
out the dispsnsaryS Then why is 1t
that he failed to do anything then, and
now usurps authority that does not be-
long to him?"
DR.. Pope may have something more
to say on this line later on.
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