The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-05


ENFORCEMENT OF THE DIspENsAPY LAW.
Governor Tillman next reviews the
course OF things under the Dispensary
Law from the time when it was de-
clared by the Supreme Court 10 be rm-
till thcreopening of the
dispers&rics: He says:
But while I obeyed what l thought
was the law under the decision OF the
Court, I resolved TO thwart the Co@rt
i | could. and every effort was put
forth to prevent the Act OF 1898 t:".a
coming before the ColutaS twas tAen
Il thcmeantl!ne we had
4 whiS;Sey dciuge During the period
from Jul y Isl. 1893, when the dlSpsn-
sarv law went into effect, to April list,
1891. whcnit WAS suspended. TWO hun
dred and seventy-sevc,l lui;"d states
retail licenses Were issued. Ia Tie TIME
the dispensaries were closed. April :!
to August ist. l.t1t were issued. Al.
the old dealerS-those who had lett
the State and those who renamed
laid in stocks. AIen who had never
sold LIQUOR wen. in;o the business, and
at every town. hamlet and crossroads
almost, ,whiskey could be bought.
with no effort al concealment.
Prohibition hadcome. By judicial
enactment. it is true, but nevertheless
prohibition. But the prohibitionist
Who had fought the dispensary and
refused to touch tie unclean thing,
looked on in silent tanaZcmens and dis
gust. He had worked for prohibition,
had PRAYED for prohibition, and now
that the dream had come to realIza-
ton, not an angel Of light met his
gaze. but an abortion. ajubilant de
mon, whoieered and laughed rs he
polished his bar glasses and cried
What are YOU going to do about 1t:
Like Fear. in Collins Ode,
He back recollcd, he knew not why:
Even q. the sound himself had made.
and fel, that the
Reign o;chaos and Old Night
had come.
1t is safe to say that Of the men who
voted for Prohibition in 1892 not ono
thousand remain who believe that pro
hibition is practicable.
The stock OF liquors Oh hand at the
State dispenSarv, with other necessary
supplies, was valued at 800, 601.25, ana
the amount held at the several dlspen-
saries was 500. 932.72 while the debts
due by theState CommiSSionel.amount
ed to SS4. 52S.93. These liquors We're
being held az heavy expense for
rent. salaries, insurance. etc. while
the State was flooded with liquor sold
contrary to law. The act Of 1898 had
been ignored by the court in two
cases, and a change in the court made
me feel it to be my duty to revive the
act of 1893 and test the question OF its
constitutionality oncefor all. SO July
22d / issued 4 proclamation ordering
the dispensaries to be reopened Au-
gust 1St. and warning all public car
riers and illicit dealers to obey the
law. The constabulary had been dis
missed April 21st. The force was re-
organized about the middle of August
and putt work, being gradually in
creased and instructed to close down
on the liquorsellers by degrees. Every
facility was offered those so desiring
to get rid Of their liquors and ship them
out of the State
At this time | have siNty-five men
employed as conStables and detectives,
and the expense has been very heavy.
But it was to be expected that both
time and work would be required to
regain the lost ground. and reach even
the position occupied 2!st April, when
the Illicit traffic had almost ceased IN
three-fourths of the counties. That
the constables have been active. and
that most of them have been well
chosen, is shown by the results OF their
work. The contraband liquors seized
and confiscated are valued by the CoEa-
missioner at s11, 451, and a good deal
of otherproperty isin the hands OF the
Courts awaiting the results of the trials
under Section %, for maintaining
nuisanceS,
The Governor next reviews the
different cased arising, in the courts,
out of the Dispensary law-stating
these as they have already appearedm IN
the public prints He recommends.
i. That some means be devised to
control distiliing, without the embar-
rassnert of any seeming conflict with
the Federal governor.
2. That an additional boolkeeper
be employed, who shall also be secre-
tarv OF the State Board of Control.
3. That Clemson College be incorp-
grated, for purposes Of police control
such control extending the boundaries
through a radius OF five miles-thls
to control the liquor traffic at Pendle-
ton and other adjacent points.
4. That a system of metropolitan
police be provided for Charleston. and
for other cities as conditions may
seem to demand.
5. That the Governor should have
have power TO suspend solicitors and
Sheriffs when these shall appear to
have neglected their duty. This re-
commendation arriSeS out Of the CON
viction of the constable Bladon. in
Spartanburg-whom, says Cover
nor Tillman, any but a crazy or
corrupt jury would have acquitted
without leaving their seats
THE DISPENSARY AS \ BUSINESS.
The Governor gives the following
figures showing the workings OF the
STATE Dispensary since It's start:
Abstract, November 1st
Total cost of LIQUORS. .$416. S53. -
Total expenses. 207. .056. ID
Total sale to dispense,s.... 694, 271. SO
Amount due by dispensers
to State. JOG, ~
Amount cash received from
dispensers s.............. oo5, II Is
Amount cash all other sour
ces ................. 10,S65.26
Total cash. $500. 616. 80
Stock at State Dispensary
wholesale )............. %, 4o1.I3
Amount due by State Dis
nensarv. .............. 43,S15.26
Value OF assets over liablll-
ties lii. 694. 90