The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-12-12
Edgefeld bark and one share in the
Alliance store here, altogether 1925.
THE MILL CREEK MATTER.

There has perhaps been more said
about the rebate matter than any
thing else. Yesterday Mr. Hubbell,
who is here looking after the inter-
est of the Mill Greek Distilling Com
pany made a statement which is
given and in which he insists that no
rebates were ever allowed or paid any
one for the dispensary purchases
When asked what he knew about
the rebate matter, he said {:
If the Mill Creek Distilling Com
pany had issued rebate vouchers to
D. II. Trailer, commissioner, they
would have charged 7scents proof
gallon more for the goods they sold
him that were produced by the Dis
! tillipg and Cattle Feeding Company
1t was certainly more to the advan-
tage of the State to buy goods with
out the seven cents voucher than to
pay seven cents additional for the
whiskey and take a voucher for it
payable six months from date. For
that reason we never issued vouch-
er to Mr.. Traxler. commissioner for
the State Of South Carolina.
"Mr. llubbell, this is very well, as
far as it goes, but the people Of South
Carolina do not know very much
about the rebate matter and the
details of the wlliskey business, and
l would be very glad if you would
give me some general ideas as to the
manner of operating this rebate
business. I"
"Well, the rebate system was put
in force in the summer of 1888 for
the purpose of retaining business and
allowing the wholesale merchant a
greater margin of profit on their
business than they would otherwise
have had"
Chow could the distilling company
afford to pay this rebate voucher 2"
"The.2company having. control of
the production Of spirits land spirit
goods could make the market, tempo
rarily, what they saw.6t. The day
ths. voucher took effect the market
was, by agreement, put up seven
cents and the purchaser paid the
seven cents advance at the time Of
securing the goods, and received a
voucher payable in six months sub.
ject to condition printed on the
voucher for the seven cents per proof
gallon from the .Distilling and Cattle
Feeding Company Of Peoria.
This rebate system was discarded
on the 9th of August last.
stDuring the time that the rebate
system was in operation there were
a great many wholesale merchants
who preferred to do their business
upon a cash basis. and if they 80
desired could secure their liquors
from dealers who were not members
of the association
"From time to time wholesale
dealers, and might note some in
this State, ask for the privilege of
buying liquor upon a cash basis
without the rebate voucher, and in
some instances it had to be done to
retain trade. When Governor Till
man saw Us with reference to our
selling the State, and appreciating
the fact that there would be very
heavy business done. we were, Of
course, anxious to sell him for the
State. Governor Tillman insisted
that the State did not want any rebate
vouchers, as it preferred to do its
business upon as nearly a cash basis
as possible.
I'VE did not care to pay for liquors
sixty days after their purchase and
mold rebate vouchers that were not
due until six months after the pur-
chase Of the goods. ,Morever, he
insisted that there was no reason
why the State with its heavy busi-
ness should be tied down to doing its
business with any particular firm.
We knew that there were others
who could supply the South Carolina
trade who were not members of the
association, and were making the
same class of goods With this view,
the entire case was presented to the
association with the request that the
Mill Greek Company be allowed to
sell the State of South Carolina without
the rebate vouchers, and the conces.
sion was granted, and can positive
ly state that Governor Tillman. Mr.
Traxler, nor any one else, in any
way, has ever been entitled to or has
ever received rebate voucher or
the equivalent to it from or through
the Mill Greek Distilling Company"
The State
Mr. Aohlau3o Cfofooopt