The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-02-20

an additional $4,000 surplus covered
into the State treasury to pay the ex
penses OF the constitutional convention
From tho following tabulated state
ment you can gain an idea OF the
| heaviest items Of expenses incident tt
the running Of the business
Supplies used for eleven
| mOntnS ......... ............. S93.S64 II
freight charges.... ............ 50,953 Il
Cost Of constabulary 1902 Oh
| found that tho system of bookkeep
ing in vogue at che disponsary was
most unsatisfactory, and l employed
Mr.. Seth w. Scruggs, an export book
keeper, to devise a system especially
suited for this business, for which
paid him $3.50, and 1 regard it as tho
best Investment the State has ever
made. The system as inaugurated by
and now in charge Of Mr.. Scruggs, it's
originator, has received tho endorse.
mont OF many Of the leading business
men OF tho Union. 1t is u most salts.
factory check on the county dispen.
sers, and is 80 simple and comprohen-
eive that any one Of any business
record OF the gallons, value and brand
OF all liquors bought and sold Is kept
at the Office. as is also u record of the
number Of gallons of all kinds dumped
into and bottled from tho tanks. Tho
county dispensers are required to send
weekly statement of their sales at
invoice and consumers prices and .
weekly statement OF their cash trans.
actions, and check covering the
States share OF all sales.
At the end Of each month they arc
required to send to tho State Com
missioner copy OF their merchandise
purchases and sales and "emittances
and copy of thoir cash transactions
Tor tho month and also q copy OF their
sales at invoice and consumers prices
for the month and an itomized state
ment for the month. They are re-
quired to take stock at the end OF each
month In the presence and with tho
assistance OF one member Of the county
board of control and to send to tho
Commissioner an itemized inventory
OF all merchandise on hand signed by
the dispenser and the member of the
board Of control who assisted in the
stock taking. At tho end OF each
quarter they are also required to send
to the State board OF control quar-
terly statement of their purchases,
sales, expenses, gross and not profits,
and stock on hand. A duplicate state
ment Is also cent to the board of con-
trol. Under this system we have been
enabled to dispense with the inspec.
tors. The expense of the constabulary
has been moro than met by the the valuo
OF the contraband whiskeyoand wines
seized and tho suppression of the illi-
cit traffic in such. The amount for
maintaining the force was S43, ,O32. OF.
The value placed on contraband dump
ed was $l7,03l.7O, leaving a net cost
for maintenance of 26,O0O37. The
value placed upon contraband seized
does not represent the true value OF
the articles captured as there is a
large amount still on hand of goods
unsuitable for the business OF tho dis.
pensary, and consequently OF no actual
are entitled to moro commentator
than these mon who do not hesitate to
risk their lives and in several instances
have lost them in defense and in exc
cutting the laws of this State. II it
were not for the espionage of these
rampant and the dispensaries would
not be self-sustaining. If the present
improvement in public sentiment in
the towns and cities continues | am
satisfied the constabulary can be safely
cut down to one-half the present force
at the end OF another year.
THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.
The Governor is empowered to en-
ploy two chief State constabies and as
many State constables as may be nee
essary to enforce the law. Upon my
induction into Office I determined to
reorganize the constabulary and if pos
sible dispense with it altogether.
After trying a small force for month
l found that 1t was impracticable and
l<,, no fN,,1 Al
execution of the law would be a failure.
drawn from q town or county i'm
mediately petitions would be sent mo
requesting their return.
For tho year ending the first Of June,
1885, there wcro issued by the United
States Internal Revenue Collector sos
licenses to retail liquor. This includes
as Dispensaries which leaves for illicit
dealers 730. For the year ending June
1st, 1893, there have been issued so
far 3S7 licenses, this includes SO Dis
pensurics, leaving Il total Of 300 for
Illicit dealers. or this number 167
were taken out in the city OF Charles
ton, ten Of which were for tho Dispen-
saries, which boing deducted leaves u
grand total Of l57 illicit dealers in this
city. 1t will oo seen from these figures
IlbI OVct nlty-IWO per ConL. Ol Jno
Illicit traffic in whisley is carried on
in tho city OF Charleston. 1t will be
further observed that tho number of
United States licenses issued for tho
State has decreased over forty.one por
cent. for tho past year.
The Illicit sale Of liquor had almost
been starved out and dwindlel TO q
minimum when we were parslliZcd by
Il most unexpected decree by tho
United States Circuit Court, through
Judge Simonton. This Judge it will
be remembered was the first to sus-
tain tho constitutionality OF the law ;
but he has now completely reversed
his former decision and under tho
guise Of interstate commerce he nulli-
lies every section Of tho law intended
to prohibit tho Illicit traffic. This law
sccms to be the bette noir OF our dis
tinguished United States Judges,
Brawley, Simonton and Goff, but go
far we have reversed them and feel
satisfied we will continue to do SO.
Tho case before Judge Simonton was
brought by citizon Of Charleston
named Donald, who claimed that
VIII h'skey had been ordered by him
from without our State for his per-