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


cations, that wo will have nothing Tn
complain Of. W
Convictions OF violators of this law
nave been promptly had in nearly
every county OF this State whore tried,
, except in Charleston. This is encour
aging and shows that the stubborn re-
sistanco to the law has gradually sub
sided. You will readily SEQ that tho
: protection given by Judge Simonton to
persons importing liquors into this
State for personal use and tho burden
OF proof being placed upon the const;-
bles to show that the samo is not for
personal use, makes our task indeed a
hard one, in fact it prevents us from
seizing imported liquors except where
1t is consigned to persons convicted OF
violating the law, and even these can
always find u friend who will allow the
use of his name to shield criminal,
Ia order to comply with the inter
probation OF the interstate commerce
law by this United States Judge
would respectfully recommend that the
alcoholic liquors., except when analysed
by the State chemist and found to be
chemically pure, are detrimental to
the health, morals and welfare of the
citizens of this State, are contraband
and liable to seizure wherever found
without warrant, and when seized
shall be forwarded to the State Com
missioner and by him destroyed. This
would cover the objection Of Judge
Simonton and would relieve the law Of
continual warfare by tho "whiskey
ring"
l will endeavor to point out to you
the amendmonLs to tho law which
have suggested themselves to the
Attorney General and to me in our
efforts to enforce 1t during tho last
year, and which we believe absolutely
| necessary for its protection and por-
petuation. The Board OF Control
should bo composed OF five members,
consisting OF the Governor, Secretary
OF State, Comptroller General, OK
oliiclo, and two members To be elected
by your honorable body who hold no
| other oilico and arc OF tho business
people. Those two members should
be elected for q torn OF four years,
| and SO arranged SO as to require the
| election OF ono every two years. Tho
| object OF this must DO apparent to you.
| AS the board IL now constituted three
| OF the busiest State officers are re-
| quired to look after this stupentlous
| business OF moro than a million dollars
| year They elect q State Commits
siOner, whose term OF Office expires
with that OF tho board Next year
the duties OF the Secretary Of State
will be almost doubled by reason OF
the additional work imposed upon him
by your body. The Comptroller General
| ls one OF tho busiest men in the State
| House. and ID required to be absent
from the capital n great dcal by
reason Of his settlements with tho
County Auditors. Our terms Of Office
expire every two years, and N tho two
additional members arc not furnished
the Dispensary affairs are liable to be
placed in now, inexperienced hands
every two years. The incoming board
would in all probability elect Il now
Commissioners and the institution
would be greatly embarrassed by in
experienced officers. BY the plan [
have suggested thcre would be two
directors always in Office who would be
familiar with tho business and not
dependent upon State officers for their
appointment. The responsibility for
the success of this business rests upon
the Board OF Control and it is unfair
to tho Governor and his associates
upon. tho board to compel them to
vouch for evcry check that is signed
| and every purchase made and every
dollar expended. Tho duties OF their
| Offices ronder it impossible for them
| to do Justice to this business and TO
| even know of what is going on. For
| tunately we have had Commissioners
80 lar In whom VIC have confidence
but should this officer prove to bo cor
| rupt or incompetent no could in few
weeks wreck the ontiro institution.
Tho Inducements to corruption in this
| business are exceedingly great, and
the mon with whom the Commissioner
| is compelled to deal are often un-
scrupulous. 1t is useless for mo to
onumerate tho many ways in,which the
board Of Control may be imposed upon
and uniess the most stringent rcguia-
tiuns are thrown around the business
to protect it, | fear tho result. 1t is
made tho duty OF tho Governor as
Chairman OF the Board OF Control to
approve every warrant drawn by the
Commissioners upon tho State Treas
urcr, and have approved us high Il.
| tt' jrty Thousand dOllars in one day
without having any evidence as to
hOW IL was to be applied except the
| signature OF the Commissioner and the
draft OF the firm for whose benefit it
was drawn. This is too much re-
sponsibility to place upon tho Cover
nor, and he should DO relieved of it,
[ would, therefore, recommend that
all accounts OF tho State Commissioner
be first approved by the State Board Of
Control and the consent OF tho board
be first obtained before tho Commits
siOncr is allowed to incur any debts,
and that such bills when SO approved oe
| presented to tho Governor for approval
and payment. | would further recon-
mcnd that tho clerk OF tho board be
paid salary OF fifteon hundred dollars
| per annum and his duties enlarged
and he be required to certify all bills
| approved by the board and cheek off
! the merchandise purported to be cover
| cd therein. In this manner the board
will be enabled to know what thoy arc
doing and the Governor relieved OF q
responsibility that should not be placed
upon him. This would also relieve
tho Commissioner OF any insinuation
or charge OF faveritism and remedy
tho weakest feature OF tho law, and
thus place 1t beyond the criticism or
reproach OF It's enemies. or one thing
you may be certain, II any degree OF
corruption isuever discovered at this
institution tho people will destroy it as
quickly as they inaugurated it, and
should such COrruDti bo prartired