The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-07

Larry CAN'T, Father Of the DIspensary.
Wants Searching Investigation.
The partial investigation of the dis
pensary management was only break
ing the ice, and far from satisfactory
to our people. The work will be re-
sumed in October, when the whole
business must be investigated from
bottom TO top and from start TO finish.
Enough has already been developed
to show transparent evidences Of
bribery and corruption, if not deliber-
ate stealing. If there are thieves and
bribetakers connected with the dispen'
sary management, why let their names
be known. that they may either be
prosecuted, and if the law cannot
reach them, then they can be branded
by public execration and retired to
the deepest and most ignomineous
shades of private life.
The Editor of the Headlight is Re-
former and friend to the dispensary
law. But at the same time the great
mass of farmers, at the back of this
movement, are honest and incorrupti
ble, and will not endorse anything
that smacks of mismanagement or
rascality. If Unnecessary, let the entire
profits of the dispensafy for a year be
expended in investigating the business
and Strengthening out tangles. Let
competent accountants 60 through
those books from the day the business
started up to the hour that the inves-
tigation commenced. Summons those
dealers from whom whiskey was
bought, and then require every man
who is or has been connected with the
dispensary to answer truthfully every
question propounded.
1t has been the history of every
country that any party, to hold su-
preme power for a long term of years,
will gradually become tainted with
corruption and must be watched, Now
we do not charge our Reform officials
with venality; but we do know that
grave charges have been made against
some of them, and which charges have
never been satisfactorily answered.
There is a cloud of black smoke OF
suspicion ascending from the dispen-
sary building, and there must be the
fire of corruption somewhere. Well,
let us 20 to work, discover, and then
stamp out the last spark. Unless we
do this, the Reform movement will
surely be held responsible and should
be held responsible, too. But if the
men who have the task of investiga-
ton in hand will 60 to work and puri-
fy every public Office, aAd fix blame
where it belongs, so far from such
disclosures injuring the Reform party
they can and will only serve to
strengthen the confidence of the mas.
ses in the purity of our movemsn t.,
and give us new lease on power.
And. when they are through with
that dispensary investigation, let a
legislative committee then make a
careful investigation of that bond
deal. We believe that Gov. Evans
will demand this. for he owes it not
only to himself but to those friends
who so Loyalty supported him for the
United States senate. Let Mr.. Rhind
be summoned, and every other man
who knows aught of the transaction.
The Piedmont Headlight does not
intend to support any party that
cannot show clean balance sheet.
Our Reform movement is made
up of honest farmers. and they de-
mand that the officers they have
placed in power be held to strict
account, and if any of them have be-
trayed the trust reposed in them, why
let their names be known. They
don't want any whitewashing report.
Let evry questionable transaction be
sifted to the bottom, and il there is
corruption, why they want to know
it.-Peidmont Headlight.