The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-02-02
Annual Report Of the State DispenSay.
TIE RECORD OF LAST YEAR.
Interesting Figures Given by the
State Board of Controf-The Practi-
cal Result and Proposed Amend.
Innnfo

| A"'ohSSe'hS Figures SlVen Dy the
State Board OF Controf-The Practi-
cal Result and Proposed Amend.
ments.
The following is the annual report
OF the State board OF control, except
the detailed statement of assets and
liabilities
Before assuming the duties OF our
once an inventory of all liquors and
supplies on hand was carefully taken
py committee composed of the legis-
latlVe examinin committee and rep
| resentattves OF this board. We found
liquors on hand at the State dispen-
sary to the amount of $73, OCT II; LIQUORS
In hands Of county dispensers Sl45.O
~; supplies $47 TAI 81 and cash in State
treasury 3,92l.22, as set forth in the
above schedule Of assets. We found
an accrued profit due the general or
current fund of 1892, SAT 80 and an ac-
crued profit OF $44, 299.32 to the credit
of the school fund.
AS frequent inquiries into the sub.
Ject shows the fact that many citizens
oi the State do not clearly comprehend
the legal status Of the general fund
and the school fund in respect to their
association with dispensary profits, we
deem it wise to briefly comment on the
authority creating a school fund from
the not earnings OF the dispensary, and
trust that we may sufficiently elucidate
1T as to make it readily understood by
those who may make future inquiry
into the mattor. There are many who
seem unable to understand why the
general fund had priority of claim
over the school fund on the lst of
January last to the amount of S192,-
o41;o9. 1T is simply question of law,
and Is the direct outgrowth of that
specltc requirement OF the late Con-
stltutional convention, which ordained
that the net income of the dispensary
from the lst OF last January shall be
put aside for school purposes. Before
this ordinance became operative (the
Constitution itself not being of force
until the lst of last january there was
balance OF net accrued profit due the
State to the amount Of 1892, ,847.S9.
This ordinance not being rctroac-
tive, did not, therefore, make any pro-
vision for the disposition of the $i92.-
o4Lo9, which had accrued as a net
profit prior to the lst of last January,
And IN the absence of any legislative
enactment placing the net profits of
Ine dlspensary accruing prior to JAN
uary last to the credit of any specified
fund, these accrued profits were placed
TO the credit of the general fund of
the State, and being the oldest claim,
must, therefore, be liquidated from
the accumulated cash surplus before
the school fund (the younger claim)
can hope for any payment from the
cash accumulations of the dispensary.
We have paid into the State tr easurv
In the last four months 100000 to the
credit of the general fund and will
llquldate the $92, 00O balance that is to
the credit of the same fund by the 1st
of June.
There is now to the credit of the
school fund 1922, ,93731, which repre-
sents the net accrued profits from the
business OF the dlspensary for the past
year. A conservative estimate Of the
possibilities of the business guaran-
tees safety in the prediction that we
Will make first payment of $l5, 900 to
the school fund by the 1st of next july
and like amount by the 1st of August.
And for the months of September,
October, November and December,
S2o, 900 each. Should these eXpecta-
tions oe realized, we will have paid at
the close OF the present year $l30, 900
to the school fund and the balance of
S92, 600 in round numbers due the gen
eral fund, making IL total of 1922, 900
which we will have paid at the close
of the present year from the cash &C.
combinations of the State dispensary.
Ihere are Incorporated in this re-
port and to he found under their pro.
per heads statement of the purchases.
sales, profits to towns and counties and
State and the total profits from all
sources from the beginning of the dis
pensary to the close of the past fiscal
year.
We invite the closest scrutiny of
every detail OF our official acts, and are
content for the results of our labors to
speak for themselves. In the manage
ment OF the affairs of the dispensary
we have endeavored to husband every
resource, and such energy and ability
as we may possess have been given un-
stintingly TO it. 1t is business of
nature, and we are impressed with the
gravity OF our duties and the great re-
sponsibilities which they carry
And in our efforts to master every
detail OF the business we have been
moved with Il desire to protect the in
terest OF the State and to SO act as to
best conserve the welfare of the whole
people.
Our purchases, we consider, have
been made judiciously, and in price
and quality will compare most favor
AMY WlGn tne purchases made by our
predecessors. In the one item of re-
bates there have been saved to the
State in the past year more than
$41 900.
BY the last of this month every debt
which we owe will have matured and
been paid and we will have more than
S4OO, 900 OF quick assets, independently
OF all funds in the State treasury,
which will be absolutely freed of ali
liability.
There are on the books of the dis
pensary several thousand dollars OF
hortages due by ex-dispensers, most
OF which occurred prior to the beginn-
ing of our terms of office. These short
ages are in the hands Of the attorney
general and some are now in process of
settlement.
We have a most satisfactory system
OF checking the accounts of county dis.
pensers or the 80 dispensers in the
State we keep an itemized account of
their daily purchases, sales and cash
transactions, and from their weekly
and monthly reports, certified by the
county boards OF control, we mako up
their accounts monthly at the central
Office. Its work OF great magnitude,
as it Is practically keeping books for
W dispensers aside from the books OF
the central Office. On assuming charge
we found that our bookkeeper had this
heavy task to perform alone and as a
result was overworked. 1t was ex-
pecting too much of human endeayor
to expect one man to properly per-