The morning news., 1897-04-08
CARoLINA'S DISPENSARY LAW.
SAMPLES MUST DE TESTED BEFORE
LIQUOR Is IMPORTED.

Test of the Courts, Hut the south
Carolina Authorities Have
knacI< OF Keeping Just Ahead of
the Courts All the Time.
Columbia, s. c.. April 7.--The South Carr
olina dispensary management always ar
ranges to keep Just a little ahead of tho
United States supreme court. Each year
since the establishment of the system the
law has been amended for the purpose OF
forestalling any contemplated adverse de-
cision of the courts. If a case was pend
ing in which the constitutionality of any
particular section was involved, the next
legislature would make such changes that
when the decision came. IL, being in refer
ence to the old law, would have no prac-
tical effect and in this manner, although
the opponents of the law have gained
their points several times, the practical
results of their victories have been lost
Last year. however the dispensary suf-
fered because of Judge Simontou's decls-
ion declaring unconstltutional-or in con.
hict with the interstate commerce law
the section prohibiting the importation of
liquors for personal use. They would not
obey the injunction until several consta-
bles had been put in jail for contempt
The case was appealed TO the supreme
court, and a decision sustaining Judge
Simonton was recently rendered, but
meanwhile the legislature, which adjourn
ed month ago, amended the law with
the intention of defeating the courts ac-
tion. This amendment provides IAN al
coholic liquors in this state, whether man-
ufactured within this state or elsewhere
not having been tested by the chemist of
the South Carolina college and found TO
be pure and free from poisonous, hurtful
and deleterious matters, are hereby de-
clared to be of a detrimental character
and their use and consumption are against
the morals. good health and safety of
the state, and all such liquors may I've
seized whenever found, without war
rant, and disposed Of hereinafter pro.
vlded. Any person resident in this state
intending to import for personal use and
consumption any spirituous, malt, Vinous,
fermented, brewed or other liquor con
tanning alcohol from any other
state or foreign country shall first
certify to the chemist of the
South Carolina college the quantity
and kind OF liquor proposed to be inn
ported, together with the name and place
of business of the person, firm or corpora
tion from which IL is desired TO purchase,
accompanying such certificate with state
ment that the proposed cons'gnor has been
requested to forward a sample of such
liquor to the said chemist at Columbia,
s. C. Upon receipt of said sample the
said chemist shall Immediately proceed 70
test the same, and IL found 20 be pure
and free from any poisonous, hurtful or
deleterous matters, he shall issue a certif-
/ icate to that effect, stating therein the
names of the proposed consignor and con-
signee and the quantity and kind OF
liquor proposed TO be imported thereun-
der, which certificate shall be dated and
forwarded by said chemist, post paid to
the proposed consignor at his place Of
| business. The said consignor shall cause
such certificate to be attached to the pack
age containing the liquor when IL Is ship
ped In this state, and no package bearing
such certificate shall be liable to seizure
and confscatlon; but any package of spir-
ituous, malt, vinous, fermented, brewed
or other liquor or liquid containing alcohol,
imported into this state without such GER
tifcate, or any package containing liquor
other than described in the certificate
thereto attached or any package shipped
by or to any person or persons not named
In such certificate, shall be seized and con-
nscated as provided In this act"
1t shall be unlawful to use this certia-
cate for more than one importation.
If the chemist refuses or wilfully me-
elects to make a prompt analysis of any
samples sent him, he shall, on conviction,
be fined 3lUO Tor edCn OIenEe.
This law has just gone into effect. Its
purpose is plain and there is no doubt Of
the action of the courts, but by the time
a final decision can be obtained the legis-
lature will probably be again IN session
and another change will be made.
AS a matter of fact, the best liquors sold
in the dispensary are not tested by the
chemist They are case goods of standard
brands. Yet this new law does not permit
their importation by individuals unless
each order has been analyzed. 1t makes
10 provision for admitting old wines, nor
does II explain how a bottle Of extra dry
is to be tested by the chemist
One Of the most transparent frauds In
the claims made by the ADVOCATES of the
dlspensary that the liquor sold Is chemic-
ally pure, 1t having 10 be anaiyzed, is the
fact that only a very small fraction Is an
alyzcd and the system of buying leaves
open the way for dishonesty at both ends.
For example, the state invites bids on GER
tain grades Of liquors, say, In hundred
barrel lots. The big establishments in
Cincinnati, Louisville, Baltimore and else
where send their representatives here with
sample cases. Perhaps three quarts OF
liquor are sampled. and on the result as
many hundred barrels may be ordered at
81 80 or $l.40 per gallon. The liquor comes,
the heads Of the barrels are knocked In,
the contents dumped In the watts and bot
tied Off. The only examination made IL by
a United States gaUger, who ascertalns
the proofs. Instead Of the purity being as
certaincd by the dispensary officials, Il Is
left entirely TO the honesty Of the distill-
ers, and whether all, nine-tenths or half
the barrels, contain 81. Is whisky instead
OF $l.30 or 81 40 for which the state pays,
only the shippers know. But the dispen-
sary charges just the same.
For the immense work Of sampllnR and
testing liquors the chemist Of the South
Carolina College II paid $50 a month. To
within a year ago the impure liquors
that were seized we're sent over TO Geor-
gia and sold-perhaps coming back to
South Carolina blind tigers. Now the
chemist Is charged TO destroy all such, but
there have been no noticeable bond fires
In the vicinity OF the laboratory.
TWO KILLED ON AN ENGINE.