The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-02

tration OF the Dispensary ana rays hls
Resps cts to His Enc mics.
Senator Tillman who passed through
Spartanburg Saturday, gave out the
following statement to the press:
Governor Ellerbe having declined
to give my letter to the press as | re-
quested, 1 waited to hear from him
before giving it out. 1t was written
very hurriedly, and some Things in it
seemed 10 him to be reflection on bis
admintration, and he also objected to
nv structures on some men and things
as coming through him for fear they
would be considered as receiving his
endorsement. As I intended no re,
Election on the Governor, and had no
purpose of striking others over his
shoulder" I have modified the Ian
puage which he considered to reflect
on him and give the letter to the pub
lie in the form of a statement. only
addressed it to him, in the first place.
because, being Governor, he alone
could order an investigation. 1t Is
substantially as first written, except
that I have changed my comments on
the Agricultural Hall matter some,
since reading the opinion of Justice
Harlan, and left out one or two SEN
tences which might be considered as
making boastful comparisons.
The Dispepsary scandals and the
recent decision in regard to the Agri'
cultural Hall case have excited q deep
feeling of cor Germ in the minds of the
people of the State and have given my
enemies a good excuse to engage ar ew
in the pleasant pastime OF abusing and
slandering me in connection with
both. commend heartily the Cover
nor's action in pressing the recent in
vestigation and join in the sentiment:
'Let no guilty man escape" l have no
desire, nor do I believe has the Cover
nor, to make scapee oats of anyone,
but il there are any big fish IN the net,
let them not break through and pun
ish only the little ones.
There has been more or less loose
ness in vogue in regard to samples
from the very start, and it is probable
that contraband liquors and samples
became mixed in the minds OF men
connected with the Dispensary, so that
due regard to law has not been had in
the disposal of contrsband seizures.
But if there are graver crimes In
connection with the management than
these with which they have thus far
been charged, I do not see that much
good will come, even if Scruggs and
CASTOR are punished to the fullest ex.
lent of the law. In this connection, I
would suggest that too much stress
seems to be given to the having of a
"hocus pocus" key. Scruggs was the
trusted agent of the Board OF Control,
SO much so that they refused or failed
to elect Commissioner, and cannot
see what need he had for key. Ship.
ments must have been received con.
stantly, and I do not know how they
could have been placed in the contra
band room unless there was key al
ways in his possession to open it with.
1t is possible, at this distance, however,
and for the lack Of familiarity with
the present workings of the Dispen'
sary, that my criticisms along this
line are worthless. Samples were sent
in in great quantities when was con-
nected with the Dispensary, and not
knowing what else 10 do with them,
they were freely distributed among
the visitors to the institution, as one
means of determining the qualities of
the liquors, and also as courtesies. I
carried some to my house and used
them, as did Governor Evans, and
also, I presume, the present State
Board of Control have done likewise,
and I have no apology to make for it.
During my term there were very few
other articles than liquor seized,
though Irecall the fact that kegs and
small barrels of liquors were found
packed in rice barrels and also in casks
of hams. I instructed Mr.. Traxler
to take account of all contraband arti-
cles and dispose of them according to
law.
While there is great howl raised
in regard to the Dispensary by the old
barroom advocates, it is done with the
view of undermining and destroying
the Dispensary system, and they dc
not care so much for the punishment
of these men as they rejoice in the op
portunity the recent exposures have
afforded them for revamping the old
ISLANDERS about rebates"
The obvious purpose of the anti
newspapers-anti reform, anti temper
ance and anti.decency-their obvious
purpose, I say, is to follow up the line
of fight laid down long ago; to bes
mirch the character of any and every
many connected with the Dispensary,
and to magnify everything which car
be criticised in its management in or
der to break it down in the affections
of the people and to accomplish the
restoration of barrooms in some form
The system has no inherent vice
which ought to work its dissolution
and it only requires to be conducted
as the asylum or as the tax depart
ment is run to command the respec
and support of the people. No one
can claim that this is a matter of i'm
possibility, and if the system shal
finally fail it will be owing to the i'm
proper administration of the law.
So much for the general subject
Now, for particulars. I have waitec
to see this weeks Headlight, so as tc
have Gantt's specific charges coverins
the administration of The law under
ben Tillman and Traxter;" and
like others, I have been astonishee
at the atfrontery which give.
out SO much smoke and so little
fire. He merely dips his syring,
into the gutter of filth ant