The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-21

uaOlc trailiC, IL Is ClaSscd us q murder
most foul. Those reports are sent out
TO the world as truths when us q mat
Ter Of fact they arc brazcn falsehoods.
1t is Il disgraceful spectacle that South
Carolinians should descend so low as
to slandcr their own government from
political malicc.
The dispensury law Ia stronger to-
day than at any timo since It's enact.
mcnt and is botter enforced, as will
appear from tho statistics later on. At
the last session Of your honorable body
l. recommended a change in the law
sottlng forth my reasons fully at the
time for SO doing. | showed to you
now 1t was impossible for tho old board
OF control composed of State officers
TO control and how unjust it was to
| lOrcc the Governor ana chairman of
tho board to approve and sign war
rants about which he had no informa-
ton. | knew that if any irrcgularity
occurred tho enemies would at once
cry corruption and in their efforts to
make capital against tho law would
charge every officer from tho chief OK
| cculIVc TO the COnStablcs with wrong
doing. Such has been the case and
The wisdom OF my advice and your sub
scuucnt passage OF the present law is
! luiiy proved.
rms is the most important matter
with which you will have to deal and
! would respectfully call your alton
ZION " the excellent report OF tho
board Of control, with she REQUEST
thitI You study IL ana think we'll before
making any changes in tho present
system.
THE DiSrENSARY AS ~ BUSINESS.
Up 10 the time Of my induction into
Once as Governor the dispensary had
oech IN operation about eighteen
: IhohIhs. Inc Governor was charged
, not only with the enforcement of the
law, but as business manager in the
, capacity OF chairman Of tho board of
control. The business had continually
decreased until 1t reached over u 81
ooO,o 200 annually. Rcalzing that as u
business 1T was tentative and that It
had not been placed upon what could
truly he called q business plane, and
ehht IT was nurdoncd with crudities of
which IL must be divcsted before il
could reach the expectations OF the
pnDllc as IL moral rcf0rmations and q
business success, my first official act
was 10 give It's former management q
Ihorough Investigation in order to
ascertain its financial status as we'll as
us weak points. was met by MANY
dllilcultles, political as well us busi-
ness.
10 commence the business tho Gem
prlation OF $4,000 For tho frat eigh-
teen months OF its existence the dis-
pensary experienced many vicissitudes
una "ncD IT was placed in my hands |
louhd IL still embarrassed and hardly
able to stand alone. 1t had not paid y
dollar into the State treasury in net
earnings and the $50, 900 appropriation
was sIlll uniiquldatcd. The statements
OF It's growth and progress as publish
| hu ho.
| commissioner wore unsatisfact to
the public for the reason that the
system OF bookkeeping was g. Chinese
puzzle ana no one could tell exactly
| the true status Of the business. This
lact gave color to the adverse criticisms
OF the administration Of the law and
invited tho terrific accusations that
were maze against those charged with
| Us management.
The last statement Of the assets and
llabilltles and profits which the former
| commissioner made was for the quarter
ending January 3lst, 1895. In that
statement the profits claimed to have
accrued to date amounted to $l51,-
2oo.5l. Bookkeeper of experience
could not cipher this out and claims
we're made that the profits were ficti-
| Ilous. l determined to change the
| business management and to adopt g.
| 49, ""e '"oioiacIoiy syStem or account
| ing. an expert bookkeeper was em-
ploycd and it was ascertained that the
proit claimed had not accrued, but
Ihat Inc accrued profit to that date
was lorty odd Thousand dollars loss
than the amount. This was simply n
mistake In bookkeeping and in credit
ing to the profit account what had not
accrued, but what was expected to
nave accrued in the hands OF coun-
ty dispensers. After thorough dis
section OF accounts it was ascertainel
that tho profits had not reached $l10,-
900. The cntiro assets including cash,
merchandise, teams and wagons and
personal accounts amounted in round
numbers to $l9S,000. The liabilities
amounted in round numbers to $86, 900.
The total assets being subsequently,,
Affected TO tho amount of $4,000 in o