The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-02-10
OUR COLUMBIA LETTER.
FROM Our Regular Correspondent.
COLUMBIA, S. c. Feb. I, 1897.

COLUMBIA, S. c, Feb. Z, 1897.
This week promises to be rich in dis
pensary legislation. The fight will origi-
nate in the Senate, anu the outlook now
is that il the reforms aimed at in the
bills presented to that body are not car
ried through the matter will fall stillborn.
The limit of time for the introduction of
bills in both Houses has been passed;
there will, therefore, be no other bills
than the ones now before the General
Assembly introduced Before the House
| there is the Childs bill, which provides
| for absolute prohibition, with the use Of
| the present machinery of the dispensary
| law to enforce it, and the Gsrris amend
ments. which are proposed to the present
law to perfect the provision against the
importation Of liquors from other States
and to get around the recent decision of
| the United States Supreme Court on this
subject. In the Senate there are several
bills which would materially change the
law if they were allowed to pass into
Acts. One of these is prohibition bill
| similar to the Childs bill in the House.
| One is bill By Mr.. Pettigrew, of Flor
| ence. which provides for the importation
! of LIQUORS and their distribution to the
county dispensaries without the inter-
| yention of the State Dispensary and the
expense of bottling, the liquor being Or
dered by the State Commissioner for the
| county dispensaries in cases. The last on
the list is the Msyfeld plan, which Pro-
poses local option in its broadest sense,
Coupled with local self-government. It
| is understood that the Attorney General,
| in suggesting the bill offered by Mr..
| Garris, for it is undeniably an adminis-
tration measure, did not express himself
as perfectly satisfied with the legality of
the plan, Or rather that it would stand
| the test of tne law courts that are further
removed from the influence OF the law.
| He did not, as matter of fact, impress
| those who were with him at the confer
ence with the solidity of the grouud that
he asked them to stand on. The amend
| ments proposed declare that all liquor not
passed upon by the State Chemist is dam
l eerous to the health and well-being Of the
people Of the State. This is simply q per-
| fectiou, or an attempt at perfection, of the
clause on this subject which was added
| to the law lately, and which has never
been before the Supreme Court. The
Mayfield bill is undoubtedly the most
popular of the various measures pro-
posed, and It has many stroug supporters
| in both Houses. It provides as follows /:
It forbids the importation, manufacture
and sale of alcoholic liquors except for
sacramental, scientific and medicinal
purposes. It allows importation by IL
censed druggists, to be sold only on order
| of reputable physicians, selected by the
medical fraternity, and located at the
| County seats, whose names shall be certi-
| lied to by the Clerk Of the Court and pub
,ished for sixty days in County news
papers, liquors to be sold in no less
| Quantities than half-pint packages and
| Under the same restrictions us now in
force under the Dispensary law. Any
other person importing liquors or selling
| in any other manner than the one pro-
| vided shall be deemed guilty of mis-
| demeanor and fined not less than 500 or
imprisoned in the County Jail for not less
than twenty-nine days for each ofense.
| Local option is provided upon written
application of one-fourth of the qualified
voters of any County asking for an cleo
ton, which shall be held in the same
manner as other elections. If the sale is
| sold By officers appointed by the County
| Board of Commissioners and municipal
| authorities, or be sold under licenses
granted by the Secretary Of State on ap-
proved applications secured by bond for
| the faithful observance of the law, and on
| this question the vote shall be "By Off
GERS" or ;'Under license" The parties
| selling LIQUOR under license shall be ap-
proved of by the County Board Of Com.
missioners and Municipal authorities of
| the place where the sales are to be made.
| The County Board shall fix a fee which
shall be paid in advance and divided be-
| tween the County and Municipality.
| Applicants shall make full declaration OF
| capitsl proposed to be invested, etc., and
the County Board shall approve or disap-
prove the application. Bond to the
amount of double the capital shall be
given. Liquors shall be purchased at
| actual cost from the County Dispensaries
until their stock is exhausted, then from
| the State Dispensary until its Stock is ex-
hausted. These institutions shall be
closed as rapidly ss practicable. Pur-
| chases may then be made as provided by
| the Privilege Tax Act from other parties.
| Original packages are to be divided into
smaller packages containing not less
| than one-half pint. Adulteration is for
| hidden. Only cash transactions are al
| lowed. The names ofall purchasers shall
| be taken as in the Dispensaries at present:
| In case the election shall be in favor OF
| the sale by officers the Board Of County
| Commissioners and the Municipalities
shall select the men and fix their salaries,
| fix their bond and prescribe the rules
under which it is to be sold. They, shall
also decide the amount Of capital to be in
| vested and share the profits as they may
agree. The Privilege Tax shall be at the
| rate of 40 per cent. of the purchase price,
and shall be paid in to the State Treasury.
This Privilege Tax shall be added to the
cost of all liquors bought from County
and State Dispensaries. It shall be kept
by the State Treasurer for the benefit of
| the public schools. Secretary of State
shall provide the tax labels and they shall
be affixed to all packages. Liquor man
ufactured in the State is subject to the
same Privilege Tax, which must be af-
| fixed before it is removed or stored. Any
liquor found without such label shall be
liable to con6scation, and half the pro-
ceeds Of the sale shall be turned into the
State Treasury for the public schools, the
other to the County Treasury for ordinary
County purposes. Authority TO enforce
this Act is given to the Sherifs and Mu-
nicipal officers. Sheriffs may be suspen-
ded for failure to enforce it. The Gov
ernor may suspend all authorities in
trusted with the enforcement OF the Act,
and appoint such others as he may deem
proper. All manufacturers of alcoholic
liquors and beverages in this State at the
time this Act goes into effect shall be
registered with the Secretary of State and
full exhibit of the business made. For
this registration an annual fee of $25 is
charged and no others shall be allowed to
be established except as they comply
with this law and are licensed by the
Secretary of State. For such license an
annual fee Of $25 is charged.
A PRIVILEGE TAX.
Mr.. Mayfield introduced another bill in
regard to the control of the whiskey
traffic.
1t provides for the payment by all per-
sons or firms or corporations transport
ing liquors in this State of privilege
tax. Section l says: THAT all alcohc'i1
liquors or beverages transported and DE-
li1e-ed within this State, whether the
same be shipped from some point within
this State or from some point without,
shall have upon every barrel, box; cask
or package printed label or stamp which
shall truly set forth the name, location
and trade mark of the person, firm or
corporation, also the quantity, kind and
quality Of alcoholic liquors or beverages
contained in such barrel, box or cask,
showing thai the privilege tax has been
paid.
Section 2 says that all alcoholic liquors
or beverages delivered by any person
from corporation shall have upon each
barrel, box, cask or package o privilege
tag or stamp of 81 per gallon or fractional