The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-19

I .
snteed TO have been analy zed by the
State cbemist2 Shipments of corn
wbiskey should have been withheld,
or if decocted goods were sold the fact
should have been explained on the
label. Mr.. Tompkins, we do not sup
pose, will deny this. and it would be
another field for investigation. 1t is
nothing short OF robbery on the part
of the State to thus impose upon the
people, and charge full price for de
ccction that never saw the worm OF a
still. Suppose a man wanted whiskey
for sick wife or child, and he had
secured one of those spurious bottles,
and it not having the desired and ex-
pected effect, the patient had died.
Why. our State would have been
morally guilty of murder, and muir,
der, too, for gain. We can understand
how private barkeeper might adul-
terate his liquor for the sake of profit,
but it is a shame and an outrage for a
sovereign State to 60 into any busi-
ness, after wedding out competition,
and then swindling its own people.
The Manning Times OF last week
published an insinuation that two OF
the State Board OF Control were with
a LIQUOR drummer, and spent the night
with him at his hotel and as that
drummer's guests. This report has
also reached our ears. Now. 1t is
very wrong, and looks bad, indeed,
for State officer to accept courtesles
from one with whom he must have
public transactions. Report also says
that those members have ever after ad-
vocated the purchase of that drum
mer's liquors, and he gets the lions
share of the business. Now, we know
nothing whatever of this report per
sonally; but the facts can be easily
secured by reference to the registers OF
the Colum bia hotels, and see if these
parties did accept hospitalities at the
hands of a man with whom they must
transact important business for the
State. A public official should be like
unto Caesars wife; and no man can
act with impartiality in making liquor
purchases while under personal obli-
cations to the one of the parties with
whom he must deal.
AS doubtless every County Dispen-
ser will testify, in sending orders to
the State Dispenssry for liquors, it is
the hardest kind of work to have the
orders properly filled. Different brands
and Kinds of liquors are shipped than
those ordered. Now, We do assert
that the County Dispensers better know
what their customers require and want
than the shipping clerk in Columbia,
and he has no right to foist upon and
charge up against them other kinds
of liquors than those wanted and or
dered. 1t would be we'll, while that
investigation is going on, to examine
why this neglect of orders is practiced.
Of course each dealer wants to sell as
much of his brand as possible, and if
tolerated this changing of orders Ia
Columbia presents a wide field for
speculation.
There are other reports connected
with the Dispensary management that
have reached our ears, but they are OF
minor importance compared with those
we have enumerated above. Let those
we have made be investigated, and it
will not be necessary to summons a
single witness, for the evidence can be
had right at hand.
1t was published, and never denied,
at the time of ex Commissioner Trax
ler's appointment, that being a strict
church member, he prayed to the
Lord for guidance and direction as to
whether or not he should accept the
place, and it was revealed to him that
he should take the $4,000 job. Now,
we do not believe that the Lord has
aught to do with the sale of liquor in
any guiss or manner-either through
barrooms, blind tigers, Raines hotels,
or the Dispensary system.
If the reports that have reached our
ears, and as given above are true, then
the whole State Dispensary has been
reeking with corruption and the thing
should either be thoroughly over
hauled, from top to bottom, and puri-
fed, or torn up root and branch. The
great mass of onr people are honest
and incorruptible and will not brook
or countenance aught that smacks Of
venality. They demand that the
State Dispenpsary be investigated from
mud-sills to rafters, aud every word
of testimony secured be published to
the world. Any public institution
that cannot stand the K rays turned
thereon, should be swept from the
face of the earth.
And when this investigation is made
let not any white. washing committees
be appointed. Not man in any man
ner whatever connected with the State
government, or who is even probable
candidate for office, should be allowed
to serve upon or become connected in
any manner with the investigation.
1t would be better to have msj y
of that committee made up OF men who
are opposed to the Dispensary, for
there would be no danger of their
covering up anything the people
should know. And then let the a!tor.
ney who represents the State be chosen
from the outside. Give the facts and
the testimony to the people, and they
will then make up fair verdict, 1t
matters not what be the report of the
committee.
The Reform party is not responsible,
and should not be held responsible for
the transgressions Of public officers.
But now that certain reports have
been b, ought for ward, it the admins
tration and the ruling faction fails to
have full and free investigation,
then the Reform movement will be