The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-11-24
THE PROA|B|T|ON|STy CLAIMS
Say They Will Organize the Next
Legislature.
SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES
To be Made in the Dispensary Law-What
the State Board of COntroi Will Recon-
mend.

Although the general assembly does
not meet until January 10, the dispen-
sary and prohibition forces are align
ing for the battle. The Prohibitionists
say they can control the next legisla-
ture and will theI efore accept nothing
short of straight prohibition law.
The dispensary people claim that the
dispensary is stronger in the State than
ever before, and that the present law
with amendments in some unimportant
details will stand on the statute books.
There were number of Prohlbltlonlsts
attending the State Fair in Columbia.
A number of leaders met and discussed
ways and means of having straight
prohibition law enacted by the next
general assembly. Mr.. c. c. Feather
stone was there and other leaders al
most as we'll known-what plans were
decided upon are unknown, but they
made the announcement that they
would have control of the legislature,
and so would give the people of this
State a prohibition law pure and
simple.
What adds interest to The situation is
that the governors position rs un-
known. He was elected as the expo
nent of the dlspensary, but only da-
or two before the second primary ay
unf altered pamphlet found its way on
the streets announcing that were the
COVER reelected, he would recon-
mend local option. The governor at
the time refused to have anything to
h. hoo ha
slur en- about it. The State board of
conGrol are going ahead preparing
their annual reports to the Legislature.
They propose to make some recon-
mendations as to changes in the law
which they think will very much bet
ter it. One of the most important of
the changes, it has been learned,
which they propose to recommend is
the abolition of the county boards of
control. The central board maintains
that the members of the county boards
look upon their position as one more OF
honor than of work. AS a consequence
the management of the county dispen-
saries is left almost entirely in the
hands of the dispensers. If they be
honest men everything is conducted
straight; if not there are opportunities
for them to gouge the State on such
matters for instance, as breakage.
The report of the State board will
consequently embody in it recon-
meudation that the county boards be
done away with and instead the county
dispensaries be placed directly In the
hands of the central board. 1t will be
urged that they can thus be better
managed and any Irregularities che OK
ed by system of inspectors. The Sc
inspectors will visit every dispensary
when a shipment is received and look
to it that no overcharges are made for
breakage. The State board will argue
that money can besaved by this change
in system of keeping check on the
county dispensers. The per diem Of
the county boards, they will claim, will
more than pay the inspectors and the
surplus can thus be turned into the
State treasury.
This is the most important amend
ment which the State board will make.
There are several minor matters to
which attention will be called. In par
ticular will strong effort be made to
make as strong financial showing as
possible. Already every expense pos
slble is being Topped off and some of
the things now put down in the quar-.
terly reports as unearned profits will
be transferred to the profit" column.
Take for instance the drays. They will
be sold at the next meeting OF the
board and the money placed to the
credit OF the cash account of the dis
pensary. A number of the members, both
of the senate and house, have expressed
themselves on the whiskey p oblem,
but enough have refused to commit
themselves to leave the whole question.
in doubt