The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-01-20
deoil 8 legisIate in
acco1
1t g Rbted that a large ma
iority pie favor the dispense
-, l., a, bo eocryra5 eoospof kba
o lsgisIate in

II q kueC0 tuot u lbIR6 m8-
joritN pie favor the dispense
~ laJ IA be secured against the
inte 3 of the Federal Courts.
Thrl kccessive General Assemblies
hav bclared in favor of the dispense
nv he best method of dealing with
the nor question. Our representa-
tiyes Congress are at work seeking
to se( Ire additional legislation for the
protection of the State against the in
terfe 4 o, of theUnited Sta.es judiciary
The / aited States Senate has already
passedSa bill by unanimous vote giving
the complete control of into1icants to
the States, and it is hoped that the
House also will pass it But We must
have Immediate relief from the present
intolerable conditions. Free liquor,
with its accompanying increase of
drunkenness and consequent increase
of crime must at all hazards be got rid
of. As have said, license law will
not secure immunity from this evil.
Judge Simonton has destroyed, along
with the dispensary, the license system
left to do? We must either enact pro-
hibition or continue the dispensary
system without the profit feature.
Many-a majority I believe-do not
think prohibition is practicable, and
many have approved the dispensary
system because of the profit feature.
We can certainly get rid of the ''origi-
nal package" dealers and their dcmor-
slizing traffic by continuing the dis.
pensary shorn of oil proars aud admin-
istered only as police resuiation 70
control and reduce the liquor evil. ihe
Federal Judge will have neither occasion
nor excuse for his ever ready inlunc-
tions, if that system shall be inaugu-
rated, unless he shall again reverse his
own previous decision. This, then,
sp e,rs o ms Il Q o nd almost the
the only tn,ng lett Us 10 10. We might
try this policy for a year, aud next WIN
ter, after Congress shall have acted, OF
failed to act and after the supreme
Court at Washington shall have de-
cidea what is to become OF the state
power to control liquor under the VII
son bill OF 1890, we shall be ID posi-
tion to take final action.
But as facts si:eak louder than words,
/ will give the testimony OF ministers
OF the gospel in the State as 10 tn ei-
feet OF the dispensary law on the morals
of the people and on the reduction
OF drunkenness among them. Out oil
four hundred and tixty-three answers
received from the ministers OF the State
to questions submitted 10 them In q
circular letter, dated October 1st, 1897,
three hundred and twenty-four reported
decrease in drinking of fcrty-sI1 and
one.third per cent, and q correspond
ing decrease in Drunkenness since the
dispensary law went into effect sixty
nine reported an increase in drinking
of fifty-four and three-fourths per cent
Yet, in the face of such testimony as to
the good results OF tho system, Judge
Simonton declares it is not q police
measure. Let Us, therefore,
do what is left US, and wait for actica
o. Washington.
Public Printing.
During the year the Office Of public
printer having been declared vacant,
the committee provided for by Law, con-
sisting of the Governor and the chair.
men Of the committees on printing OF
your honorable bodies, met and elected
Mr.. Charles b. Calvo public printer.
This committee thought the State might
have been saved several thousand dol
lars had the act provided for, or per-
mitted, competitive bids. The price to
be paid for the work is fixed In the act
and the committee found itself COM
PEELED, under the provisions of the law
to make the appointment recon-
mend that the act berepealed and that
O committee from each Of your honora-
BILE bodies be selected to let the cen
tract for public printing at competitive
prices. further recommend that the
act FIX the maximum price to be
paid for the work SO as net
to exceed the price being paid now un-
der the existing law.
Direct Tax.
There are 50, 13O. 70 in the State trea-
sury to the credit of the direct tax
fund, which, under an act approved
oath December, 1891, is available for
public purposes. / recommend that
you pass joint resolution authorizing
the State treasurer to transfer this ac-
count to the general account
Special Legislation.
The number Of speciAl statutes should
be reduced by the enacthent of general
laws, embodying ample prsyisions and
remedies for the relief of persons, cor
porations and communities, fs,a:ive to
subjects of general character ann to
put an end to the present food OF sNe-
cial legislation. As it is easier and IN
some cases cheaper to apply ofhe Cen
ersl Assembly for relief ra.hag than to
the courts or other tribunals provided
by general law. the Legislature IS being.
upon various excuses, subjected to con-
slant pressure to enact speciR laws for
the relief of individuals. I4leed, even
constitutional provisions ftended to
limit such special lesisiatiof have often
been evaded under the yaiSe OF So
called general law. In the constitution
of 1895 there are express provisions pro-
hibiting special and locallegislation by
the General Assembly. Prior TO 1895,
during each legislative session n great
deal of time was consumed in the con-
sideration OF such special legislation,
at great expense to the State. 1t was to
check this growing evil that these pro-
bihifinp nrnyisions were introduced