The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-12
GLOOMY TIMES AT COLUMBIA.
THE LEGISLATURES CONVENEs IN
DER SHADOWS OF A DEFICIT.

Prolonged Debate on the DIspensary
Question Promised-PrOhibitiO
lists VIII Vigorously Oppose All
ComDrOmises-Spea Gary Urges
short Session and Small Ex-
Dense-Phosphate Industry Apt to
COlIapse-Supreme Court and Cir
cult Court Judges TO BE Elected.
Columbia, S. c., Jan. 1.-THE legisla-
ture met here to-day in annual session
under somewhat gloomy circumstances.
There is no pressing legislation that
arouses enthusiasm.
The announcement by the governor that
the legislature must provide for deficit
now existing, and that the income from
phosphate royalties was last year but little
more than half the amount guaranteed
the bondholders from mat source as
sinking fund, together with the uncer-
tainty about the dispensary, was not
cheering. A prolonged debate Is promised
on the dispensary. The prohibitionists
viii vigorously oppose the governors sug-
gestion because they believe now is the
time to refuse compromises and, in the
present state of finances, the plan to cut
off revenue from any source will be gen
orally opposed.
Speaker Gary urged the members to
conclude their work in a hurry and ad-
iourn, as the people were in no mood for
paying expenses of a long session.
A resolution to extend the time of pay
ing taxes SIX weeks was the Hise Hn'i"-
| duced.
Inc phosphate INDUSTRY 10 iepi 49,
Dy the river mlues' seems apouI " 0''i"P'0
ehurely. -.
II was decided 10 eject SUPREME NOU-'
ana several circuit Judges Jan 10
Inc IeadlhS topics loucheu upon ny ny
governor IN ms message 70 me res i9io' A.
are the dlspehsary ana lhe phoSpildlc ~
dustrles. Inc governor AlIoi MS tiIc - ~
assembly bluntly that there must ne al
| increase IN the tax levy lot lile reason
| that there exists a dehclt OF $loo'OJo' pe-
| sides which no income IS TO ne expected
! from the dispensdry institution. for seV-
| eral years nothing has been pald 10 'he
! state school fund from the dlspehsarV re-
! ceipts. The debt owed by that FUNDS now
| amounts to many thousands or dollars. On
| der a recent Interpretation OF the consutu-
! ton, all of the dispensary profits must De
! turned over to the school fund until the
! indebtedness is wiped out
! The governor feels very bitterly towards
| Judge Simonton of the federal Circuit
/
! ings touching the dispensary law. The
! judge is charged with having repealed
| the laws of a sovereign state by his an
! functions. In sundry of his opinions Judge
| Simonton has held that the dispensary
! law, as it is of present in force, is not a
| proper exercise by the state of the police
| power. The state Is now engaged in the
! liquor business for profit So long as hq-
uor is handled in the state, by any person
or corporation, for profit, by the legal
sanction of the state, just so long do iq>
uors belong to commerce, and so long
must they be governed by the interstate
commerce laws. This is the substance OF
Judge Simontons position. Under total
prohibition, or when the liquors are not
handled for profit. then the police power
may apply, as the commodity no longer
belongs to commerce. In order to circum-
vent Judge Simonton's rulings, Gov. Ell
lerbe suggests that the state eliminate
! the profit feature from the dispensary in
yot ,-jd of rho tOrieipa1 nackage dealers >