The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-01-19
'Gevefnu Enerbe 5 Message.

assembly
IN this 6rst annual message / re
gret that ] cannot congratulate you
and the people of the state upon the
condition Of affairs that faces you to-.
day. But while Ne have nos had
The predicted return Of prosperity,
swe should recall with thankfulness
The good health, peace and happiness
Va have been permitted to enjoy
Without further preliminary pro-
coed 20 discharge one Of the most im-
sportant duties imposed npon the chief
executive by the constitution.
4 DEr1cr or $100, 600
The finances Of the state are in q very
satisfactory condition During the
session 81 the General Assembly, for
1896, a levy of four and ahalf mills
WAS laid to meet the current expen-
ses Of the fiscal year, beginning Jan.
IS 1891 and ending December 81.
1897 The sum raised By this levy
proved insufficient to meet the expen-.
sses, and we have, therefore, q deficit
=ef $I00, 600 TO be provided for. By
using every dollar from every availa-5
sble source and over. drawing in small
amounts upon banks in which large
sums Of the s.ate's funds have been,
deposited ne have met promptly all
scrrfent obligations without borrow.
iing . dollar The books were open
ed for the collection Of taxes, Oct Is.
aud since that time we have used
nsSs6ney thus collected to pay current
expenses This money nov being
collected. however, belongs ligiti-
mately TO the current appropriations
for 1898. By refusing to borrow
$I00. .O9e, as is often done, though
4 have not saved the state any great
amount IN the wsy Of interest charges.
i hare refused 70 sanction what ap
pears 10 me TO be bad policy the
policy Of borrowing money at inter-
sest
The levy for state purposes will be
high. but yoa must remember that
we have deficit Of $10e, 600, not of
your making, to be provided for, and
thst the state will no longer receive
any revenue, for current expenses,
from the dispensary profits; for IN.
der the provisions Of the constitution
all profits from the dispsDsary. must
hereafter go to the school fund Dur
ing the past year the general fund
has been augmented by $4,000 re-
ceived from the dispensary; the year
previous this augmentation amounted
to 800. 900.
have endesvored to eecure q
statement of the fnancesof the state
from the treasurer, but as his books
were not balanced up to the time of
completion of my message, / beg to
refer you to the treasurer's report.
THE D1sPsNsARY QUESTION.
The most difficult problem that con
fronts you is the regulation of the
liquor traffic, and it is your duty, as
the trusted representatives. of the peo-
pie, TO use your best efforts in satis-
factorily solving this question.
In my inaugural address asked
that no material change be made in
the dispensary law until it could be
given fair trial. this it had never
had Upon nay recommendation the
law remained as it was with the ex.
ception of few unimportant amend
ments. On assuming the duties of
governor ! undertook the enforce
meDt of the law. endeavoring to do so
with as little friction as possible. At
FIRST my efforts were encouragingly
successful, but this success was him
dered by disagreements among the
menbere of the state board of con-
troll. The Encouragement in .be
state dispensary and the chickering's
and dissensions 10 the state board
disguised some of the warmess sup
porters of the law and caused a.great
many to lose faith in the system, but
by reorganization of the force this
mismanagement was corrected, and
the board has since worked in bar
moDy. Be it said to their credit. the
dispensary is now conducted in
more business like way than ever be-
fore. Had it not been for the inter-
ventioD Of the federal courts do not
hesitate to say that the dispensary
would today have little opposi
ton, and would have already proved,
both financially and morally, 3 great
success.