The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-11-08
The Dispensary Scandals.

Inc big scandal in Penitentiary
circles growing out of the manage
ment OF that State Institution is to be
regretted by all the people of the
State. There have been intimations
ehat the opponents OF the ~dispensary
relish the late unpleasant revelations
as tending towards it's abandonment
by the State. The suggestion is en-
tirely unwarranted While it is true
that the management and very cnor-
nous patronage has been monopolised
by It's friends and advocates naturally.
no Irlend to the State however op-
posed to the States conduct of the
whiskey business, takes pleasure in
ehe discontinue Of its conductors, and
the scandals recently attaching to
their Necessarily the citizen
snip OF the management Is very great
and extensive and the scandal really
AFFECTS the whole body Of the people.
NO right minded person, therefore, how.
ever opposed to the States monopoly,
reloices In the smirching OF it's many
conductors. The opponents of the
system know very we'll that 1t is ne
cessarily rotten and corrupting and
altogether undemocratic itself. 1t en-
ploys Hn army OF agents whose respon-
slplllty cannot be guaranteed. AS Or
gained at this moment these scandals
VIII go on; they cannot be guarded
against. 1t is upon these considera.
lions tina the opponents Of the Dis
pensary demand that the State should
abandon utterly the business. An in
cldental curse to all forms Of Govern
ment Is the army of officials needed to
its departments. Corruption
IN all forms Of government in every
age has been the rule and society re-
cognlzes that 1t must contribute a
great percentage for stealage as well
as Tor legitimate and honest service.
1t appertains to the Navy, the army,
the civil branches, and the problem Of
civilized Government is, has been.
ana Will be, to nave an honest service.
But the legitimate business OF gov
must have agents-only as a
matter of necessity-self existence.
In the present case-the necessity
does not exist-every principle of de-
mocracy and sound government is vio-
lated. Shame to our citizenship fol-
lows as effect the efficient cause and
the scandals will continue to follow
perpetual temptation. We can truly
q that hundreds of democrats in the
State recognizing that a business like
the States Dispcnsary is no proper
junction OF government, have ceased
opposition for the sake Of peace. They
seriously regret the scandals first and
last, but are not surprised.
*x*
The ADVERTISER has received a
check to pay for advertising the Gala
week festivities of Charleston. The re-
spectful attention Of those newspapers
accustomed to nag at the city Of Char.
lesion are respectfully but lrmly di.
rected to the contrast thus presented
between Charleston and some other
towns in the neighborhood. Our recol-
lection Is that the near by city of Aug
usta has had her gala times in past
years and has invited the county news
papers of South Carolina to advertise
them largely ard freely. The county
editor graciously is treated every year,
TO a free pass, to the state fair but
the undoubtedly enterprising city
OF Columbia has not been known to
spend any money on advertising this
event, so helpful financially to her, in
the back woods organs. Whatever i'll
natured observations, seasoned or not
with a grain Of truth, may be aimed at
Charleston it must be proclaimed that
she is not the beggar and bum that
some of her rivals are. While the
state fair is of interest to all South
Carolina 1t is chiefly Of pecuniary pro-
hit to the town where it Is held and
there are some OF us who have long
since tired Of advertising it, and Co..
lumbia in connection with it, gratis.
Nevertheless the state fair and it's
town have never failed to receive con-
siderable exploitation In this and
other country weeklies and we sup
pose that it and its town will continue
to get 1t as long as the good nature of
these weeklies yields to Importantly
and imposition.
F*T
Thanksgiving.
Governor insolvency, following the
Presidents Proclamation, appoints
Thursday, the Both inst, for Thanks
giving. We desire to emphasize the