Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-14

people to use whisky without abusing
it, and to minimize, as far as possible,
the evils inseparably connected with
its traffic and use. Moreover, under
the present system, the state commits.
sioner is a mere fgurehead, without
power and almest without duties.
The state board of control has ab-
sorbed nearly all of his functions.
/ submit what seems to me to be
the best plan of organization The
details of the business should be turned
over to the state commissioner, while
the board of control should have au-
thority to purchase liquors and to ex'
ercise general supervision over the
whole system. The board of control
should be appointed by the governor,
with the advice and consent of the
senate, and the constables should be
appointed by the board of control and
state commissioner. If objection is
made, it may be pointed out that the
regents of the hospital for the insane
are appointed by the governor, and
the management of the institution is
excellent. Note, also, the members of
the present board of control are not
even required to give bond for the
faithful performance of duty, yet they
have absolute control of an institution
doing annually million half dollars
business.
The county boards of control should
be abolished, and two or three inspec-
tors should be appointed to look after
the dispensers books and the break
age. This would be a much more
economical method than the one now
pursued. This system of organization,
together with the supervision of the
grand juries, would reduce peculation
and embezzlement to the smallest
amount possible. The state commits
sioner might be either appointed by
the state board or elected by the gen.
eral assembly. We have both syst ems
now in force in the state. The super
iutendent of the hospitA for the insane,
who is giving perfect satisfaction, is
appointed the superintendent Of the
penitentiary, an equally efficient off,
Ger, is elected by the general assembly.
But there should be vested somewhere
the power by which both state commits
sioner and county dispensers might be
suspended, and, if necessary, be re-
moved for cause.
suggest, also, what seems to me
needed improvement, and that is a
change in the manner of purchasing
liquors. Whisky is as much staple
article as corn or flour, though it va
| ries in quality and price, according to
age and the method of distillation and
manipulation. The large bulk of IL
quor consumed by the people is obtain
able in absolutely pure form and oi
good quality, without the necessity OF
recourse to chemical analysis, for ii
can be bought directly from govern
ment warehouses without passing
through the hands of rectiiers and ma
nipulators, who are almost sure to
adulterate it for the sake of profit. !
think that the law should provide that
purchases should be made, Under an.
nual contracts. with parties who would
agree to furnish liquors from the bond,
ed warehouses of the United States,
of the required age and strength, upon
the most reasonable terms. These
contracts should be let in such way
as to preclude all possibility of collu,
sion or fraud. If blended or rectifed
whiskys are bought, as is now the case,
there is absolutely no safe test by
which adulteration can be shown, un-
less the liquor is so bad as not to be
fit to drink. These remarks apply to
the x and Xxx whisky, or liquors OF
the first and second quality, enumera-
ting from the lowest to the highest, as
has been the rule in this state. do
not believe it is reputable, in the states
business, that there should be swarm
of whisky drummers meeting at Co.
lumbia once a month to sell the re-
quired supply in driblets. Arrange
ments, should be made under contract
for the purchase as l have indicated,
and the order for additional supplies
would 20 forward with as much assur-
ance of being honestly filled as if salt or
bacon were bought. The special brands
of beer and wines required could be
purchased in the same way and as
these constitute only a small part OF
the business, no change need be made
in the present modes of buying them.
There is another matter that appears
worthy of mention. With the expe-
rience gained by the employees in bot
Ting and packing and shipping OF
liquors, there ought to be practically
no breakage, if the bottles were OF
good quality and the packing were
well done, for the cars are loaded
alongside the state dispensary building
and there is hardly ever transfer
from one road to another. This mat
ter of breakage has been the main
reason for continuing the county
boards of control. 1t can be readily
seen what saving would follow il
these boards were abolished, and it can
be safely asserted that the prevention
of breakage would make these boards
no longer necessary.
There is one other matter to which
invite the careful attention of the
general assembly: 1t is with regard to
the importation of whisky for personal
use. The protection given by the
supreme court to those who desire to
exercise this right in good faith, is in
no sense Objectionable. The state does
not need, nor does it wish to restrict