The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-25

UUEN AW Al w iii
STATE DISPENSARY.
The bill introduced by Mr. r B A.
Robinson Of Anderson. yesterday. pro-
poses to do away with the State dispep-
ssry and the State board of control asd
to place the management with the
county commissioners. who shall conssi-
tute board of control apd be properly
bonded.
The State dispensary will be parcel
led out among those counties now hav.
ing dispensaries. Each county. wbetb.
er it has uow dispensary or not. shall
be permitted, upon a petition of voters
thereof. 20 hold an election on tie ques-
ton of dis2ousary OF prohibition. These
elections are not to be peremptory, hut
only upon petition signed by 10 per
ceos. Of the property holding voters of
the county, aud must be decided by q
majority vote. Tnere shall be DO dis
pepsary 10 any county in which prohi-
bitioD receives majority of the votes.
Wherever dispensaries are 10 opera
tioo or are proposed to operate, the
county board of commissioners shall
constitute an ex oficio board of control.
they to appoint county dispeDsary
commissioners. fix his salary and re.
ouire bond He shall be discharged
for cause at their discretion.
The commissioners shall receive 81
per day aud mileage for every day
actually spent in the discharge Of these
duties as board of control.
The counties having dispensaries are
to begin work on July 1st. The credit
of the county is to be pledged for the
purpose of purchasing the necessary
stock aud equipments.
In purchasing stock, the county
board and the county dispensary CON-
missoners shall purchase from the
State dispepeary SO far IS the stock
there and then on hand may prove
suitable
At that time the State board Of
control aud State commissioners shall
dispense with SO many of their
employees and agents as will be render
ed of no service on account Of the
provisions of this bill, and shall close
the affairs of the State dispeossry as
soon as possible after July lss. The
State dispeusary, the remainder of the
stock, equipment, real estate. etc., is to
be converted into cash and placed to
the credit of the sinking fund commis-
sion.
The net proceeds from the county
dispensaries are to be divided somewhat
as at present, two thirds to the county
and ooe third to the town III which the
dispeusary is operated, provided the
town authorities aid 10 the enforcement
of the law.
The strict requirements Of the present
dispeusary law are to De Incorporated
into the bill There shall be 90 spscia
State coustabIes, but all sberiffs, magis-
ira es, town councils and police officers
are to be required to enforce the law,
and failing to 90 so. are to be punished.
The feature of chemical analysis is to
be done away With. but on each pack
age is to be certificate and guarantee
of purity attached by the manufacturer
and importer. All packages not so
marked are to be classed as contrabaud,
and are & be liable to seizure without a
warrant.
The county dispensary commissioners
shall not retail packages, but shall have
duties similar to those of the present
State dispenser. The matter Of salaries
is to be decided By each county board
for it's own county.
This bill says nothing about submit
ting the high licenoe question to the
people; but it is rumored thati amend
mepts to that effect are to be iutroduc-
ed
The rough draft of this bill wac sub
mi.ted to Solicitor j. Monroe johnson,
chief of the eugrossiug department. Who
drew up the bill in detail. MIR. johnson
framed. at the dic;ation of Governor
T;!lmap, the original dispensary law
The bill was ready Saturday night, but
so we'll does Solicitor johnson keep bis
counsel that noee besides himself and
the clerks in the eugrossing department
knew of its existence, although the in-
trod uctiop of euch a bill has been ex.
pecsed.
1t was g Spanish general who turned
Vto,lo kho Him q