The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-01-10

The Atlantic Coast Line has COIL
from Denmark 10 Robbins, 4
distance Of 81 miles.
The Southern Railway has constructed
NJ extension from Cayce's to Perry, L
distance Of SI.2 mile.
The Seaboard Air Line has under COIL
struction, and will have completed Ill
few weeks, line from Cheraw 10 the
Junction of the T. c. & p. K. X, dis
lance of 81 miles.
The Sumter and Wateree X. X: con-
structed a line from Sumter Junction 10
the City of Sumter, distance Oh $50
miles. o
Tie North Western R. R. Company
have under construction an extension
from Sumter to Camden, distance OF 80
miles. 10 miles of which IS in operatlon'
and the othcr:milcagei is under rapid con-
struction. -.
There is under construction line from
4 Doiut of the Asheviile s; Spartanburg
II. X. to Lockhart Mills, distance Oh IS
miles. :,
nnder construction, a distance OF 10
miles. This will make total new lille
age of 237 miles i'll the State.
Your attention is directed to the report
of the Commission, in which you will hnd
much valuable and encouraging inforra-
ton. IT,,
/ submit herewith a synopsis OF the
years business.
RAILROAD EARNINGS. 'f
Earnings of the railroads OF
the State from all sources
for the year ending June
80, 1899. .............S o'9io'ooo'o4
TOTAL ExpENsEs.
Maintenance of way and
structures, equipment, con-
Quoting transportation,
general eXpenses.......".... 5,oS1'24o' 81
Taxes ......... ........... 3S371o. 81
Income. 2,7oI, ,43o.44
Increase in gross earnings
over 1895 of.............. ......S o27,oo3'oo
Gross earning per mlle....::. 3'3I'45
Operating expenses per mile. 2'3oI9S
Net income per mile ISee.... 1,o23.3o
Net income per mile ISoo:... oo7.5I
Increase per mile. ................ 215.77
THE DISPENSARY.
There is no question that will engage
YOUR attention at this session that Will
demand more careful thought and IN
| which there is more interest manifest
ed than that of the CONTROL OF liquor
| You will no doubt haves several propo'
sitions presented togyou; fby different
members of your body for your. conslo'
Grafton. It sis important that yot
should take holdspf the question IN
positive and dire6S SWanuer ,and mee'
the issue squarely. Under the Constl
tuition of the State theTsare only three
modes allowed for dealing with TINS
| question. 1.-THE General Assembly
may license persons or corporations u
| manufacture and sell and retail alco
holic liquors or beverages within tne
State:" ''or the General Assembly may
prohibit the manufacture and sale ant
retail Of alcoholic liquors and beverages
within tie State;" OF 1t "may authorize
and empower State, county and mum
cipal officers, all or. either, under tht
authority and in the; name OF the State
to buy in any market and retail within
the State LIQUORS and beverages In suci
packages and. quantities, under sucf
rules and regulations, as it deems ex
pedient. IA And in no case shall 1T b.
| sold I'M. less quantities than one-nal
pint or between sun-down and SUNRISE
j and il shall not be drunk on the preml
Yses. Nsffheyacan the General Assem-
'kbly tdelegafeto any municipal corpora
ftion the power to issue licenses t
| sell the same" Under the last alter
native the Dispensary Law is in force
At the present time and in view Q
1.-THE era of material progress and de
u yelopment upon which the State ha
| entered l do not believe it would b
wise or good business Judgment to refe
this question to- a popular eleetlor
Not that there is any uneasiness or nm
willingness. TO. trust the people, bu
| it, would have q tendency to reneN
strifes and bitterness and engender ba
4 feeling and believe would retard tn
progress Of the State in its material dc
fTelopment. Much OF the pre]udlc
that has heretofore existed against tn
u Dispensary Law has been broken dow
| and many of its most bitter opponent
have come to realize it's good feature
| and are ready and willing and anXiou
to see it improved and enforced. Wit
| certain amendments which seem neces
sarv. and which will commend them
| selves to your good judgment, an
which should be made at the presen
session, and with the proper enforce
ment of the law, it is the bestssolutio
ofjthe liquor question yeSSdevised
Even those who oppose the.IHSpepsar
Law admit that itkhas good features
i. Whiskey has beenput underNthe ba
land wheth4rsyon prohibit it, license il
,tor take entire charge of it, the princi
pie is the same. It,seems to me that
would be good Judgment to take hol
of the.present law and amend and i'm
prove il. Prohibition is very nice !
theory but in existing circumstance
: and conditions do not believe it wou1
be practicable. Extraordinary ma
chinery would be necessary to enforc
: it and there would be no means wit
5 which to employ the machinery eXcep
) by additional taxation, and even the
!. whiskey would be freely sold and bal
!: rooms under the guise of drug store
} would spring up and flourish in ever
town and hamlet in South Carolina
Such has been the experience where
ever prohibition has. been tried. Loca
option would be even worse than pre-
hibition. To have prohibition in on
county, license system in an adjoin