The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-17

judgment to repeal the dispensary
law and to make trial Of some other
system Of controlling the liquor bust
ness
"That there has been bad manage
rncnt in some departments, is not an
argument against the system. That
there should have been disagreement
and contention amongst those in con
troll. i, unfortunate.
81 would recommend for your con
sidcration the abolition OF the State
and County boards of control and that
the duties Of these officers be devolvcd
upon other officials. You should Sc
lcct a State Commissioner Of high
| character and good business Judgment
and give him sufficient compensation
to command the services Of such man.
He should be given more authority
and discretion, and required to give
good and sufficient bond and be sub
jcct to removal by the governor. AS
| the present law stands, he has very
| little discretionary power in the man
agcment OF the business, and is not
much more than clerk to carry out
the rules and regulations OF the board
OF control AS an advisory board to
the State Commissioner would sug-
gcst the Comptroller General the State
Treasurer and the State Superintcn.
| dent Of Education, with such powers
and duties as in your wisdom you may
think proper to confer upon them.
do not deem it wise to nut the Govern
or or the Attorney General on this ad-
visory board. You might add to this
board the chairman Of the finance com
mttcc OF the Senate and the chairman
Of the ways and means committee Of
| the House. 1t would not be necessary
for this board to meet more than four
times year, and at each meeting com
pctitivc sealed bids could be submitted
and these bids opened in the presence
OF the commissioner and such purcha-
scs made as would be needed to sun.
| ply the demand. The State Treasurer
Is the custodian Of the funds, the
Comptroller General distributes the
school part Of the fund arising from
the dispcnsary, and the State Super
lntcndcnt Of Education is the head of
the educational department, which is
the beneficiary Of the fund. These Of
ficcrs arc elected by the people, and
have to give account to them for the
manner in which they discharge their
duties, and are always men of ability
and character
"In place Of the County boards |
would suggest that the County Super
visor, the County Auditor and the
Mayor of ethe County seat town, if a
dispensary be located there, if not the
Mayor or Intendent Of some town in the
country in which there is q dispensary
constitute the County board, and that
they serve without extra compensa-
tion. They, too, are elected by the
people, and would have to give account
OF their stewardship TO the people.
would also suggest that the County
dispensers be elected by the people as
other County officers are elected, and
for term Of two years.
These changes arc suggested not only
because in my judgment they would
improve the administration of the law
but on the ground Of economy. Ire
gret that have not the figures for the
last fiscal year. They could not be
obtained on account of the assembling
of the Legislature coming so near TO
the close of the fiscal year. The fig
ures, however, will not be materially
different from those for the fiscal year
1898, SO far as the county boards are
concerned, but the cost of the State
board will undoubtedly be very much
increased. In this year the total cost
of the county boards was 9,724 20.
For the same year the cost Of the State
board of control was $4.38002, which
makes total Of $14, 1922 as the cost
of the State and county boards of
control, and which by their abolition
would be turned into the profits of the
dispensary.
would also suggest that the law be
so amended as to bring violations
within the jurisdiction of magistrates,