The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-17

it has good features W'hissey ass
tean pet under iae baa sad 0as'oes
vcu prohibit Is, license it. or take en'iTe
! charge Of Ii. The priuoi2ie i tie sane
& seews to ne ;he; ii 1c2;d he soec
! Judgment to take hold OF ;be p7e~eo;
!am ard aueod and improve IL. Pro
hibisioo is very oice in theory, bus la
ez,siics circumstances aud condtiocs |
90 nos believe it woule &c practicable
Ezraordirary machinery wouid be
necessary 10 enforce il, add there would
be 90 neaos with which TO employ the
macaioesy except by additioDa! taxa
tiop. and even then wbiskey would be
lreeiy sold and bar rooms cnder tee
euise Of drug stores would spring up
and flourish 10 every towc aoc hamlet
10 South CaroIioa. Such has been toe
experience wherever prohibition bas
been tried. Local optioo would be
even worse than prohibition To have
prohibition 10 one county, license
system 10 40 adjoining couosy, eod the
dispensary in another would create 90
end of confusion aod trouble throughout
the State
No law has been enacted 10 this
State 10 recent years that has been as
bitterly opposed aud as stroogls sup
ported as the dispeusary Law. .sod
vet. With the exception of g few locali
| ties. it has been as we'll enforced as
could be expected. being olut'onary
as it was. No Law can BE thoroughly
enforced that has not behiod i; ADD to
support i, healthy pubic sentiment in
IT'S favor Now that public sentiment
is growing 10 its favor, it seems Co me
tha, it would be nn3ise aud tad j1dg-
mcus to repeal the dispensary law aud
20 make trial ot some ether system OF
controlling the liquor business
That there has been bad masase
meut in sone departments is DOT 80
argument against the system That
sse-e should have been disagreement.
and cootentioS anoogst those in con
srci is unfortunate
would recommend for your coo
sidera,ioo the abolition of the State aDc
county boards Of control aud that the
duties Of these officers be devoived upon
other officials You should elect q
State commissioners Of high character
aud good business judgment, aod give
bim suf6cleot compensation to command
the serviooa Of such man He should
be given more authority aod discretion,
and required to give good aud sutl
cieus bond aud be subject to removal
BY the governor. AS the present law
stands. be has very little discretionary
power in the management of the bosi-
| ness. and is not much more than a
clerk to earrv out the rules aud regula
tons Of tie board of control As an
advisory board to the State cormis
sioper would suggest the comptroller
general. the state treasurer ADD the
state superintendent of education, With
such powers and duties as io your Wis
dom you may think proper to coofer
upou them. / 60 DOT deem 1T wise tc
put the governor or tie attorney gen
eral 8pon this advisory baard. You
mieht add 20 this board the Chairman Of
the Snsnce committee Of ;be sepate aud
the chairman Of toe ways AID means
ccum;..ee of the house |, would DOT
be oecessaay for tais beard to meet
more ,hso four fimes gear. aod ct esca
meeting competitive sealed bids could be
subn;tted AID these bids opened IN the
presence of tbe Commissioners. aod such
purchases made as would be needed 30
supply the demacd The State
treasurer IS toe custodian Of the funds,
the comptroller general distributes the
school par, OF he fund arising from the
dispe7sary and tie State superinseod
sot OF edrca'ion is the head Of the
educstionel department., which is shs
beaz6oiary of the faud These officers
are elected bs the people. aud bave TO
ei7e accoun, to them for the manner il
which 'hsv discharge their duties. aud
are always zen Of ability and cdarac
'er
T. place of the county boards |
would suggest that the county super
visor the county auditor and the
mayor of ,be county seat town, if a
dispeusary be located there, if not the
nayor or iutendant of come town 10
the couuty iu which there is di.pep-
cary constitute the county board. and
tbas they serve without extra compeo'
sation 'i'tey. too. are elected by the
people and would have to give account
ef their stewardship to the people
would also suggest that the county
dispensers be elected by the people as
otber county cf6oers are elected aud for
term OF two years.
These changes are suggested not