Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-08-01
Let the viii of the People Pre-

Let the viii Of the People Ere
a. vail. Ass
Mr.. Editor: In the Advertise
of a late date ! was pleased, ane ane
yet by no means surprised, to note :
the fair and manly tenor of a care
from Mr.. Davis, county dispenser
I too had heard the base inslnua'
ton that Mr. Davis would continue lls
to hold the position of dispenser
by some technicality of the law, re-
gardless of the result of the prl'
mary, but I gave no credence
thereto, because [ have lone
known Mr. John Davis, and have
always known him as a just ano
an honorable man-one who coulo
not and would not resort to trick
cry to carry his end or his aims
and because I knew, as he says II
his card, II am a law-abiding cltl
zen, and 1 regard the voice of the
people, publicly expressed by thell
ballots, as the supreme law of oul
land, and I will always bow tt
their voice." And there the mat
ter assuredly restssafor far as Dis
penser Davis is concerned.
But, Mr.. Editor, to me, in my
humble judgment, after looking
over the dispensary law to some
extent, I am afraid that our Coun-
ty Executive Committee have beer
a little premature in ordering the
suggestion or nomination of o
county dispenser by our usual pri-
mary nomination plan. In the
first place, it does not seem ap-
parent that the so-called county
is a county officer in the
true acceptation of the term. The
dispensary law says: ''1t shall be
the duty of the State Board OF
Control, who shall hold their office
for tho term of two years." etc.
Well, of course, this County Board
oi Control, are properly appointed
and duly constituted county offi-
GERS and their edicts are to be
obeyed and observed accordingly.
But can we look upon the dispen-
ger or bis assistant as anything
more than an employee of the
County Board of Control who are
recognized as county officers? The
lispensary law says that "applica-
ions for the position o. county
dispenser. shall be by petition"
And then the Board elects Tom,
Dick or Harry as their agent or
dispenser to conduct the liquor
business in Edgefeld for the State:
If South Carolina. How the said
employee of the County Board of
duly constituted county
can be looked upon or re-
.arded as county official is some
hing beyond the conception Of
rour humble servant. And then
he County Board are commission
d for two years, whilst the said
,oard are not allowed to appoint
man to the position" of dispen--
er for a period Of time which, ac-
ording to dispensary law. Sin no
ase shall exceed twelve months"
Our primary elections are only
for county and Statn officials
al .ot less than two or over foilr
ears. Than the question arises
low can the executive committee
rider primary for the suggestion
f a man as an employee of the
,oard of Control when the said
'oard caunot appoint the person
at the primary sin DO
ase to exceed twelve months.
here is muddle and an entan-
.lement IN the matter somewhere.
md for the life of me I caunotsee
low it is to be remedied unless by
additional legislation at the next
ession of the General Assembly.
But, Mr.. Editor, as the primary
las been ordered for the nomina-
ion of county dispenser, and
ome seven or eight candidates are
before the people for the position,
We can but say, in obedience to
he rights of the people, let the or
Ter of the executive committee be.
carried out. And then early in
January the legislature can amend
he law go as to make the term of
,fice of the dispenser two years
instead of one, and in less than a
month after the expiration of the
;erm of election of the present in
the Board of Control can
luly elect the successful candidate
It the primary as county dispenser
'or The next two years-and the
.1l &C III ,oon1o will have been