Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-07-07

In the election Of 1884," in the election
for the constitutional convention In
"95," and In the state election Of "98,"
"9S," and 1900 and 1902. Those candi-
dates for public Office who carried Its
banners were always victorious.
What then has caused the present
upheaval? Why are petitions circu-
lated in a dozen or more counties ask
ing for an election to vote 1t out un-
der the Brice law, and that, too, In
counties in which In the past its known
advocates have always had large ma
jorities? Have the people any greater
faith in prohibition than they have had
all these past years? I do not think
so.
High License Advocates.
Are the advocates of high license
any stronger than they have been? I
do not think 80. am bound to be-
lieve that the existing dissatisfaction
and desire to destroy the dispensary
comes from the well-nigh universal
belief of the people that there Is cor
ruption in its administration and be-
cause the last legislature failed to take
any action other than to appoint a
committee to investigate. There were
charges, with how much truth they
were made I do not know, that the
dispensary influence In the legislature
was paramount. Anyhow the friends
of the dispensary and its enemies
ioined force at the last session 10
prevent any action, and nothing was
done, and unless public opinion shall
drive the legislature at its next session
to some reform action, which will pur1-
fy the atmosphere, there Is no possible
doubt that all elements Of opposition
to the dispersary, aided by many OF
its old friends, will combine In the
next election and kill the system.
I do not hesitate to tell you frankly
that II II has become, and Is to re-
main, a corrupt political machine as
charged, cannot defend 1t and VIII
not do so, but will Join the ranks OF
those who seek to kill It. / believe
It can be reorganized and purged OIL
corruption with safeguards thrown
around it to prevent the recurrence Oh
the present unfortunate and disgrace
full condition Of affairs. I cannot now
go at length into the details and give
reasons. but I will state briefly the
causes, as I see them, which have
produced the present situation.
The purchase Of liquor by any board
ex-officio or otherwise should be stop
ped. The original scheme, which was
hastily gotten up, made the governor
attorney general and the comptrolier
general ex-officio, the state board OF
control. This was changed very soon
after I left the governors office, and
the legislature assumed control by the
election of the board, and In no IL
stance since has my advice and opinion
had any weight in shaping its manage
ment. though I have tried to prevent
some things which were being done
and have urged others without sue
cess. 1t stands to reason that men
who have to depend upon the suffrage
of the whole people to get high once
are, or ought to be, Of higher type
| with better characters, in every way
better fitted for responsible positions
involving the handling Of public money
than those who, with petty salaries
are elected by the legislature.
Politics In Legislative Elections.
Politics always enters in a legisla-
tive election People who vote Tor a
governor vote for him because Of 9TH
er qualifications than that he would
make a good dispensary director, and
for this very reason the governor Is
the best possible man to place In sucn
responsible position.
But the law Is fatally defective In
regard to the purchase of whisky In
not specifically defining In the most
minute and binding manner just what
kinds of liquor shall be bought and
how II shall be bought, without leaV-
ing it to the discretion Of any board
Every detail should be worked out,
and then the law would execute itself
as far as that feature Is concerned.
The board would then need only 10
sunervise the conduct Of state and
county dispensers, the same as the
asylum and penitentiary are run.
| But as regards the proposed cleo
ton to vote out the dispensary. II
the dispensary is to be voted out IL
should. and must, be voted out OF the
state, not by individual counties. VI
course, I recognize the deep-seated
love of the people for local self-goV-
ernment, and I would not compel any
county to retain the dispensary or
have one established therein II ma
iority Of their citizens want pronipl-
ton. with its acknowledged failure TO
prohibit. But, judging simply by the
facts in the numerous elections that
have been held on the subject, 1 De-
lieye that a large majority OF the peo-
nile of the state are as strong believers
in the dispensary system as 1 am, and
that they are only casting about now
for a method of relieving themselves
of the corrupt machine, which Is said
to be in charge in Columbia. Many
states in the Union have had corrup-
ton in their state governments and
their state treasurers have defaulted'
have sometimes stolen HUNDREDS OF
thousands Of dollars, but no man has
ever thought Of abolishing the machm-
cry of taxation because Of this. we
have got to deal with liquor IN scme
form and provide for its legitimate
sale, or we know it will find illeslta-
mate.
Against High License.
Shall we have high license? J. say
no. That gives the monopoly to the
wealthy man as against the poor
man, and we know from experience OF
A will he i'm DOSStDle