Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-25

u., @ a3 454.67S.25
Personal accounts due the ;.
State, etc. ................ ooO,3oS,ze
Total assets Observation-Disclosures
a,a Liabilities. ~. n ~
School fund. d..........,.....$ .$44z bI6.4u
Personal accounts due by ,.a
State for supplies, such
as whisky, alcohols, wines,
etc. 560,369. "a
Total .............. 81, ,O03.045.6 .6s
II developed in connection with the
above that the liquor bought but moi
yet delivered amounts to $2S9,679.5O.
Tuesdays, Proceedings. fi,
Mr.. August Kohn thus summarized
the proceedings Of Tuesday for the
News and Courier as follows:
The committee had to have begin
ming and an ending point for Its tables
and figures so II chose from April, 1904
to April, 1906. Therefore sall the figures
and tables are to and from these dates
They show that on this date the dis
pensary owed for liquor and supplies
in stock s560,367.2S.
That the dispensary had on hand In
supplies here and throughout the
state over 100000. That the state has
not turned over to the state treasurer
one dollar Of profits earned during the
year 1906. gi'. r. MgFi ~! =
That the state board of control has
placed orders for $299, ,679.50 worth OF
liquor that 1t had not then ordered
shipped. These orders were made last
November and December. :: ~
That the state then owed for Liquor
In hand and tentatively ordered $780,.
600 and that II had stock on hand
with which to pay these obligations.
There were only two witnesses ex-
amined today. Samuel T. Carter, chiel
clerk Of the state treasury. Mr.. Car
ter was most intelligent witness: HIS
information was accurate. but indirect
as gained through the state treasur-
ers' books.
The only other witness was Com
missioner w. O. Tatum, who has made
an excellent commissioner and against
whom there has not been a word said
He did not show a disposition to butt
I'm with suggestions but simply and
intelligentiy answered questions. 81
The evidence Of these two witnesses
mark you, their evidence, showed some
interesting conditions.
The state treasury has no check on
the state dispensary. ,u-s -.
Warrants were issued by the dis
pensary with no money in the hands
of the state treasurer with which to
pay these warrants and they have
been rejected. r.,e.t .,.#s.
The quarterly reports Of the state
treasurer and the state dispensary DC
not agree at the end Of the quarter az
to cash balances. This Is explained by
the fact that the clerk Of the state
board maintains for the commissioner
a special account of odds and ends
such as money for alcohol. barrels
shortages collected and the like. 1t Is
a sort of a reserve fund turned ovel
to the treasurer as needed and helc
for emergencies. It Is protected by the
commissioners bond for $4,000 bu
for while II was mystery not being
turned directly over to the state treas
urer as other funds are.
During the morning session II de-
veloped that there was difference II
the cash accounted for by the state
treasurer and as shown by the dispen-
sary statement Of $4,000. The treas
urer's office was lost in explanation
but It develops that this seems to be g
sort OF kitty" that Is maintained tc
meet pressing paper.
Today warrant for $1,000 was re.
jected because no funds were on hand
but after the warrant was refused
payment deposit Of $4,000 was
made from this "kitty" and the war
rant will be paid tomorrow. This
only goes to show how close the three
million dollar institution skins. Per.
haps the most interesting feature and
significant testimony was that Com
missioner Tatum formally and Of
fcially called the attention OF the
board Of control to the law and
suggested compliance to the statute
that LIQUOR be bought from the
lowest responsible bidder. Mr.. Tatun
said that his communication Is still
unanswered, but he does not imply
that the board did not have a per-
feet right to continue Its present
policy and that 1t Is not the better
one, but personally he insists that the
better plan and the law look to the
purchase Of liquor upon the basis OF
competition. AS explained the board
now fixes minimum prices and VIII
not buy liquor at lower prices than IN
Its advertisements The price Is fixed
and the competition is on the grade
and quality. Mr.. Tatum thinks the
state would come out as we'll or bet.
ter II 1t invited competition In prices
as we'll as to grade and quality.
Mr.. Tatum made 1t very plain that
the state chemist cannot and does
not undertake to analyze liquor to tell
Its quality. All he undertakes to dc
and all he says he can do Is to tell
whether the liquor he tests Is pure
and proof II It has any deleterious
stuff in it he can tell 1t; II 1t Is under
proof he can demonstrate that, but
he cannot tell whether the liquor Is
oll onufhinD nkn that
1t was also demonstrated that case
goods are never analyZed. MIR. Ia
tum, while he does not undertake to
shirk any responsibility, neither to at
tach any blame. made 1t very pointed
that he had no more to do with the
buying Of liquor nor the policy OF
administration than the alleged man
in the moon. About all he could do
was to sign checks, fill offices in gen.
eral and have general supervision.
Most Of his authority Is fixed by reso--
luton Of the board. II the board
tells him to accept liquor he mas 1t
to do. He told Of rejecting two car
loads of liquor today on some SEEM
ing misunderstanding about Its being
ordered and that when the board in
sisted on his receiving 1t that there
was nothing else for him to do under
the law.
Mr.. Tatum at some length explain
ed the business end why no profits
had been paid into the school fund
this year. In a word. he said 1t was
needed by the dispensary for its OBJ
LEGATIONS and that as soon as the
money Is asked for by the superin-
tendent of education II will be paid
in, but that as the money Is issued In
the fall months II is held until 1t Is
really needed and there was no use
for 1t to lie In the treasury Idle.
He also explained that he has done
everything possible to reduce the
stock and pay the debts OF the In
stitution and that as a matter OF fact
there were less case goods on mana
than usual and that he has been