The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-07-12

has forced. to disregard law, and
bring our jury system into DIS
rcpute
We say his position today is
not consistent with that OF 1880.
That Senator Tillman believes
there is corruption in the dispen-
sary is plain in his letter, for he
says: The people believe there
is corruption and q great deal
of it. Very many things go to
show that this belief has good
foundation in fact" The Sena-
tor seems convinced of the cor
ruption, and he must have been
convinced Of it years ago, for
did he not say in an interview
while attending the State fair in
1899, something about the dis
pensary management being "a
stencil in the nostrils of the peo-
ple?" Although since that time
we believe he defended the instl-
tuition and said something about
people charging corruption be-
cause there was an opportunity
for corruption. The Senator ad-
mitted there was corruption one
time, and later claimed there
was none, and now we have him
again admitting that Every many
things go to show" there is cor
ruption. The fact is, corruption
has always existed in the dispen-
sary, and when the people dis
covered the State entitled to re-
bates from the purchase Of whis-
key, and that no such credits
were to be found on the dispen-
sary books, it was clinching evi-
dence of corruption, even when
the management was in control
of the Governor, Attorney Gen
eral, and Comptroller General.
It was when these high officials,
whom the Senator regards bet
ter men than men chosen by a
legislature would be, had charge,
the Governor in person gong
into the whiskey markets to
purchase liquor, at a time when
so much per gallon was given
back as a rebate on whiskey pur-
chases, and yet after these func-
tionaries had bought thousands
upon thousands of gallons Of
whiskey, not a dollar of rebates
showed up on the books, and to
this day not a dollar of that
money has found its way into
the State treasury to help Tighten
the taxes of the people.
It will never do to put the dis
pensary back into the hands of
the Governor, Attorney General
and Comptroller General, for it
was demonstrated that they do
not inspire any more confidence
than men who give up positions
paying $1,000 per year to take a
place on the Board of Directors
at S4O0 per year.
We believe the Senator is en-
tirely wrong in urging the ques-
ton to be settled in a general
primary, because, if it is pat in
the general primary, its merits
are side tracked by the person
nell of candidates and localissues.
There cannot be a fair test OBJ
tanned in this way, but if the
question is submitted in a gen
eral election after the matter Of
candidates is disposed of, or if
the legislature will provide a
day for holding special election
where nothing but the liquor
question III its various forms
shall be voted upon, then the
people will have square chance
to vote upon the merits OF the
question, and an honest test can
be had, but deliver US from sub
mitting any question to a gen
eral primary, the machinery of
which is in the hands of parti-
sans. We agree with the Sena-
tor in the proposition, that the
present campaign against the
dispensary, if victorious, will
not settle the question, in fact,
under present conditions we be-
lieve it will bring about chaotic
condition, Illicit liquor with all
of it's demoralizing influence will
flood the State, and there will be
none to molest or make afraid,
because, many, very many, are
voting out the dispensary now,
not because they believe prohi.
bition will enhance the cause of
temperance, but to stamp with
disapproval the rottenness at
Columbia, with the hope that it
will result in giving the people
an opportunity to get local self
government, as was provided
for in Senate Bill No. 435, ses-
sion 1900, which was ITO pro-
vide for submitting at a general
election the questions of Prohi-
bition, Dispensary and Ii
cense to the qualified electors
Of each county, and to regulate
the sale, use. consumption,
and disposition
Of intoxicating and alcoholic
liquors in those counties adopt
ing Dispensary or License: and
to prohibit the sale, use, con-
transportation and
disposition Of alcoholic and in