The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-25
HOW TO FIX lit.
Senator Tillr,sn Points Qut the
Weak Points Of the
STATE DISPENSARY

Plan of Making 1t an Institution
Without Graft, II the Grand
Jurles viii Make Officials
Do Their Duty.
MI. James A. Hoyt, Jr., says ir
The State that Senator Tillman wept
to Anderson with the expectation Of
making a speech In which he should
outline his Views on The dispensary
and give his remedies for the cankel
now eating out the life Of. that insti
tuition. He had gone to she unusua
trouble of writing out his speech
showing that he desired it published,
and published IN full, In order that
his views might have the widest pub.
licity. The conditions were such that
no was pre- vented from delivering his
speech In full, though it must be said,
In justice to Senator Tillman, that
mad he been ungenerous he could have
mace his speech and had plenty Of
time to do 1T In, but he was very
careful not to intrude upon the rights
Of the other invited speakers, and
gave way to them, particularly to Mr..
Smith. the president Of the Cotton
Growers association. Senator Till.
man, had he had the opportunity,
might not bave stuck close to his
manuscript. as lie is not accustomed
TO speaking that way, and the little
of 1T which he did read was interpo.
lated with side remarks as they would
Yep into his head. But his prepared
speech Is OF interest and Is given IN
full at follows:
l think the facts will warrant me
In claiming that l know as much or
more about the dlspensary and about
the liquor traffic in general than any
ether one man in tho State. The law
was enacted in December, 1892, and
went into effect lat Of July following.
During this interval l examined most
thoroughly Into the whole question
and gave the administration of the
proposed system tie most earnest
Thought. EVERYBODY predicted failure
and l was most anxious that the G
pertinent should succeed. For a wear
and a half i administered the law
almost alone, and l therefore had the
fullest opportunity, both by observe
tlon MI experience, to find out it's
good and bad points, aud above all,
its weakness.
The original draft and much that is
still IN tho l&w WAS the work Of the
Prohibition comm. ltCe, and only sucn
changes were madc in the bill as II
passed Tic House as was evidently ne.
cessary fCr the changed purpose tC
which the law was TO bedcvoted. AT
the next session Of tie Legislature m,
Efforts were devoted entirely tC
strengthening tile statute SO as t,
prevent and punish the illicit SAFE O
liquor. gave 10 thought to safe
guarding the State against fraud II
lts administration except in the rule,
ana regulations, because | did not
not then believe, ano | GO not nov
belicye, that the State Of South Caro-
INA could elect three men to til,
highest responsible tillccB OF Cover
nor, Comptroller General and Attor
ney General who would fail so low a,
TO become thieves. During the /:
years that the system has been O,
Trial tl.e law has been changed time
u time again. But my opinion an(
advice have had no weight. The frs
bad biunder Was taking the law OUT O
tne hanos OF men elected by the PEG
pie and putting 1t into the hands of
board elected by the Legislature. Th,
next mistake was taking The appoint
menu Cf the county board out of tn
hands OF the State board, and givin,
II to The delegation in the Legislature,
o each county. The State buart
Is no longer directly responsible to tn,
people, and there is no way to get a
IL unless the Governor should eXerciy,
his implied power Of removal. III,
county board Is 40 longer responsible
to the State board, because il doe,
not depend upon that board for an
pointment and is not responsible t.
ina board, except in q way, but look:
10 The Legislative delegation. Temp
tatlonB That the Governor and othe,
nigh State officials would have beer
expected TO with stand have. I faa,
proven too strong for the board,
elected by Tie Legislature. The adj.
ministration by the State board has
been lax and altogether censurable,
1t has allowed some Of tic NEST yalu.
able restrictive features Ct the law tc
fall into diSuse-illing out request
blanks, selling TO minors, druukards,
etc, There has been no executive
mead with power to see that the law
was administered in good faith, and
the county b0aidS have too often al.
o~ed improper influences, nopotism
and other selfish motives to govern in
elcctlng dispensers, One OF the most
rar reaching and destructive actions
or the State board was the change in
the name OF buying liquor from
JhaG which was Instituted in the be.
ginning, TO wit, the purchase Of whis
key to be sold under the brand and
name and in the package Of the seller.
The original scheme, which has the
soundest reasons In good business
Judgment for its inauguration, pro
vided that 30 liquor, except bought
In barrels and boGGled a5 the dispen.
sary and labelled X, Xxx, Xxx,
NHXN, according TO aye and quality.
all Of the bottles sold through Che
disponsary were Of full measure anL
all The whiskoy Of full proof, as desig-
mated on the label, and all were sealed
tightly with the best sealing wax.
The prices were put Oh q card aud
hung In the window, so that there
nnIll In ,n nbnAxtt., , { 49,. 80.