The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-01-10

+ rot to increase, but to curtail and
PntrOl the sale Of liquor. and this pur-
pse should always be kept in view.
rs business institution. it should be-
Haced us far as possible above criti-
Hsm and its restrictive regulations
hould be rigidly enforced. The man
cement Of the dispensary has always
Zen the subject Of more or less criti-
fsm. During the past few months
bis criticism has been made frequent
+, and with the greatest freedom. It
, necessary that the system should be
aade as business-like as possible, and
b this important end I shall principal
" direct my recommendations.
4 County Boards.
/ I respectfully recommend that the
iarlcus county boards Of control should
fe appointed by the State board of Gi-
ectors-two members Of this board
10 be appointed upon the recommended
ion Of the legislative delegations, the
ther member upon the nomination Of
he mayor Of the county seat. It
thould be the duty of these county
boards to indorse orders filed with the
plate commissioner by county dis
Rensers for such supplies as may be
eeeded for their respective dispensa-
sles, naming brands and amounts re-
Hulred. This board should elect the
Earlous county dispensers, but these
dispensers should be subject to removal
by the State board of directors for
Eause.
State Commissioners.
The State commissioner should, in
my judgment, be the officer whose
Huty it should be to purchase all sup
plies for the dispensary. He should
pc required to make contracts. not
for any specified amount Of liquor,
put for such supplies as may be &C.
:ually required, such requirements to
pc determined by the commissioner.
based, as far as possible, upon orders
received by him from dispensers, ap-
proved by the county boards. and filed
with him 30 days before the adyer-
Eisement for bids by that officer.
Each contract made by the commits
sioner should require the firm con-
tracted with to guarantee the sale Of
such goods as may be ordered, and
mipped to the State dispensary, said
guarantee to be entered as a part Of
lhe bond. All advertisements for bulk
foods should be placed strictly and alb
solutely upon a competitive basis, by
citing it be distinctly understood that
he lowest responsible bidder shall be
awarded the contract. It should furth-
sr be the duty Of the commissioner to
aaiake, each year, quarterly reports to
;he State board Of directors, showing
The amounts contracted for the pre-
Sious quarter, including the brand and
prices, which report the State board
Sf directors shall have published in at
east two daily, newspapers Of the
State.
State Board of Directors.
The board should be required to meet
ZACH week at their Office in the State
to remain in session as
'ong as may be necessary for the trans
sction' of their business. The general
and management Of all
county dispensaries should be in their
charge and they should be specifically
charged with the duty of seeing that
Ill restrictions gov arnins the various
1iSpeLSarieS should be STRICTLY enforced.
These are IcSpou>:,4e~~ and arduOuS
duties, for which the members of this
board should receiT.- a salary Of not
Jess than $500 Fer annum each, and
hould be required to file bond of
hot. less than $4,000.
|. 7 further recommend that the law
as to the location of county dispen-
sarieS be amended to restrict them to
such incorporated towns and cities
as, in the opinion of the county board
Of control, furnish adequate police
protection to the public against dis
turbances' Of the peace.
Should these recommendations be
adopted I am constrained to believe
that they will accomplish two pur-
poses, namely: They will place the
dispensary upon a more business-like
basis and will also provide the ma
chinery by which the legal restrictions
of the system will be properly enforc-
ed.
The reports of the State board Of di-
rectors will be submitted for your con-
showing the business trans
acted during the past fiscal year, and
/ respectfully refer you, for all details,
ito these reports.
I Removal Of Dispensaries.
At your last session there was en-
acted a law giving to counties which
desire prohibition the right by a ma
jority vote to close their dispensaries,
and upon the taxable property of all
counties so voting it was required that
there be levied an annual tax Of 1-2 of
i mill, this tax to be expended by the
governor in enforcing the law, should
the local authorities fail to do so. OBJ
lection has been made to this law on
account Of the tax imposed, it being
contended that it is in the nature of
a penalty, it's effect being to deter the
people from voting for the removal Of
diSpensaries.
I do not agree with this view. If
prohibition be substituted for the dis
pensary law, then prohibition should
be enforced, and when this cannot be
done through the sentiment of the
people. expense must certainly be in
Cured. The counties now pay for the
enforcement of each and every law,
and it is not fair to expect counties
which maintain the dispensary to take
the profits accruing to the general
school fund. to defray the expenses of
the enforcement of the law in county
which pays nothing. Besides this, the
tax is by no means excessive; it can
be expended only when necessity re-
quires. and then solely in an effort to
accomplish the purpose for which the
people voted. That it will not deter
.i.ara from voting for what they de-
.:r.. vas certainly demonstrated re-
,..a:'y in the only election which has
zen held under the provisions of the
IL =. Although it is required that the
Tx b" naid annually, it need practi-
.I!!v - paid onl.' once, for if the local
Authorities do their duty in enforcing
~. - :hition-which they. will do when
ever tll:E people demand 1.-THE money
Will l,A refufNleG to The county, and the
ordinary coE,:fN tax can De thus reduc-
ed by 1-2 OF Asiil. This tax feature
of the law, then, AanDears to me, in
stead Of being r. I'D as a penalty,