The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-08-30

placed in Office, and character too
little fortified by simple honesty will
enter as heartily into the hidden ways
Of private plunder at the expense Of
public institution as was done in the
days of "good stealing" in the recon
struction period.
According to the testimony of j. X.
FAINT, chief constable in charge of the
Spartanburg district, an employment
bureau was maintained by the present
Attorney General of the State, MIR.
Gunter, and lawyer in Spartanburg,
William McGowan. 1. is charged
that they ezacted money from appli-
cants for positions on the constabu.
larry force, or in other words. main
tanned kind of barter and sale of
positions.
1t was shown that the stock Of
liquors on hand in the State dispen.
saTy amounts TO more than $500, 900,
great deal too much in the opinion
of the superintendent. Why such an
immense stock has been bought each
man can Judge for himself. II graft
is going on, would it not be to the ad-
vantage of those officials seeking dis
honest private gain to buy as much
liquor as possible before their term of
Office expired? The liabilities of the
dispensary are increasing and during
this entire year not one cent hes been
paid into the school fund, though the
law requires that quarterly payment
shall be made. The dispers.ry how
owes half million dollars for liquors
and supplies.
In the matter Of purchases it was
shown that local distillery sells an
nually nearly million dollars worth
Of whiskey, or about 40 per cent Of
the total purchases. There seems to
be something wrong in this, and the
committee will perhaps be able to
throw some light on the matter. In
the various shortages in the local dis
pensaries, in the methods used by
whiskey drummers, in the many irreg.
ularities that have been allowed to
go on undisturhed in the dispeusary
the committee succeeded in getting
important testimony.
The investigation brought to light
q great many irregular practices, and
by the admissions of former officials
offers of bribery were made. The op.
portunity for the acquisition of dis.
honest wealth is unusually great under
the system as it is now conducted,
and no change in the law could bring
any substantial reform. Stealing has
been going on in high and low places,
and, though by the very nature OF
things, it is woll nigh impossible to
find the positive proof Of it., circum-
stances we'll known to everybody show
that it ia true. The committee would
do we'll to produce evidences of graft
on the part OF the present officials.
They are the ones who need to be in.
vestigated, and yet they are usually
the ones who escape the punishment
Of the law. It is the fellow who has
gone out Of Office that generally gets
in the tolls.
A majority Of tie members Of the
iIvestigatins committee are advocates
of the dispenaary law. But their
work Of the past, few weeks has con-
WINGED Them that the system has sunk
to very low !svel. 10 speaking of
the Mixsen letters Mr.. CASTOR OF the
committee, o dispensary man, said:
"Ihese letters tell their own story,
and If IL indicates anything, it indi-
oates that the whiskey houses are de.
bauohing the State, not only the State
but the highest officials connected
with the dispensary. They indicate
that, If there is any corruption, ills
~ high places as veil as in low
places. u Il. "a, 3. :.s9 n ...5