Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-29
TILLMAN TALKS DIsPENsARY.
Criticism of the Supreme Court and
the Board of Control. .. e..


the Board of Control.
Senator 'Tillman gave out an inter-
view to the Augusta Herald the other
day. on the dispensary question and
some of the things the senator said are
Of sufficient Importance to go on the
record.
Senator Tillman was asked as to the
dispensary. situation in South Carolina
a~d said that In his opinion the recent
voting out Of the dispensary In the
various counties was but an expression
Of the people of dissatisfaction with
the present board of directors OF that
institution.
Senator, what do you think Of the
recent actions by the supreme court
of South Carolina?" was asked.
I'm my opinion the supreme court is
endeavoring to shirk the duty imposed
upon it by law. They have tried every
means to avoid the issue. and the peo-
pie have the right to demand that these
questions be settled at once" q,
What do you think Of the investi-
eating committee"
"The committee started right and
IS yet have only scratched the surface
IT the rottenness of the dispe ?sary, If
they had been empowered by the leg
islature or authorized by the courts to
imprison witnesses for contempt, no
doubt they would have accomplished
much. But as 1t now is. the commits
sion Is under the concurrent resolution
passed by the legislature, powerless to
compel the witnesses to testify and
while I doubt very much If the COM
mission can legally do so the supreme
court ought to decide the point. If the
court will say that the commission has
the right to rule witnesses in contempt
then they can accomplish much. This
point should be decided by the court
without further delay, for the court
now has the entire confidence OF the
people but If they shirk their duty this
time their usefulness to large extent
Is at an end"
Senator Tillman here went on to
say that the action of the court In
lodging the issue will have the effect
of ending the work Of the investigat-
ing committee, for the legislature
meets on the 9th of January and at
the present rate, the court would not
have decided the question by, that
time. -;
The senator said that the commits
sion had done good work and If 1t had
not been hampered by the defective
resolution 1t would have undoubtedly
been able to show to the legislature at
the next session some things. that
would have enabled the legislature TO
take some decisive action.
II cannot understand" said the
senator, "how the lawyers in the legis-
lature could have permitted such a
resolution to pass. 1t was only con-
current resolution and did not receive
the signature of the governor and 1
do not think that the commission thus
created can rule a witness In con-
tempt. But at present the commission
is bound and unless the court grants
the power sought by it the members
will only have scratched the rotten
ness"
What do you think of the recent
voting out of the dispensary In the
various counties and especially in
Edgefield, your home county,"
well, to start with, the Brice law
people to vote and / take the voting
out of the dispensary by these coun-
ties as a protest against the man
ner in which the present board Of
directors conduct the business"
What about the board of control
now in office"
81 understand that at the next
meeting Of the Legislature the pres
ent members will stand for reelection
using this as a means to get Vindica-
tion from the charges that have been
so sweepingly made. If they do stand
all that I am going to do is to watch
and see the men who vote for them.
Then I can tell the honest men in the
legislature from the dishonest ones"
From the senator's manner at this
juncture it was easily seen that the
present board would not get his vote
If he were in the legislature.
Senator Tillman said that in his
mind there is no doubt that the leg
islature will at its next session dis
cuss the dispensary matter thoroughly
and but for the commission being
practically powerless the legislature
would undoubtedly have some definite
information to work upon.