Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-31
DIsPENsARY LEGISLATION.
Six Bills Now Pending On This Sub

In his letter to the News and Courier
Of yesterday August Kohn writes as
follows about the various dispensary
bills that have been introduced up 10
this time: ......
Yet the most perplexing question If
them all has hardly been touched-the
dispensary. Here is where everybody
seems to be at sea as to how to ac-
complish a desired object-to raise the
administration Of the dispensary above
suspicion, as Senator Tillman said.
That is the question worrying those
who either favor the system or those
who. while not favoring 1t, believe 1t
will not yet be abolished. There are
six bills in the senate on the dispeY-
sary, all except one aiming at changes
in the present law to insure its better
administration, and, to use plain Eng
lish, to prevent graft. All Of these
have been printed In the News and
Courier and perhaps they are familiar
with their terms. The main difference
between the chief bills introduced in
the senate is over the purchasing pow
er. and throwing certain safeguards
around II so as to prevent the. possibil-
ity Of corruption. Mr.. Raysors bill
would put the power In the hands OF
the commissioner, who must purchase
on orders from dispensers approved
by county boards.
Mr.. Manning's bill and the house
committee bill retain the purchasing
power In the hands Of the state board.
who receiving numbered bids sent to
bers, not knowing from whom they
buy. Another bill by Senator Earle
would require the governor to appoint
three commissioners five days before
contracts for purchases are to be
made. their names to be kept secret
until the announcement Is made. They
shall receive SO a day for three days
and five cents mileage. Under this
bill there would be monthly purchases,
and consequently thirty-six commits
sioners through the year. AS will be
seen all these propose to guard, chief
ly, the purchases. about which feature
Of the dispensary system there have
been more rumors, charges and insin-
uations than about any other.
Senator Mauldin has the only bill
which proposes to abolish the dispen-
sary and allow the counties to vote on
high license or prohibition. Then there
Is Senator Brice's local option bill, in
troduced early in the session. AS no
debate has been had on any Of these
bills it Is impossible to forecast what
will be done. There seems at present
to be no concert Of action among those
urging reform, and every man seems
to be working along his own line. The
proposed investigating committee will
probably be appointed this week. The
only difference between the two houses
Is as to the number Of days the COM
mittee may sit. and whether one testi-
flying shall be liable to indictment for
what he may divulge of his own con-
nection with wrong doing. These DIFF
ferences will likely he adjusted, and
then the next point Of interest will be
as to who will compose the committee.
A great deal depends upon that, as
may easily be understood.
There have been few minor bills In
troduced on the dispensary as there
have been in the house. There have
been offered bills to elect dispensers on
the primary: to build school houses out
Of the profits: to prevent the use or
sale of intoxicants in all sorts of clubs;
cutting down the tax where dispensa-
ries are voted away, and so on. These
are mentioned to show that the dis
pensary Is by far the most important
matter before the legislature.