Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-10
|BRlCR BILL
PASSES HOUSE
Representatives Favor Local
! Self Government.
bESPOTISx OF LAST YEAR REPUDIATED.

IL QUIZ UOFtTumCuU.
DESPOTISM FLAST YEAR REPUDIATED
Members Give Evidence That They
Hear the RumbIins Among the Peo'
pie, and Let Down the Bars to ths
Extent That Counties May Vote Out
! Dispensaries Without Ineurrins Pen.
aIties; But Still Insist That Prohi.
bition Counties Shall Not Have Any
Part of the Whisky Profits Appor.
toned to the School Fund.
Columbia State, Wednesday:
BY a vote of 6S to 81 the house OF
representatives last night put itself
on record as favoring the original
"Brice bill" This bill was introduced
by Mr.. Toole Of Aiken. and was the
Identical bill presented by Senator
Brice Of York last year. The vote
last year was 40 to Sc. the majority
being in favor of placing the odious
half mill tax on the counties voting
out the dispensary. Perhaps some
have seen the handwriting on the wall
at any rate, there was decided
change In front. The house having re-
fused, by vote Of 68 to 81, to strike
out the enacting words, adopted an
amendment which prohibits prohibi-
tion counties from participating In the
surplus school funds turned In to the
state treasury by the state dispensary.
AS the amendment Is worded 1t ap-
plies to counties which have never
had dispensaries as we'll as to coun-
ties which vote out dispensaries. The
amendment proposing to let the coun-
ties vote on the question Of high Ii
cense under dispensary regulations,
and also rejected Capt. Sellers
amendment proposing to strike from
the law the paragraph which permits
dispensaries to be located outside OF
incorporated towns in Horny and
Beaufort counties.
Cherokee last year received nothing
from the deficiency school fund, and
$5,325.24 from the surplus fund.
Marlboro received $155.80 from the
deficiency fund and $5.000.S4 from the
surplus fund.
Greenwood received nothing from the
deficiency fund and s6,54S.66 from the
surplus.
The three counties above named will,
under the Fraser amendment accepted
last night, suffer the loss Of their pro
rata OF the surplus school fund, which
surplus Is left after the deficiencies are
made up.
Under the act Of 1904 Cherokee would
have sacrificed this surplus anyway by
bkr voluntary action in November last.
but the amendment adopted last night
goes further and reaches counties
which have never before had dispen-
saries-and will not have them now,
no doubt.
The fight on this bill was quite spir-
tied on the part Of the advocates OF
local self government, and the defense
from the dispensary people was rather
lame, as Is indicated by the vote. Mr.
Otis Of Cherokee and Capt. John c.
Sellers were particularly effective. and
Mr.. Foster of Lancaster got In some
telling blows on the dispensary body
polite and corporate. Mr.. Richards
made the best speech In opposition to
local option, and Mr.. CASTOR made an
earnest effort to stem the tide which
had set In. The bill passed over the
unfavorable report Of the committee.
Last year this proposition came up
in the form Of a bill to permit counties
10 vote out dispensaries, and before the
bill became law its countenance was
so changed that its author would not
recognize 1t. The bill as amended put
on a county a tax Of half a MILL
avowedly for the enforcement Of the
law. and prohibited that county from
participating in the division Of the sur
plus school fund. The bill under dis
cussion yesterday had for its object
the repeating of those penalizing
clauses, and after several hours OF de-
bate the half mill tax feature was
eliminated-bu' the other was re-en-
acted in a form even more far reach
ing.
Fight on the Brice Bill.
Mr.. Toole's bill to amend the dispen-
sary law, a replica Of the now famous
"Brice BILL" was taken up for discus
sion yesterday just after third read
ing bills had been disposed Of.
Mr.. Toole explained that 1t merely
repeals the a-mill tax levy upon coun-
ties which vote out the dispensary.
He criticised the dispensary for pros
ecuting a lobby against bills which are
not In its interests. He believes In
letting every county say how 1t would
control the liquor traffic, even to per-
nit them to have high license under
the dispensary law. AS to the cry OF
letting in violation Of the law. he de-
clared that the dispensary people are
violating 1t themselves, especially the
county dispensers. Where are the reg
ulations strictly observed? The people
know what they want. II they want
prohibition, let them have 1t, and don't
tax them for so voting. His county Is
in favor of the dispensary. but he be-
lieves in letting others have what they
want.
Mr.. Otis of Cherokee, speaking as
representative of the only county
which has voted out the dispensary,
appealed for the half mill tax to be
voted out. He declared that the dis
pensary advocates in his county had
not claimed any merit for the dispen-
sary but had used this tax as threat
to keep the dispensary from being
voted out In reply to Mr.. Laney ne
declared nat he wants none OF the
profit for his county. All they want Is
TO be let alone. Cherokee Is enforcing
the law herself. She does not want
any state constables sent there. This
half mill has never been applied 10
Cherokee, but they do not want this
threat hanging over their heads.
Cherokee enforces alike the law