The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-01-10
State hundreds Of thousands Of dol
lars each year, should not such avs
be speedily baoted?-News and cou-

lars each year, should not such av:
be speedily dnacted2-News n cou.
rier.
The News and Courier is correct
The Item does heartily endorse the
suggestion that the legislature enac 9
law prohibiting the sale and use OF
any save safety matches Such a law
would, if enforced, prevent many fires
and would go a long way toward re
habiitating the reputation of the. long
suffering rat.
The charges made by Mr. Means,
for many years clerk of the Sinking
Fund Commission, against Secretary
Of State Can't, call for a very search
ing investigation. AS Tinman was
wont TO remark in the stirring days Of
go, There seems to, be sonaething
@rotten in Denmark"
Congress is spending so much mon
ey on irrigation in the arid West, on
building roads inlehe Philippines and
Ion getting ready to. begin digging the
Panama canal that there is none left
for river and harbor improvements at
home, or for public buildings. It is an
old saying that charity should begin
at home, and we believe that congress
should apply the same rule. to, the ex-
oend:trre OF U.blc money o nchsc
improvements.
The legislature conveae4f on
Tuesday and Wiz adjourn forty days
thereafter. We trust the. comoine5
wisdom Of the law makers will be
equal to the practical solution of all
of the important matters that must
come up for settlement at this session.
The .espensary investigating com
mittee will unquesdonahly afford Sen
ator Tillman the fullest and freest
possible opportunity to. tell all he:
knows Of "~collusicn" and all other
forms of graft in the State dispensary,
when the proper time arrives. We
have every confidence in the honesty
of purpose, tnoroughness and good
Judgment Of this committee and If the
legislature will only back them up
and give them the power to require
witnesses to testify, the Investigation
will be a real investigation before they
get through with it. Director John
Bell TowiIl, who informed the com
mittee a few days ago that he was
eager to dance to any music the COM
mittee might furnish, will also be Civ
Len the chance to Cat the pigeon wing
the gin rickery and other fancy
steps he may eave learned since he
abandoned the Y. Nj. c. a. for the G.
NJ. I.
Governor Heyward's annual message
which was read in the General As
semoiy is a comprehensive. but
not voluminous document. We pub
Fsh It today in condensed form to ac-
commodate it to to our available space
TIE extracts given cover the most i'm
portant features of the message and
contain the Recommendations that are
Of most general interest. The part Of
the message referring TO the dispen-
sary system viii undoubtedly arouse
the antagonism Of those people and
newspapers that have been clanoring
for months past for the summary de-
struction of the entire system root and
branch by means of the Brice law or
any other instrument that could be
made available, and we are awaiting
with interest the criticisms and COM
ments that will follow. 1t goes with
out saying that The Daily Item has
no adverse criticism to make on Gov
eTIlOT hey WdIu V1SNS AOI lNe lSdSOA
that they are in entire accord with
the position we have maintained and
the views we have expressed from
time to time. We believe that the dis.
pensary system is theoretically the
best method yet devised for the regu-
lation and control of the liquor traf-
fc, and that the only reason that il
, has not been more satisfactory IL
t practical operation is because of the
men who have been in charge of It:
administration. Honest men can b.
found to manage the business and in
stead OF a machine for graft produc'
. stion it al be made a system for thu