Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-16
Hlistellaneults 8sadins.
THE DlsPENsARY REPORT.
Jussled Figures Only Make Palmer
Intended Deception.

Speclal 10 news anu COurler.
COLUMBIA, October 10.-The state
dispensary has issued another of its
quarterly statements. 1t Is most inter-
esting. 1t changes a number Of long
standing liabilities. For instance,
heretofore the money due the schools
has been put down as liability under
the head of school fund" In the last
annual report 1t read school fund
$3.50, ,526.SO." In the quarterly report
Just issued the item is converted to
read capital stock allowed by legisla-
ture belonging to school fund, $780,
000." In the twirling of a pen and by
simple bookkeeping 100000 Of the
fund heretofore supposed to belong alb
solutely to the schools of the state is
converted into dispensary asset. The
dispensary report now shows that the
institution owes the schools $79,S74.31.
This is all. This is the accumulation
Of net profits due the schools for the
full year 1906 up to September 1, 1906.
The last payment made the school fund
was on March 22, 1905. when $4,000
was paid. This was from profits made
in, 1905. According to the report the
dispensary system has made for 1906
a total Of $79,S74.31, and probably less
because some balance ought to have
been carried over from 1905, particu-
larly when IN June, 1906, the met
worth" clause was used and by one
fell swoop of the pen $14S,7S2.79 was
wiped off the books as a liability to
the school fund.
Becomes Capital Stock.
In November. 1905. the liability to
the school fund was reported as $685.
526.S0, and on May 81, 1905, 1t shrunk
to $440.754.01. with no explanation
except the words met worth" after it.
1t was even on June l called liability
to the school fund. Now 1t is capital
stock" The dispensary, according to
the report promulgated today, owes for
whisky, ETC.. $5S0,6S7.21. The state
ment no longer carries the item Of
S250,000 of liquor to be returned, and
1t does not say whether the $250,000
worth of liquor, which was to be re-
turned according to the statement Of
June 1, 1906. has ever been returned.
But, supposing that 1t was, the dispen
sary reports that it owes $5S0,6S7, and
that 1t has $44,637 in cash with which
to pay its debts. The question Is
whether 1t is necessary or even busl-
ness like for the dispensary or any
business institution to owe $5S0,6S7 In
the dead of summer. The dispensary
in June owed s7S5.SS6. but 1t had
$31S.519 in cash on hand due to the
hold-up by the investigating commit
tee. The dispensary then owned $417-
367 net, and September l, 1906, 1t owed
$5S6.O5O. In a word, 1t owed $780, .6S7
and had $44.637 in cash, leaving a net
balance due for liquor Of $536,050.
The Stock on Hand.
The dispensary reports that 1t has
$S6S,0O0 stock on hand. of this $751;
104 was in the hand of dispensaries
and $5S1,400 was in the state dispen-
sary. The dispensary claims assets
amounting to $1,060,561.52. OF this
amount 1t reports $S6S,O00 in liquor or
in other words over eight-tenths of
the total assets of the dispensary Is in
liquor. and after all 1t resolves itself
into a question Of how much this $685.
900 in liquors would actually bring if
forced on the market. With eight
tenths of its assets in liquor a natural
ly vital question is how much such an
asset would bring or is worth.
The report shows net profit for the
quarter of $39,13030. or about $12,500
per month. This Is all the dispensa-
ry has made per month for the public
schools in June. July and August. 1t
does not include the profits made and
paid the counties and towns having
dispensaries. The profits to the towns
and cities are not handled through the
state dispensary.
The report shows that the dispensa-
ry has advanced $1444124 to the con-
stabulary for the enforcement Of the
dispensary law in counties without
dispensaries. A. K.