The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-04-04

Is therefore Danger OF The olSpeHSd1y
forces being divided into two factions
and Of the advocates Of the county
dispensary system aligning them
selves with the other three elements.
County and State Dispensaries.
Let us consider for a moment the
relative advantages and disadvantages
OF county dispenss-ies and state dis
pensary. I declare most emphatica1ly
my belief that by proper changes IN
the law along the lines suggested in
the Raysor-Mannil.~ bill that all pos
sibility of stealing and bribery in the
purchase of whiskey for the state can
be prevented and it stands to reason.
that if liquor is purchased at whole
sale by one board, shipped by the car
load, and bottled at one establishment
that there will be great saving in the
expense. The county dispensaries
would have no facilities for handling
the whiskey. but leaving ali Of this
out of consideration the one crucical
test Of the relative merits Of the two
systems, state dispensary or county
dispensaries, is simply this: If we
cannot by law so hedge about and con-
troll .one state board as to prevent
stealing, how in the name Of common
sense will we be able to watch and
prevent thirty or forty boards from
doing it? Because the retiring State
board and its predecessors has en-
gagged in questionable practices and
was guilty Of such gross mismanage-
ment and malfeasance in Office is no
argument to show that the law cannot
be changed so as to destroy all oppor-
tunity for such practices. No law will
execute itself, andwhen those charged
with the execution Of the law fail ut
terly and there is neglect from the
highest to the lowest, it follows, as
matter Of course, that it is the duty Of
the people to elect men who will not
finch or neglect their sworn duties.
=. Outrageous Condition.
It is therefore obvious that the peo-
pie must look more to the integrity,
honesty, truthfulness of the candidates
who ask for their votes than to the
mere capacity to speak glibly, and the
plausible address Of the only politi-
clan. The people should bid fence
straddfers to go to the rear; they
should demand outspoken declarations
OF policy and no man who failed Of his
duty in the past should be again en-
trusted with Office. Look at the pres
ent disgraceful and outrageous condi-
ton in Columbia. The old board of
directors of the state with about $780,
600 worth Of liquor, bought on credit,
in open and direct violation Of the
law. Why are not these men arrested
for malfeasance in office? Why were
they not removed last summer when
the evidence Of gross incompetency
and mismanagement were first made
public? Why did the legislature ever
| elect such men? Why in the face Of
absolute proof in the letting of glass
contracts and in the purchase Of la
bels to say nothing Of the purchase Of
whiskey that they were gailty Of gross
misconduct, why I say did the legis-
| lature' refuse to- change the law when
the house found that the senate would
not consent to the abolition OF the
state dispensary? It was because Of
the influence Of the State newspaper.
Milk in the Cocoanut.
There is every reason to believe
the house stood out to the last and
refused absolutely to amend or alter
the law in any particular in the hope
and intention to have the state dis
peasary so far disgraced before the
people that in the coming election it
would be destroyed. Did these legis-
lators discuss the question Of abolish
ing the state dispensary when they
were running for Office in 1904? Did
they have any authority from the peo-
pie TO abolish the state dispensary be-
cause Of the misnanagement Of the
men the legislature itself had elected?
Was not the failure of the house to
accept any measure Of reform in or
der to prevent fraud and peculation
IN the future due entirely to the in
fuences yof the new Columbia ring?
Was it not clearly shown that the pri-
mary object was to destroy the state
dispensary and thus pave the way for
licensing the sale of liquor in those
counties which wanted it, even provid-
ing for wholesale license in Charles
ton with the purpose of having
Charleston sell to the county dispen-
sar;es instead Of having the state dis