The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-27
Pauad ON. the Public.

Palled on, the Public.
It is somewhat notable ard remark
able that the session of the dispensary
Investigating committee which closed
Thursday attracted less public notice
and attention than any of the pre-
ceding sessions, although the testi-
mony adduced would seem to be Of a
far more sensational character. There
was talk of beaver hats full of $1,000
bills and whiskey drummers and
members Of the board Of dispensary
directors going about with rolls OF
greenbacks as big as 1oaves Of
bread. There was the most. direct
and significant. evidence Of open brib-
cry and corruption, so bold that
those engaged in it Dragged about 1t
to mere strangers. Tell-tale letters
were produced which can only signi-
fy that Official administration was di-
rectly controlled by the payment Of
cash considerations and that the trans
actions n g large scale.
Yet t e. as less public interest in
al. this aan there was a year ago in
testimony that ub-dispesers had writ
ten letters to liquor dealers asking
for free samples and that they had
sold empty cases worth nickel for
25 cents apiece, much less interest
in the payment Of bribee amounting
to $4,000 to $4,000 t. members Of
the state board than there were was TO
a beer dispenser paying $500 for his.
election by county board.
The Charleston News and Courier
and the Columbia State are calling
for a leader to lead the people away
from the dispensary. Where in the
name Of Cod" shouts the Charleston
paper, is a leader? But no leader
appears. There is no anti-dispe1sary
candidate foS governor, other than
a prohibition candidate who is not
taken seriously. Three Of the five an
nounced cadidates for governor stand
for the continuance Of the State dis
pensary. The voting out Of dispensa-
ries under the Brice law ceased sew
eral months ago and the movement
seems to be slow about reviving. The
impression is spreading that the dis
pensary instead of growing weaker is
growing stronger.
Why is this so? Some say that the
public conscience has become dulled,
that corruption is so common and so
wide spread that nobody cares much
about it any more. Why doesn't
''lea der" arise to ride into power and
reform things on the wave Of indigna-
ton which such revelations ought to
be expected to arouse? The questions
are unanswered and no leader arises
to take advantage of this particular
issue None Of the candidates for State
Office who conducts his canvass on the
basis Of practical politics dares to
fight the dispensary.
The people are tired of revelations.
They are tired Of hearing about brib-
cry and corruption. They are surfeit-
ed with stories Of grafters The thing
is too common to be interesting. They
want something new. So the investi-
eating committee being powerless to
hold public attention longer is going
to adjourn and quit. The people know
and have known for years that the
dispensary is rotten and corrupt and
they know it will continue so, if run
as at present, because the temp
tauon is too great to be resisted by
the men who are willing to accept Of
fee in it.
Yet the people seem to be we'll
enough content with the dispensary.
The storm Of frenzy Of last summer
has blown over. The committee pull
ed off its first revelations a year 100
soon and the newspapers and the pub
lie expended too much energy in de-
nouncing the petty grating Of the
sub-dispensers and beer dispensers to
have much interest left in the hatfuls
Of greebacks and the rolls of $1,000
bills.-Spartanhurg Journal.