The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-08-22

So3SSO3SSN
business and paid only $500 year a
piece. This is one of the most i'm
portant, as well as sensible and neces-
sary reforms contemplated by the
bill.
The next Section 81 is the most
striking feature of the entire bill as it
contains the provisions that will wipe
out the graft that has attended the
purchase of liquor and other disDen-
sary supplies. 1t first provides for
the election of commissioner at
salary of $4,000 per year, who shall
be the executive board of the State
dispensary. His term of office is fixed
at two years. The governor is en-
powered to suspend the commissioner
for cause.
The commissioner is required to ad-
vertise for twenty days, commencing
the first day of March in each year,
in two or more daily papers of this
State, and one daily newspaper in
each of the cities of Louisville, KY,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Baltimore, Md, and
Pittsburg, Pa, for bids to apply the
kinds and qualities Of liquors required
for sale by the State dispensary dur
ing the ensuing year, the same being
specified in the advertisement. These
bids must be sealed, and without
mark to distinguish them one from
another and sent by express within
ten days of the last advertisement to
the State treasurer in whose custody
thsy remain until opened on March
31st, in public by a committee of
three citizens, appointed by the gov
ernor on or before March Goth. Con-
tracts are to be awarded by this COM
mittee to the lowest responsible bid
ders for the several kinds of liquors
and other supplies required. The
members of the committee are to be
paid $40 each per day and FIVE cents
mileage for each mile actually travel
ed, and they are ineligible for reap
pointment. All bidders are required
to give good and sufficient bond as
guarantee OF good faith for the per-
formance of the obligation in the event
of receiving a contract. The contracts
must be approved by the attorney
general and the amount of bond shall
equal 20 per cent. of the estimated
cost of the liquor or other supplies to
be purchased.
The kinds Of liquor that shall be
purchased are the following:
Pure Cologne Spirits, or deodorized
alcohol, 95 per cent. from government
bonded warehouses. Two stamp whis
key, so per cent. proof from the bond
ed warehouses of the United States,
with the understanding that the State
shall buy the whiskey on the ware
house certificates and shall pay the
revenue taxes itself in order to insure
it's not being adulterated or tampered
with. The three kinds of liquors,
corn, rye and bourbon, shall be pur-
chased in this way in the quantities,
which in the Judgment of the COM
missioner, will be required by the de-
mand in this State. It is permissibly
to make contracts for each. Of the
four kinds of alcoholic products above
designated with different persons for
the supply needed for the year to be
ordered out by the commissioner, as
indicated, and the bidding for the diff
ferent varieties of whiskey shall indi-
cate not less than twenty different
brands of whiskey quoted on the
market in the wholesale prices current
of the various cities designated. No
whiskey shall be purchased for use in
this State that is less than one year
old as shown by the warehouse certi-
fcate. A record of all bids shall be
kept in book provided for that pur-
pose, The bids above designated shall
include wuiskey one year old, whiskey
three years old, whiskey five years
old, and these whiskies of the ages
designated shall be a basis, when
mixed with cologne spirits, or sold
just as they are received, for the diff
ferent grades to be furnished the
county dispensers. The commission
ers shall also in the same way invite
bids to Be opened and contracts
awarded at the same time and in the
same manner as hereinbefore provid-
ed, for Cognac brandy, California
brandy peach and apple brandy, rum
and gin in such quantities, with the
right to purchase more, as may be in
his Judgment necessary to supply the
demands. These bids shall specify