The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-08-22
RAYsoR-MANN1NG BILL,
Synopsis Of the Measure De-
signed to Reform the Dis
psnsary.

The Original Bill was the Work of
Senator's Raysor, of 0rangeburg,
and Manning. of Sumter, But in the
Final Form, as Reportes Back from
the Committee. We're Embodied the
Suggestions OF Others.
The bill popularly known as the
Raysor-M Manning, because it was the
joint work of Senators Raysor, OF
Orangeburg and Manning. of Sumter,
being the fruit of the matured thought
and labor of these two men; who con-
scientiously believing that the dispen-
sary system, properly and honestly
conducted, offers, under the condi-
tions prevailing in the State, not only
the best, but the only practical and
satisfactory means of controlling the
liquor traffic and minimizing the evils
that attend the use of any and all
alcoholic liquors as beverage, sought
to frame a law that would purge the
State dspensary of the corruption be-
ieyed to exist therein and so to hedge
about the management with restric-
hons that the opportunity for graft
and dishonesty in the purchase Of
liquor and other supplies, which the
law as it stood not only permitted,
but appeared to invite, would be i'm
possible.
Senator'S Raysor and Manning, with
the same object in view, viz: to make
the dispensary as nearly as possible a
graft-proof business Institution, which
under the exercise of the police power
Of the State should control and regu-
late the liquor traffic, which is con-
ceded by all to be an evil that of
necessity must be regulated and cur
tailed for the public good, worked
independently at first, each preparing
bill to be introduced in the Senate.
When the legislature convened they
found that their bills were drawn on
similar lines and they, therefore, de-
cided to jointly prepare a new bill,
utilizing the best features of each of
the two previously prepared. The
greatest care was exercised in draw
ing this bill; information and sugges-
tions were sought from Senators and
others who desired TO purify the dis
pensary system and make it the in
strument for good that it was and is
capable of being made. When the
bill was completed and introduced in
the Senate it at tonce came to be known
as the Raysor-Manning bill.
Upon being referred to committee
in the regular order, the bill was given
thoughtful consideration and rigid
and patient analysis. The result OF
the committees consideration was a
substitute bill, which embodied the
distinctive features of the original bill,
that being used as a frame work, and
also the ideas of the committee and
others who had made suggestions
looking to the perfection of the pro-
posed new dispensary law. Among
the suggestions thus embodied in the
b;ll was one made by Senator Tillman
that liquor be purchased from United
States bonded warehouse exclusively.
This substitute bill which was in
fact, the committees bill, although
built upon the Raysor-Manning bill as
foundation, was still popularity known
as the Raysor- Manning bill and by that
title it is yet known.
: This is the bill that the. House of
Representatives rejected and practi-
cally refused to consider at all, after
the effort to force the Morgan (House)
bill through the Senate had failed,
This is the measure that is now the
leading issue in the State campaign,
and which is the dispensary plank in
the platform of Mr.. Richard I. Man
ming in his campaign for governor.
Occupying as it does so important a
place amongst the issues of the cam
paign, synopsis of the bill will be
both interesting and instructive.
Section 1. Prohibits the manufac-
ture, sale Or keeping of spurious, malt
or other intoxicating liquor that is
used as q beverage, except as herein
after provided, under penalty. AL
liquors sold or kept in the State,
whether manufactured here, Or i'm
ported, are required to be tested by
the chemist of the South Carolina
College to determine their purity, and
all liquors not so tested are declared
detrimental to the morals, good health
!, and safety of the State, and all such