The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-01-10
THIRD ANNUAL MESSAGE
OF GOVERNOR HEYWARD.
a Review Of the Work Done During the Year by the
Different Departments of the State Government
With Recommendations to the
General Assembly

Assembly.
member Of this commission, and a
faithful servant Of our State, the late
Hon. Altamont Moses.
Dispensary.
The only cloud which throws q shad-
ow over the State is the unsatisfactory
condition Of the dispensary. Great dis
satisfaction has been manifested by the
people In many quarters. It exists, ]
believe, because Of loss Of confidence
resulting from abuses in connection
with its operation. No one can deny
that the present atmosphere surround
ing the dispensary Is q grave reflection
upon South Carolina, for it Is State
institution, and any odium which at
taches to It's operation necessarily at
taches to the State. Since your last
session g. large number Of counties
have voted out dtspensaries, but I must
say that the vote abolishing them
take to be a rebuke to the mode OF
operation rather than a reputation OF
the system itself.
In my last annual message, when
considering the needs Of the dispensary,
I said: 'I am convinced that If this
system can be properly regulated 1t
will be one Of the best solutions Of the
liquor question. If not properly man
aged and controlled, its usefulness Will
be at an end"
Despite the events Of the past year
and the. revelations which have at
tended the Investigations Of your COM
mittee, I am by no means hopeless.
still believe that the dispensary sys-
tenn has many strong points and ad-
mirable features which commend 1t,
but in saying this I am by no means
blinded; to its imperfections.
It IS imperative for the honor OF the
State that existing conditions should
be Immediately relnedied, either by
radical changes in the laws governing
the dispensary or by the adoption Of
a different system for the regulation
of the liquor question. The details
Of this situation are so well known
throughout every county in the State
that I fell no extended discussion is
necessary here. It Is incumbent upon
your body to give this matter your
NOSE careful and serious consideration.
You are chosen by the people to make
their laws, and In such crisis as this
they will be satisfied only with direct
and specific action on your part.
During the year that has passed since
your last session I have given this
question nay earnest consideration, hop
ing to devise some certain remedies for
the evils complained Of, but have been
impressed with no better solution than
was included in the recommendations
made to you last year. In order that
my views may be clearly understood, d,
I shall again call to your attention
such extracts from my last message
as deem necessary for this purpose.
I herewith submit for your constdera-
ton the following extracts bearing
upon the subject with one change,
namely: the abolition Of county boards
Of control. These are again recon-
mended to you as embodying the
changes which I think will best serve
the proper regulation Of the dispen-
sary system:
$The State commissioner should, in
my Judgment, be the officer whose
duty it should be to purchase all sup
plies for the dispensary. He should be
required to make contracts, not for
any specific amount Of Hquor, but for
such supplies as may be actually re-
quired, such requirements to be de-
termined by the commissioner.
Each contract made by the commits
sioner should require the firm con-
tracted with to guarantee the sale Of
such goods as may be ordered and
shipped to the State dispensary, said
guarantee to be entered as a part Of
the bond. All advertisements for bulk
goods should be placed strictly and abb
solute1y upon q competitive basis, by
letting It be distinctly understood that
the lowest responsible bidder shall be
awarded the contract. It should fur
ther be the duty Of the commissioner
to make, each year, quarterly reports
to the State board Of directors, show
ing the amounts contracted for for the
previous quarter, including the brands
and prices, and the names Of parties
from whom goods are purchased,
which report the State board Of direc-
tors shall have published in at least
two daily newspapers Of the State"
State Board Of Directors.
"The board should be required to
meet each week In their office in the
State dispensary, to remain in session
as long as may be necessary for the
transaction Of their business. The
general supervision and management Of
all county dispensaries should be in
their charge, and they should be spe-
cifcally charged with the duty Of seeing
various dispensartes should be strictly
duous duties, for which the members
Of this board should receive salary
Of not less than $1,000 per annum each,
and should be required to file bond
Of not less than $4,000.
II further recommend that the law
as to the location Of county dispen-
saries be amended to restrict them to
such incorporated towns and cities as,
in the opinion Of the board of direc-
tors, furnish adequate police protec-
ton to the public against disturbances
Of the peace"
In this connection I might add that
dispensaries are now located in places
which are without adequate police pro-
lection in places with absolutely
no protection. All dispensaries so To-
Gated, in my opinion, should be closed.
After mature reflection I am con-
strained to recommend that the county
boards Of control be abolished, and the
dispensers appointed by the State board
Of directors upon the recommendations
Of the legislative delegations Of the va
rious counties.
It should never be the policy Of the
State to force d1spensaries upon coun-
ties or communities desiring prohibf-
ton, nor to maintain them when it is
the wish Of the majority Of the people
to substitute prohibition in their stead.
Legislation should be enacted at this
session to free the system from the
abuses which have crept in, to en-
phasize it's restrictive features, and to
ensure proper compliance with the
strict letter Of the law. This matter
{rolr 1,n hrN tn r
tention at this session Of your body.
I sincerely trust that you will give it
your most careful consideration, and
that you will, with a realization Of
your responsibilities, make a fearless
o~S effort f0 oNpoot s11oh