The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-07-10

owner IL not permltteu 10 HaulP"'"'0
It or handle it in any way until the
tax is paid and it is removed. We
thus get q guarantee Of absolute pur-
ity without a chemical analysis and
such liquors are as much staple ar
ticles Of commerce as corn, wheat or
bacon. It is the blended and rectitied
whiskeys that are adulterated and
where tho cheating comes in. The
blending and mixing could be done in
the state dispensary where there
would be no incentive to increase
profits by adulteration, besides the
law would provide severe penalties
for that kind Of thing. -
"The county dispensers being elect
ed by the people will be anxious to
please tho people,as they will be beat
on at the polls if they do not do their
duty. The county board, chosen as
indicated, will be responsible to the
people also with every incentive to
give g,od administration. The whis-
key purchased in that way will be as
pure and as good as can be obtained
under any possible conditions and
there is absolutely no way in which
corruption can creep in, if here is the
least effort On the part Of the people
and the governor to prevent it.
"The trouble with the dispensary
now is that our governors have neg
! kk.>S, .N,,ts
supervision over the workings of the
local dispensers and the state board.
Excuse may be found for this by say
! ing the legislature put the dispensary
beyond the governors control. This
is true in a way, and it was very
great mistake, yet the governors
oath of office requires him to "see
that the laws are executed III mercy -
And with the power to appoint con-
stables at his discretion and detec-
! tiveS also. when needed, it cannot
be denied that the decentralization and
corruption which have been so much
I in evidence would have been prevent
ed by the governors using trusted
agents to keep supervision over the
| dispenSarN system and see whether
the law was being carried out. [ did
this. hut my successors seem to have
thought ii unnecessary or too much
: labor. not only watched the dis
pen$erS. hut | watched the constables
too. thrruSh a detective, who report
i.>) f,>r
the more rigid enforcement of all law
makes the coming election for COVER
nor Important Things have been run
too loosely and too little regard paid
To enforcing the law. criticise no
one. but simply give the people the
facts as see them and. Of course,
they alone can supply the remedy.
We should elect the governor who will
do this and do it fearleSSly and zeal
onsly. but there is still small oppor-
tmity for graft in the scheme outlin-
ed. provided the Legislative commit
tee which SurerintendS the other state
institutions and the grand iurieS of
the varinuS counties pay attention to
! their duties. No government has ever
beer devised that would run itself
ana every government is an index Of
the intelligence, puhlic spirit and pa
triN,i<m rt its people. If the people
are ignorant and indifferent and cease
IL watch and look after their affairs.
the government they give themselves
is inevitably bad ami they can blame
II" "Hr hUt themselves.
"The r~nditionS in the di<pen<ary
NOW are directly v lraceahie to the hluN-
derins and neglect Of the legislature.
That body placed the state diSpenSarv
III the hands of three politicians.
elected without consideration 10 tit-
hess. experience or character. threw
no restrictions whatever around the
administration. left the door wide
open. limited the salary Ia $500 and
now We seq the result | have always
said and believed ii was designetilv
done 10 destroy il, Politics and not
fitness have most always controlled
the Legislative elections. hut no
amoMnt of salary alone would cure
the evil of which We complain.
"The original board Was composed
"f the governor. at,orney general and
the comptroller general. three Of our
highest stale otficislS elected BY the
people, but the vital mistake was in
noi making strie, rules and regnla-
tion< for the purchase Of whiskev.
! The enemies Of the lisnensarr de-