The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-04-04

liquor for itself and those who think
| t can be more cheaply and honestly
lone through the State dispensary.
There is therefore 1auger of the dis
oelsarv forces beiu" divided into two
factions and OF the advocates OF the
county dispensary system allSnlng
themselves with the other three ele-
ments.
+ Let us consider for Il moment the
relative advantages and dlsadvant-
ages Of county disp"n$aries and State
dispensarH: | declare most efuphatl-
cally my belisf that bs: proper changes
in the law along the lines suggested
in the Raysor:Manhing bill that all
possibility of stealing and bribery ln
| the purchase OF whiskey for the State
can he prevented and it stands tc
reason that il the liquor is purchased
! at wholesale by one board. shipped by
the car load. and bottled at one es'
tabIisllment that there will be d great
saving i'll The expense: The county
| dispensalies would have 10 facilities
FOR handling the whisky but leavln!
all Of this Uilt Of consideration. the
one crucial test Of the relative merits
Of the two systems. State dispensary
OF county dispensaries. is simply this:
if we cannot by law 50 hedge about
and control one State board is to pre-
vent stealing. how in the name Of
common sense will we be able to
watch ami prevent tllrtv or forty
boards from doing it? Because the
retiring State board and its predeces-
sors has engaged In questionable
practices and was guilty Of such gross
mlsmanagement aud malfeasance in
office is no argument to show that
the law. cannot be changed 50 az to de-
stros all opportunity for such prac-
tices. No law will execute itself and
when those charged with the execu-
tion Of the law fail utterly and there
is neglect from tho highest to the low
est, it follows as q matter Of course,
that it is the duty Of the people to
elect men who will not finch or neg
lect ther sworn duties.
It is therefore obvious that the peo-
pie must look more to the integrity.
honesty. truthfulness Of the candi-
dates who ask for their votes than to
the mere capacity to speak glibly, and
the plausible address Of the oily poll
tician. The people should bid fence
straddlers TO get TO the rear: they
should demand outspoken declara-
tions Of policy and 10 man vino fail
ed Of his duty Ill the past should be
again entrusted with office. Look at
the present disgraceful and outrageous
condition in Columbia. The old
board Of directors Of the State dis
pensary has loaded down the State
with about 100000 worth Of liquor
bought Oh credit in open and direct
violation Of the law. Why arc not
these men arrested for malfeasance in
Office Why were they not removed
last summer when the evidences OF
gross incompetency any mismanaee-
ment were first made public? Why
did the Legislature ever elect such
men, Why III the face Of absolute
proof in the letting Of glass contracts
and III the purchase Of labels. to say
nothing OF the purchase Of whiskey
that they were guilty Of gross mis-
conduct, why I say did the Legisla-
ture refuse to change the law when
the House found that the Senate
would not consent to the abolition of
the State dispensary? 1t was be-
cause Of the influence Of The State
newspaper.
There is every reason to believe the
House stood ont to the last and re-
fused absolutely TO amend or alter
the law in any particular in the hope
and intention to have the State dis
pensary 50 far 'disgraced before the
people that i'll the coming election it
would be DESTROYED. Did these leg
islators discuss the question Of abol-
isbing the State dispensary when
they were running for office in 1904?
Did they have any authority from
the people to abolish the State dis
pensary because of the mismanage-
ment Of the meu tie Legislature itself