The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-02-06

the grafters to escape punishment for
their rnisdeeds. If any of the direc-
tors. or all of them, can be proven
guilty Of malfeasance or other illegal
act, they should be punished, for the
moral effect it will have. It won't do
to say that since the dispensary has
been abolished there is no use in pun
ishing the grafters, that would be
dodging a duty, if not akin to COM
pounding felony.
Something should be done to pre-
vent the destruction Of the public
roads by log carts. Some of the roads
near the city have been seriously
damaged by carts that have only two
wheels, and slide to support the
front end of the cart frame and carry
a part of the load. This is equivalent
to putting a four horse plow on the
road, and it does not take long to de-
stroy the road and undo the labor OF
the changing for months. In many
states there is a law prohibiting such
carts from using the public roads;
and require four wheels. Such law
should be enacted and enforced here.
The action Of the Senate Judiciary
Committee recommending the remov-
al and prosecution of the Directors OF
the State Dispensary put the matter
souareN up to Gov. Ansel and Attor-
ney General Lyons. VIII they rise to
the emergency? If they DO not, but
reso-t to legal quibbling and technical
hair-splitting to avoid what appears
to be a plain duty they will. at the
outset Of the administration, stamp
failure" upon it.
The uneasiness in official circles in
Washington over the japanese situa-
t: n growing out Of the San Francisco
public school controversy, may be
genuine or it may be only feigned for
the effect it may have upon Congress
when the naval and army appropria-
ton bills come up for consideration.
Ship builders, manufacturers OF army
supplies and officers Of the navy and
army are Of the same mind respect
ing the desirabihty Of increasing the
size and strength OF both navy and
army, these interests have a powerful
pull in Washington. There is nothing
SO effective as foreign war scare in
influencing Congress to make lavish
appropriations for more ships, more
forts and bigger guns. Hence we
view this japanese war talk with a
certain degree Of suspicion.
Congress is favorably considering
the proposition to spend s10,000,000
for land adjacent to the capitol upon
which to erect exclusive Office build
ings to cost many millions more, but
Speaker Cannon wont let the Appa-
laehian forest reserve appropriation
Of s3,O00,O0o come up for considera-
ton. Public money is plentiful for
ship-subsidy and other gratis, but
there is none for a great public neces-
sity like the forest reserve.
We have not had an opportunity to
read the Carey -Cothran bill, but un-
less it contains section prohibiting
the shipment Of liquor from comfy
dispensary or high license counties
into prohibition counties it should be
so amended by the Senate. From the
anti-dispensary standpoint it is a
shame and a disgrace for the State to
engage in the liquor business for prof
it, and if the same process Of reason
ing is applied it will be a shame and
a disgrace for certain counties to
maintain dispensaries or wholesale Ii
quor houses to food the prohibition
counties. Let the liquor business be
confined strictly TO the counties that
want liquor and let the prohibition
counties have prohibition.
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