Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-02-20
WASTE OF THE PEOPLE S MONEY. 4
SENATOR EARLE SAYS "IT WILL REQUIRE
ANOTHER REVOLUTION 10 SrOP" Ut.

ling of Intoxicating liquors. The dispen-
sary law, as it stood before, has been in
force since July, 1893, it having been
passed by the General Assembly at the
session Of 1892. Laws that are intended
to regulate the sale of liquor get "a great
deal of consideration by Legislatures,
and none ever stand long without chang.
ing. The old dispensary law has stood
as long as is usual for suoh laws.
The original advocate of the present
county dispensary idea was Hon. John
Harrison, of Greenville, who, as Sena-
tor from that county, advocated this
changein 1895, when It was not at all
popular. During the campaign that fol-
lowed that year he risked his political
fortune upon this change in thesystem
Of handling the liquor. problem, and his
arguments and speeches in support of
his new position have never been sur
passed by the latter day converts. His
predictions of the evils of the system
then in vogue have become facts and
have acc complished the downfall of what
is 80 popularly called to-day the great
moral institution. Though his name is
not one of the badges of the new order of
things, he is entitled to the credit of being
the pioneer in thought that has crystal
lized into law. Only a few days ago he
predicted the overthrow of the new law
within five years.
The new dispensary law differs from
the old in comparatively few particulars.
The purchasing power and bottling is
put upon the three men who manage the
county dispensary, Instead of State
board at Columbia. The State constabu-
larry force is abolished and all of the
duties heretofore imposed upon them are
imposed upon the sheriffs, magistrates
aud their constables and police. Several
of the restrictive features of the old law
have been abandoned, but the new law
! will not likely incur the fierce opposition
that has met the old law from every
point, and may, for a time, prove to be
more acceptable, but it will, in few
years, pass to something else. Tho senti-
ment of this State, we think, is strength
ening in the interest of temperance and
will possibly aid considerably in the en-
forcement of the new law.
There is fluid of $500 provided for
INDECENT Confederate veterans expenses
in attending the reunions and their en-
tertainment.
The bill providing for high schools got
through and there is appropriated $50, 900
annually for this purpose. No one school
can get more than one-twentieth of this
fund, and it is limited to towns of less
than one thousand population. Any
number Of districts may combine and es-
tablish high school under this act -e,,
The annual appropriation, for pensions
is raised to S25O,OOO, which is said to be
sufficient to paw all pensioners the full
amount provided by law.
The ten-hour labor law for cotton mills
was passed. 1t limits the hours to 81
per week after July and to 60 after
January /, 1908.
The marriage license and compulsory
education bills were defeated.
The bill to repeal the merchants lien
law came very near passing upon two
occasions, but was finally defeated by q
vote of 10 to 10. On full vote the bill
had a majority of % to 10.
The railroad rate bill was also defeated
by big majority in the Senate. Itsought
to reduce the fare from 3 cents per mile
to p for passengers.
The immigration department gets an
additional appropriation of $4,000. This
department has been pushed up by the
factory owners, who are anxious to get
more labor and cheaper labor.
The appropriations this year will
total up about $l,5OO,OOO, something
like two hundred thousand dollars
more than last year. We had only
about fourteen on our side who
would stand for lower appropriations,
and consequently all that we could do
was to protest against such extravaganza.
1t will not be five years, at this rate,
until we shall see our little State rails
ing two million dollars in taxes for the
expenses of the State government and to
meet its obligations. About $2S5 900 of
this is for interest on the public debt,
which we are not directly responsible
for, but has to be paid. In the sums
above mentioned is not included any of
| Ouo oA Vi OuO COuuGIoS OT Uu6
school funds. The State sschool levy
raises about 100000. The other funds
that go to the schools amount to as much
more, making about one and half mil
lion dollars spent annually for schools in
the State.
This Legislature has done about every
thing that Charleston and. Columbia
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