The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-13
VOTED DOWN.
The RaysOr- Manning State Dis
pensary Publication Bill
KILLED BY SENATE

Speeches In Support of The Measure
Were Made by Senator's Thomas
M. Raysor and L. G. Walker
and Against II by Senators
Sinkler, and Others.
Visitors thronged the Senate cham.
Dor and galleries Tuesday night OF
last week expecting to witness bat.
tie royal between the dispensary and
anti.dispensary forces, but they went
away disappointed. After listening
to one address on the subject OF the
~dispensary by Senator Riysor, of Or
augsburg, author Of the "purihcation"
bill, discussion on all measures Affect
ing the liquor question was post
poned.
Senator Raysor spoke for about 20
minutes in support Of tho bill, outlin'
Ing it's salient features as no saw
them, and presenting in . clear and
forcible manner reasons why the bill
should be adopted. He 10 considered
by his colleagues on both sides as be-
ING one Of the most conscientious,
straightforward, honorable membera
of either branch Of the general assem-
bly,. Whenever he addresses the SEN.
ate on any question he is listened to
most attentivsly, and the close. inter.
estiug hearing he received TUESDAY
night was no exception to the rule.
Except when slightly interrupted BY .
dog fight In tho galleries, perfect
quiet rsigned and his words were au.
dible In every part OF the chamber.
Senator Rsysor g1ld, In part.
II introduced this bill because IL
expressed my honest convictions on
this most Important question, IN
troduced 1t with the honest purpose
of remedying the evils 30 apparent Id
the management of the State dtspen
sary. The conditions existing IN that
institution are %intolerable and are =
reproach to the State Of South caro-
lima. While I cannot and do not IN
dorse the State dispensary with its
corruption and mismanagement, and
do not excuse those who have besn
guilty OF wrong.doing. I believe the
system purified Is the best solution OF
this problem and think it ia pretera'
bic to local option. I concede to those
who favor local option and to those
Who honestly favor prohibition their
absolute In the advocacy OF these
measures. I have the highest regard
for thcs, gentlemen who do uot
think Is l do. Personally I am practi.
cally . prohibdtionist, but l do not
favor prohibipion by legislation.
"A great deal has been said, and
very Justly said, about tho corruption
In the ~dispensary and about the mis-
management of that institution, and
I oan endorse almost every word that
has been said regarding ii, but 1 be.
Iisve there is virtue in the system and
If my bill Is adopted I believe ID Will
TO . great extent eliminate the wrong
doing and Encouragement. l do not
advocate this measure because l de-
sire any notoriety, but because 1 be-
lieve the system should be safeguard
cd In some measure as provided 10
this bill. I do not think tho question
of prohibition enters into this light.
The question Is, rs I SEQ 1t, Equarely
between Z State dispensary and coun.
ty dispensariss and prohibition Is not
to be considered. In other words,
shall we have ono big dispensary or
IL smaller oneB, with the same op'
portunities for encouragement 40
compsnying? 1t seems to mo that
the State dispensAry, safeguarded as
I have indicated, would DO far prefer.
able to numerous county dispeDshr1es.
The opportunities tor mismanage
ment would be multiplied IL times by
establishing county di~spensaries, and
the State might DO worse of than II
the present system is retained. The
trouble with the State dispensary lies
in the purchasing power. The actions
Of the purchasing power are reSponsl-
BILE for present conditions, and Ill the
reprosch that has been brought upon
the system is attributable solely to
the State board of directors.
1.-THE State d1spensary has IN the
past been considered . political ma
chine; now, thank God. it means .
political graveyard for almost any
man that touches II. I am no longer
willing for it to be conducted as 1t has
been in the past nor as it Ia now con.
Quoted, and I am satisfied that the
people OF the State do not want tho
law to remain Is 1t ID. Under the
bill now before the Senate the oppor.
tunities for corruption In the pur'
chasing power will be practically done
away with, and I believe that when
the State dispensary is honestly and
efficiently manngeds majority OF tho
people Of tho State will favor It,"
The speaker was interrupted seV'
ersl times by questions from Senator
Tools, and it cannot be said that the
senator from Aiken got the best OF
the tilt.
Senator RsYsor in the course OF his
remarks gave IN outline OF bis bill d.
recting special attention to the pro.
vision that all bids shall be opened by
4 cnrnmfttee of throo citizens. to be