Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-18
MORE INVESTIGATION NEEDED
Commissioner Tatum Complains Of
Directors.
TOO Much INTRODUCTORY" WHISKY

TOO MUCH INTRODUCTORY" WHISKY
Dispensary Alleged to Be Badly Over
stocked With All Kinds of Liquor
Including Much That Was Bought
BY Way Of an Experiment-Matter
Laid Before the Senate by Mr.. Chris.
tensen on Inform alton Furnished BY
Mr.. Tatum.
Columbia special to News and Courier
Senator Niels Christensen of Beau
fort, on Monday introduced in the SEN
ate a concurrent resolution which calls
for a committee to investigate the af-
fairs of the state dispensary, the In
vestigation to be made primarily into
the present over-stock at the state
dispensary.
Senator Christensen read to the sem
ate a letter from Commissioner w. o.
Tatum, which he had received In re-
ply to a request for information as to
overstock at the dispensary. Mr..
Tatum's letter has the effect Of plac-
ing the blame for the large amount of
unsaleable whisky on hand upon the
board Of directors.
At the conclusion of the reading OF
the letter Senator Christensen asked
for the immediate consideration on the
resolution, stating that the ware
houses, platforms and all other avail
able space at the state dispensary
were crowded with the surplus whis-
ky. He stated that he had visited the
dispensary. and there was on hand at
present in the neighborhood Of $780,
600 in stock, when there was no need
for more than 100000, and that in ad-
dition to this more supplies have been
ordered and are now on the road.
Senator Christensen closed with a re-
quest for immediate consideration.
This was objected to by Senator Nc
Gowan Of Laurens, and the resolution
went over for consideration later.
Senator Otis Of Cherokee, moved that
the resolution and the correspondents
be printed in the Journal. Senator
Blease was opposed to this, stating
that the senate had heard Tatum's plat
form for reelection, and that the sem
ate might as we'll wait for the plat
form of the directors and print them
all together Mr.. Otis insisted on his
notion which was carried. and the
resolution and correspondence Will be
printed in the Journal. 4.
Mr.. Tatum's Letter.
The Tatum letter. which Mr.. Chris
tensen read to the senate, Is as fol-
lows:
January II. 1907.-The Hon. Niels
Christensen, Senator and Member OF
the Dispensary Investigating Commit
tee, City.-Dear Sir: Pursuant to re-
quest and instructions from you, beg
to submit the enclosed statement along
with other data requested Of me by
you. In making this statement, wish
to say that there has been no friction
between myself and the present state
board Of directors during their term.
1t has simply been a difference OF pol
Icy. and 1 am ready to leave it to the
public to say whether their policy or
mine was for the best interest Of the
people of the state and the dispensary
system.
with this explanation, beg to sub
NIT the enclosed statement as per
your instructions. Yours very truly.
w. o. Tatum, Commissioner.
P. S.-The list requested Of me, as
furnished by the clerk Of the board,
showing case goods ordered shipped
after December l, 1906, I do not en-
close, for the reason that 1t will take a
considerable length of time to copy
same. This will be furnished you sub
sequently. which. l hope, will be sat-
isfactory."
Mr.. Tatunn's Statement.
Ever since I have held the position
Of commissioner I have tried to con-
duct the dlspensary business on as
near a cash basis as possible. and to
this end have endeavored to avoid
overstocking. either the county dis
pensaries or warehouses at the head
quarters here in Columbia. 1t has
also been my policy to meet the de-
mands of the people of the state and
supply the kinds OF liquor they de-
mand.
ITO this end have furnished the
board OF directors statements show
ing the untitled orders from county
dispensaries, and have protested
against shipping to these dispensers
goods that they do not order.
During the 1st Of last August
found that the board of directors had
laid in a stock Of new goods. which
was instructed to send out, either as
Introductory or to substitute. for the
brands ordered by the county dispen-
sers which we did not have in stock at
the time. This substitution caused
great dissatisfaction throughout the
state. To determine just what the
people thought of these new goods
addressed to the county dispensers the
following letter. dated August 10. 1906:
Letter to County Dispensers.
"'To Dispensers: I propose to make
a desperate effort next week to gel
the state board of directors to discon-
tinue the practice of buying new goods
and sending them to the dispensers as
Introductory. l have always been OPP
posed to handling so many case goods
and these Introductory goods have not
been shipped out by my orders, but
by orders of the board Of directors.
wish an expression from you as to
whether there is danger Of some OF
them being left on your hands as hard
stock. wish to Use your answer
next week, about Tuesday or We'd
nesday. before the state board Of d.
rectors in order to get them to change
this policy. Please be prompt in an
swering this so that it may reach me
by Tuesday of next week. Your truly
"W. o. Tatum Commissioner"
New Goods Not Satisfactory.
"Jn reSDOnSe to this communication