The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-01-18

mlttee to be appointed shall report at
this session of the general assembly
and within as few days as possible.
Mr.. Tatum' Letter.
In connection with Mr.. Christen-
sens resolution, the following letter
from Commissioner Tatum is of great
interest:
January II, 1907.
Hon. Niels Christensen, Senator and
Member Dispensary Investigating
Committee, City.
Dear Sir: Pursuant to request and
instructions from you, I beg to sub
NIT the enclosed statement, along with
other data requested of me by you.
In making this statement, I 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 difference Of
policy, and | 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 dis
dispensary system.
With this explanation, I beg to sub
nit the enclosed statement, rs per
your request.
Yours very truly,
W. o. Tatum,
Commissioner.
=. S.-The list requested of me, as
furnished by the clerk of the board,
showing case goods ordered to be ship
ped after December |, 1906. I do not
"ncl"Se for the reason that it will
take IL considerable length Of time to
copy same. This will be furnished
You subsequently, which. hope, will
be satisfactory.
Ever since | have held the position
of commissioner. [ have tried to con-
duet the diSpensary business on as
near a cash basis possible, and to
the state board of directors to dis
"vrrStnckiny either the county dis
lrnSaricS "r warehouses ut the head
quarters here in Columbia. 1t has al
81 been my policy 10 meet the de-
mandS of the people of the state and
suppl " the kinds of liquor they de
mand. I" this end have furnished
the board of directors statements
'h"win@ the untitled orders from
r"unty dispensers. and have protested
a"ainst shippin" to these dispensers
"n",iS that they do not order.
During the first Of last August I
found that the board Of directors had
laid in Il stock Of new goods which I
was instructed to send out either as
introductory or to substitute for the
brands ordered by the county dispen-
ScrS which we did not have in stock
at tie time. This substitution caused
great dissatisfaction throughout the
state. To determine just what the peo-
pie thought of these new goods, I ad-
dressed to the county dispensers the
following letter, dated August 10,
1906:
"ro Dispensers: propose to make
a desperate effort next week to get
the stat board of directors to dis
continue the practice Of buying new
goods and Sendin" them to the dis
nenscr> as introductory. 7 have al
ways been opposed to handling. 50
many ease goods, and these introduce
tory goods have not been shipped out
by my orders but by orders of the
board Of directors. I wish an express
sion from YOU as to whether these
%"rdS, after reaching" YOU. are going
"ul "r whether there is danger Of
some "f them being left on Your
hands rs hard stock. | wish to uSc
your answers next week. about Tues
day or Wednesday, before the state
board Of directors in order to get
them to change this policy. Please be
prompt in answering this so that it
may reach me by Tuesday of next
week. Yours truly, w. O. Tatum, Com
missioner"
In response to this communication
/ received letters from nearly every
dispenser inthe state protesting vigor.
ously against these new goods, and
charging that they were not satisfac.
tory and the cause of general com.
rlaint. These expressions were very
positive, some Of them were as fol-
lows: "I find it very hard to worl,
them off," "is practically deat
stock,' "regret they were ever sem
lis and am satisfied it will be a spell