Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-02-05
FOR sTATE pRoHlBITIoN.
Mr.. Talbert's Bill to he Considered
Other Interesting Matters.

NA1Se y st6S uuhuSISol uillS on 3Cne
calender OF each House in respect to
the handling of intoxicating liquors
in this State. There are four which
stand as special orders on the SEN
ate calendar now for discussion on
the. 4th. The bill which we are hop
ing to, pass is that of Senator Talbert,
of Edgefield, providing for State pro-
htbition, and no sale except for me-
dicinal purposes, and then the re-
quest has to be filed in the office Of
the Clerk OF Court. The present dis
ypensary law is the worst muddled
and patched up piece OF legislation
that / have ever seen. About half OF
the counties are exempt from the
general provisions OF the law, and it
seems now like the other half are
wanting to- be exempt or change 1t
In some way. When this measure
was before the General Assembly
during the last session many prohibi-
tionists fought for it as being a. bet
ter law than the one that we had at
that time. We would just like to
give the sales under the operation
of this law for the last nine months.
The report of the dispensary auditor
for the nine months shows that there
are in operation In the State 100 dis
.pensaries. There were in operation
Under the old law 92 dispensaries.
The sales under the present law for
the nine months OF its operation ag-
gregate q, ,691 ,663.43 The sales un-
der the 30 ID law for one year amount
ed to 2,9l7,385.9O. Thus 1t will be
seen that SO far from being mea-
sure IN the interest OF temperance.
1t has increased by about 90 per
cent The sales of liqpor in the state.
and If the present law stands the
sales havesnot reacl,ed, the maximum
yet. 1T lis due to the other part of
the Stata that tt,is fact should be
mentioned, that at present there are
in Barnwell county 10 dispensaries
Charleston Ia Riehland IL The
sales in s,Richland county alone
amount to $41'9, 10000. Isn't this
appalling? We may be able to pass
a prohibition n easure provid ..r that
1t shall be- submitted to vote OF
The people before it goes into opera
ton. The prohibition bill which wax
peIdin. before the House a few days
ago was killed by a majority of IL
votes.
4 Our people are, generally particp-
larly Interested in our own financial
affairs in oconee county. we ex-
pect the le"y for State purposes .his
year to be " mills. The ,appropri-
alton bill whi,n has been agreed
upon by the Ways end Means Com
.mittee of The House amounts to ST.
4S5,000. / fear this amount will be
Increased to $1,.00 900. Usually
the House is more conservative in
making appropriations than the SEN
ate is. We have a very hard fight
in the Senate to hold down these
high appropriations There are only
about fourteen OF us who vote to-
gether against the extrayagant ex-
pendtture of the peoples money.
Our county levy we hope to reduce a
small amount, probably one mill.
That is, where person paid SIS
last year, he should only pay about
$14 this year. This reduction we
Will! be able to make on account Of
the accumulation OF the funds to re-
tire the bonded Indebtedness of the
county. On the first day OF July,
1904, $4,000 worth OF bonds OF the
county were sold, bearing interest
at the rate OF s per cent, which are
exempt from all State, county and
municipal taxes. This shows a very
handsome investment for the pur-
chasers of these bonds, as the ex-.
emption from taxes amounts to very
nearly per cent. These bonds were
solo In blocks of $4,000, duo ten.
years after date, $4,000 due twenty
yoars after date, and $4,000 due
thirty years after date. The first
block will be dna 1914. There was
levied tax of 7-1tI OF one mill to
pay the interest on thcss bonds an
nualiy, amounting to s2.260, and
one-half mill to raise q sinking fund
for the purpose Of yetiring these
bonds at maturity. The sinking
fund, including the collection for
1907 will have amounted to about
$4,000. and there is yet ak years In
which to run, so that on account OF