The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-08-05

To 9. n. Nickles. Supervisor Abbeville
We, the undersigned qualified voters OF Ab-
beville County. respectfully, petition you to
order an election to enable the people 10 vote
on the question OF abolishing the Dispensary
In Abbeville County.
To 9. N: Nickles, Supervisor Of AbbeVille
we, the undersigned citizens OF Abbeville
County, ask that you order an election on the
question OF DispensaIy or no Dispensary for
Abbeville County.
The other form was In these words, type
written or pen written, with slight variations
of verbiage:'
We. the undersigned petition that you or
der an eli ction to determine whether there
shall be q dispensnry in Abbeville County or
not.
There were but few in number OF this last
form, the great majority having signed the
form as first above copied.
Capt. Nickles being ed about the. mum
Der Of repeaters said something like this:
In checking of the names Of petitioners I
found about lao names that appeared more
than once-some twice, come three times.
Captain; how do you account for the
repetition of names?"
II understand, that last year petitions were
circulated alkidg the Supervisor to order an
election to vote on the diapensary, These
petitions were not presented last year, but
they seem to have been preserved. This year
another petition was circulated, and persons
signing the petition last year no doubt sup.
posed that the former petition would not be
used. But 1t seems that both the 1907 and
1908 petitions were handed Into the Super
visor's Office. In this way. account for the
repetitions. do not think the men who
signed the petition more than once, meant TO
do wrong. One man who most often signed
1t, lssked me 10 take his name off Of the petit
lions, as he is not now die satit fed with the
dispensary or the division or the profits"
Are there others who have asked you TO
erase their manner?
Yea; quite a number have asked me to
eliminate their names, with which request l
have refused to comply. They said that they
signed the petition because the schools got
nc part OF the profits last year, but now the
law gives the schools one-third OF the Profits
and many OF the sigpers are now satisfied to
let the dispensary stand. as they have al
ways been. Their sole objection to the dis
pensary last year was that the schools had
been cut of from participation in the prof.
It's"
Captain, We would be glad for you to give
an opinion as to the probable result Of the
petition asking you 10 order an election?
"At this time I cannot say positively. /,
together with my clerk. have devoted the
two last weeks entirely TO the consideration
OF this petition and in checking over the
registration books. We have not yet fin.
ished the work.
Are you governed by the registration books
now being made up?
am governed entirely by the registration
books that were In existence at the time
these petitions were signed. The law directs
that I do go. In fact I am guided entirely In
this matter by the law, as 1 understand 1t.
Are you in favor OF ordering the election on
the dispensary question?
1 am in favor, and would take pleasure In
ordering an election, 30 that the people can
say for themselves as to whether they prefer
prohibition or dispenSary, and will certainly
do 80 II the petition will warrant me in doing
80. Otherwise I shall not order the election"
Have you had trouble to ascertain the cor
rect number OF registered voters on the old
books?
I have, indeed. There are something like
5000 names on the books.
how do you account for this excessive
number?
The books are revised only once in ten
yeara. There are no erasures on the books,
and no renewals or removals are 30 marked.
These facts account for the excessive num-
Der. What we are doing now is TO mark of
the names Of the dead, as we'll as the names
Of those who have removed from the county.
The names of those who have lost their GER
t~ificates, and secured renewals appear on the
books twice. My object is, TO get the actual
number OF qualified voters as they appear up.
on the registration books. I have had assist
ance from well informed men in the different
townships, to help me in getting a correct
list OF the bona fde voters.
Do you find any considerable number OF
names on the petition who are not qualified.
or regis stored, voters7
Yes. sir; we find quite q number In every
secti or Of the county. I will give you a full
statement as soon as the work Ia finished.
There were more than one regular form OF
petition as will appear by samples her with
append ed. The printed form was in these
words: