The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-02-16
DIsPENSARY DISCUSSION.
Winding-Up Commission and Lyon
Criticised-Senators Engage in
Spirited Debate.
News and Courier.

s ate diSpcn<arv, the original lnve>ll-
eating committee. the prt>rl; dlSnen-
sarv commission. the bills oI. The way
iou, Iiuunr houses. even i!p o?l build
inc itself. were ali dag ~ from then
graves III the State senate today. and
upon Senator Johnson $ charges as to
expenditure of money by the commits
sion, which is NOW tied up by the
courts. there arose such a storm OF
discussion as has not been seen III the
upper branch Of the legislature since
the good old days, when whlSkey WAS
in reality an issue.
It all came about upon Senator
Christensen $ bill to provide further
for the closing up Of the State dis
pensary. 1t was understood, not upon
motion, however. that when the senate
went over to ballot that the matter
would be taken up at the afternoon
session. However, when the senate
returned to its chamber Senator
Johnson had the records to prove his
statements as to the expenditure of
money by the commission.
Senator johnson read from the re-
ports Of 1908, which were for the
previous fiscal year, that the wind
ing-up commission had expended $53.-
1886. Also there had been an ex-
penditure of $4,000 by the former
investigating committee. "There
must have been some extravaganza, .
said Mr.. johnson, ''and somebody
had been derelict in duty as to bring
ing to justice those who were charged
with having committed offences
against this State.
"How many have been prosecuted
How many have been imprisoned
Not one.''
Senato1. Jehnson stated that besides
am expenditure of $4,000 as shown
in the reports there had been an ad-
ditional $4,000 granted to the COM
mission before Judge Pritehard, max
ing $4,000. Also the legislature had
given an additional $4,000, this be-
ing for the original investigation,
making S1I5,0o0.
The senator from Union, Mr.. B. F.
Townsend, stated that the attorney
general had not even asked the State
of South Carolina to prosecute any
of the offenders.
Senator johnson remarked that
there had been such a mass OF testl-
mony taken by the Investigating COM
mfttee that Governor Hayward had
ordered the lamented attorney gen.
eral, Leroy +. Youmans, to prosecute
the offenders; that this distinguished
lawyer had looked over the testimony
and had refused to carry out the gov
ernor s orders as he stated there Was
not sufficient evidence /. convict.
"Why can It We bring to justice the
offenders,'' asked Mr.. Johnson,
|'without the expenditure Of more
than 100000? Why are we keeping
in office men at enormous expense
when there are solicitors IN the State
who could do the very work and are
doing it at much less cost? ?'
Senator Christensen Explains.
Senator Christensen, although he
Stated that thte discussion had as
sumed proportions not contemplated
by the bill, wished to answer the
charges that had been made. HIS
bill touches only the subject of per
diem and mileage, against which ex-
penditures there had been made no
charges. The amount expended dur
ing the year in question in this partl-
cular was $4,000.
Senator Christensen summed up
the charges Of Senator johnson as
follows:. "There have been eNpendl-
lures to the amount of $4,000. An
enormous amount recklessly expend-
ed.'
NJ. Christensen took up the var
ious items in the reports of the COM
mission, and explained where the
money was spent and the amount
saved to the State of South Carolina
in said expenditure, and in the lnves-
tigation of the State dispensary and
the bills audited from the various
whiskey houses. 6.
For investigating purposes the aud
fting companies had been paid $4,000.
These had cut down the face value
of accounts $4,000.
There had been expended $4,000 on
an item marked "expense, in real
detactiva anh LAWYERS fees, and by