The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-01-18
First Weeks Work of
The General Assembly

~ 0G AO0SHRSOCaT \
individual or give undue credit to any
one person.
The board says that practically all
of the recommendations made by A.
P. Herring, NJ. D., Governor Manning's
expert, were made by J. w. Babcock,
NJ. D., former superintendent of the
institution
Liquor and Prohibition.
At as former sessions since 1890.
liquor is coming in for a large share
of attention. The first bill of the ses-
sion to be ordered for ratification was
the measure of Senator Beamguard Of
York, making drunkenness on the high
way misdemeanor. 1t was urged that
the present laws were sufficient to
cover the matter, but the bill, which
had already passed the senate, went
through the house by vote of 81 to
80. and was ordered enrolled for rati-
fcation
The ways and means committee has
reported favorably the bill to put a
fund of $4,000 at the disposal of the
governor for the enforcement of prohi-
bition. 1t is said that only one mem
Der. of the committee opposed the ap-
preparation.
The senate has passed a bill cutting
out liquor advertisements in news
papers in the state.
A conference of the members of the
counties which had dispensaries up to
the first day of the year has been
called for Tuesday morning at 9
o'clock for the purpose Of deciding on
some legislation to dispose Of the stock
of whiskey remaining in hand when
the dispensaries went out of business
on the S1st day of December.
The conference will be participated
in by members 81 the senate and house
from the fourteen counties which sold
liquor through dispelsaries up to the
first of the present year when the state
went prohibition by verdict Of the peo-
ple. Some of the counties had good
deal of stock left on hand while some
sold out. Richland had the. largest
amount left over, $4,000, while Char
lesion had about $4,000. Some of the
counties, Bamberg and Williamsburg
for instance, sold all of their supply OF
whiskey, and of course they are not
concerned in the action. The confer
ence was called by Senator spigener OF
the Ricnland delegation, and indica-
tions are that some concerted action
will result from the meeting.
May Be Poured Out
There are some legislators who favor
reopening the dispensaries long
enough to dispose at retail prices of
the liquor remaining on hand, While
others believe it would be better to
sell the remaining stock at wholesale
prices to some parties outside of the
state. But both of the propositions
will be bitterly fought by the prohlol-
tionists on the ground that the state
has no more right to sell whiskey, or
the counties, than the people, and this
would assist the blind tiger business.
They will contend that the whiskey
ought to be treated as contraband and
poured into the gutter as all seizures
are. There is no likelihood of any re-
opening of the dispensaries for GER
tain time to permit of the disposal of
the stock remaining on hand.
However, this matter Will be consid-
cred by the conference Of the legis-
lators on Tuesday morning, and their
action will probably be embodied in q
bill for the disposal of the stock which
will appear in both branches.
L. L. Bultman, state dispensary au-
ditor, estimates that the stock remain
ing on hand in all the counties will
reacn between 100000 and $125,OO0.
He holds his commission still, but is
without authority to compel reports
from the officials of the now non-ex-
istent dispensaries. and there can be
nothing done in the way OF checking
up all the dispensaries and disposing
of the details until some action is au-
thorized by the general assembly. Some
legislation to this end must be enacted
at the present session, or@the details
can not be wound up and all the Of
fcials and the dispensary boards and
their clerks released from their bonds.
Rural Credits.