The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-06-22
STATE COUNCIL DEFENSE
is WITHOUT ANY FUNDS
For Maintenance Of Militia, $4,000; !;
for Liquor COnStables, S5O,OO0;,
and No Money to Prepare Tor
Troops.

, ana NO money 10 Prepare i0r
Troops.
Columbia. June 19.-For mainte-
! nance Of militia. $4,000.
For maintenance of liquor consta-
bles (so-called enforcement prohib-
! ton law"), $4,000.
So reads the appropriation bill Of
1917.
And South Carolina is without a dol
lar to provide larger and adequate
I accommodations at the state mobiliza-
ton camp for the reception Of the two
regiments of national guard and other
South Carolina troops.
In the latter part Of February, with
{ the war clouds lowering and the war
lighnings flashing and the war tnun-
ders roaring, a claw and order ad-
ministration provided $4,000 more
forthe upkeep Of liquor constables
than for the upkeep of the states
militia, and there is now nothing st
all for the upkeep of Camp Moore.
Bad Business.
The result is that Adjutant General
! W. W. Moore has had to appeal to
the department of the southeast, and,
| through that department, direct to
! the War Department at Washington,
! for assistance in sinking wells and
building kitchens and mess halls for
the soldiers of South Carolina, who
soon be on the fields of France, facing
| German artillery, while there is fund
of $4,000 to provide for the salaries
| and expenses of a small army OF
! liquor constables who are supposed
to wage war upon blind tigers
and with what degree of success, ex-
cept in getting rid of the money, has
already been fully reviewed in this
/ correspondence.
About $4,000 has already been ex-
pended in the upkeep of the consta-
bles. The records show that of the
original $4,000, available the last OF
February, when the appropriation
bill was approved. there remains on
hand today s35,1s2.43. The expendi-
lures have been as follows: Febru-
airy 26, s13445; March, s5,699.74;
April, s3,271.4O; May, s2,s99.4S; June,
through June IS, $2,7O250 This is
s14.SO7.57 in three and one-half
months, or just about at the rate OF
$4,000 per year.
No Funds Again.
And then the call came for a third
regiment of South Carolina troops.
which would have given the state a
brigade, under South Carolina brig
adler, the plea was made that South
Carolina would have to equip such a
regiment until it was accepted in the
federal service, and that there were
10 funds on hand for this purpose.
Quoting a Columbia newspaper which
attempted to bolster UP the govern
or's excuses, "to raise third regi-
ment it would be necessary to have
armories and equipment, and the state
at this time has no provision for such
STEP" That a third regiment could
have been formed in accordance with
the plan for the enlargement Of the
national guard is apparent-but pow
erty is the plea that was made.
It was suggested today that some
of the $4,000 of the constable's up
keen none still in the treasury might
be diverted to paying the expenses
of the state council Of defense and
helping to put Camp Moore in. COM
Portable and sanitary shape for the
South Carolina troops. The state
council of defense is without prom
ises from a majority of the members
of the general assembly that the next
legislature will provide $4,000 for
the expenditures necessary to be
made in order that the council may
get down to work. 1t would take a
very broad construction of the appro-
priation act, however, 70 divert any
of the '.prohibi ION nliorcement" moa-
ey, for the act provides, in making the
appropriation, that should the ex-
igencies Of any municipality or coun-
tv in this state justify or require the
prohibition laws now in force, and re-
Gently enacted, that the governor CT
the state may spend in his discre-
ticn $4,000. or so much thereof as
may be necessary, to enforce state
laws" Extraordinary measures is.
a very appropriate expression. judg-
ing from some of the extraordinary
vouchers drawn on this fund in the
past, already pointed out IN this cor
reSpondence-such as buying whis-
key, playing pianos in houses of i'll,
fame. target shooting, pool games, tip
ping hackmen and other things.
POverty-Stricken.
Poverty stricken is South Carolina,
with a s3,OOO,OOO appropriation bill,
when it comes to matters of vital i'm
portance in the war emergency affect
ing South Carolina's army in the field
but rich is the old Palmetto state
when it comes to caring for, in ten
derness and with solicitude, that 9TH
er army whose main claim to pat
M % @ g. M @ N "a R