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- ^ a ^ | VOL. Ll7 WIMSBOSO, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1897. NO. 24. 1 I THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MET !N ANNUAL SESSION ON TUESDAY OF LAST WEEK. The Election of Ollicers in t lie House and Senate the Most Important Work Done on the First Day of the Session. Columbia, S. C., Jati- 33.?The General Assemblyof South Carolina j convened in annual session jesterclay | at 12 o'clock. tee proceedings in the house. Promptly at 12 o'clock Clerk Gray. \ clad in his oflicial robes, stepped up to W? the speaker's desk and cajled the house to orcier. When' the hdu&3 had been |l|s called to order Mr. B B. McWhite jf? moved Mr. C. W. Garris for temporary ||| chairman. Mr. Garris thanked the house for the honor conferred upon gp him, and proceeded to say that he would leave all matters relating to the affairs of the State "for 'the permanent officers. The roll "was called by counties and all the members were svrorn in, taking J the oath in front of the.s>peakers stand, ! the temporary speaker administering the oath. The memberaall took the oath with hands raised and completed the act by kissihs: acheap; cloth bound Bible, which was small and easy to handle. Each member,.after taking the oath, went up on. ;t}ie. stand and signed the roll. Considering the fact . that it was the first day of the session, 4-1 the number of absenteswas very small. I \ Hon-Frank B. Gary was unauimous-1 ly re elected Speaker,, On motion of j ^ i ! Mr. Winkler a committee.! consisting i i r of Messrs Winkler, Rains ford and j wocf onnri!nfcri ir\ xcait or! TVfr. I ' i^avv/b T??C v? ? Gary and in^orm'hijiief bis eleetion. * This committee1 iooh. returned' -^itb . i him. Mr. Gary- on reaching the;' ynd ; ~ was sworn in. the members stanch / ; ^meanwhile. On takiDsr trie chair,'b?pQg presented bv }Ir. Garris, he prov < f ceeaed to thank the members. He said he esteemed it a high honor to preside over a legislative body in South Carolina. When'he thought -of these who ^ ;f had presided over the'h'Ouse* in'the past he felt that the members had raada a mistake in elec'.inghim. How" ever, he would -know no party or fac% tion. He would J Mh# speaker, of the f*> house of representa* ?s aha -with their | kf co-operation he hop(x +hat the busi- j ;-4 ness of the house wq'u \ not suffer. ; .. He again thanked them\J>r the high ' honor paid him. " v -. ' >. ; <* The election of a clerk was then entered into- Mr. Sturkie ia -pleasing terms nominated Gen. J..Walter Gray of Greenville. It was seconded by Mr.Magill. Mr. Haselden rcse -io-nominate a. JLLiaii. Y? ugot- m-vw . challenged?Mr. Jesse T. Gantt. Mr. Blythe'theofeSL-appropriate language nominated Mr. J. Tom Austin, who had served three terms in the house, one in tbe senate and; wa's'a member of the Constitutional-ccrtve-alion. Messrs. Crum. Haselden and deLoach were appointed jfsieslers. . The vote resulted"as follows: - . .. ...... . 4? Gray ? 59 j Austin.... 4j Total vote cast Ill Gen. Gray was then declared elected 2isr and sworn in. Mr. Barns noininMed;Mr. X. n. Stansell as sergeant-at-arms.r'Mr. Caughman nominated Mr. S G. Kol Jott r\i 1VTMr.G ?imokins iVj yj. >.. .* w w ^_?t seconded the nomination in a speech highly eulogistic of Mr- Holiey, who is a Confederate veteran. Mr. Crum then seconded the nomination of Mr. StanseU, referring; jLQ-.his excellent record. / ? _ Messrs. Rains ford ^ Q-hiids'and Burns were the tellers. T.h'e vbte resulted': Holler 25. St an sell S7;*total vote-cast 112. Mr. Stansell was declared elected and sworn in. For resding clerk Mr. Crum nomi nated the "man with a voice that fev men had," Mr. J. S. Wither?, the former reading clerk. Messis. Graham: Townsend and Perritt were appointed^ tellers. Mr. Withers received " ICS' votes, all those cast, ancHva^ sworn, in. A resolution offered by Mr.- Garris was adopted, that a committee be sent to p.otify Governor Evans that this body -was ready to receive any communication be might have to make. Messrs. Garris, .Sturkieand Pollock were ap pointeU. The" co^w&itlee At once retired. Mr. Gocdwin moved that the rules of the old house be adopted for this house. Mr. Mearps wanted rule SI except ed as this \>?.o the only legislative body that was accustomed to seating of members ""by ?delegations., ^He thought that it was for me best interests of legislation tbat.the members b? seated separately, 11r would prevent f sectionalism. Mr. Goodwin differed with Mr. i i Meares. He said it was the best advantage cf the house to have the inem Ibers seated^ by delegations. Mr. Meares1 amendment was killed and the.old'*rules were adopted,-SCO copies of tbe'rulesbeing ordered.printed.' Mr. Sturkie offered a resolution re & quiring all members to stand outside the rail while' the seats were being drawn. This was adopted. Ifegir The house, on motion of Mr. Ki W&m nard. under the new act. proceeded to |||| elect a chaplain. The Kev. J. C. Ab|||i| ney was nominated by Mr. McGr. |f||L Simpkins; the Kev. R. 31. Kinaru was glllf nominated by Mr. Skinner. The balipf ]ot resulted as follows: Kinard 53. Abney 40. Mr. Kinard was declared t elected. The governors message came in at | this time, and at the suggestion of i the governor, upon motion of \ Mr. Garris, the reading of the message I was postponed until the prit ter could supply sutKeent copies to be placed j t upon the desks of ail the members, j a A'sjnopsis of the message will be | found in another column. ^ The delegations then prcceeded to! | draw foj-jseats. A small boy drew the j na^es o! the counties from a hat. | i Hampton got the first choice and took i the seats midway on the right side of i the centre aisle. Union, Ohesteriieid and Spartanburg came next. Union: and ChesterSeid selected seats on the left side.-.: Clarendon came next. Spacianbui^-got the front seats on the right siLancaster and Abbeville on'tbV '"fe'ft: Messrs. Pollock'of Chesterfield and Smith of Hampton got th^Rvo1 ofes^'sests' is ;he house. It required over' an hour's time to complete the selections of seats. Florence was the las>: county to get seats and had to takevrhat were left." R."B. Anderspn., the only colored member, got th'e seeat he-has occcupied for several sessions past. Speaker Gary was at work J ast ever,-, I in? on the arrangement of his committees. He expects to announce his | appointments at todays session. He | says he will give tbe matter most j careful consideration and ascertain ine j sentiment prevailing among the me:nj hers as to the personel of the commit[tees. ! At yesterday s session, Mr. Riinsj ford called attention to the danger ! from failisg skylights and the serj geant at arms was directed to have the I matter given proper attention. All | but 13 members of the house were | present yesterday. Some of the absentees are sick at home. Speaker Gary appointed t^e follow ing committees: * Privileges and Elections?D H Masill, Chairman: S T McKeown. KY Lemmon, Ben F Townsend, C M Di vis, G L Toole, John M G lenn, DF ESrd. Peter Hollis, Jeremian Mishoe, SMcGo. Simpkins, T T Westmoreland, J GWolling. On Medical Affairs?L K Sturkie, H T Wvfihe H P Goodwin. R EI Tim merman, A J Spear, J R Smith, J H Price. . On Judiciary?J M Skinner, T W Bacot. PEL Gadsden, C L Winkler, H C Paiton, W P Pollock, A Bly the, Knox Livingston, T Y Williams, George W Gase, W H Thomas, W H Stevenson, R A MearesWays and Weans?C A Barry, John P Thomas. Jr, C W Garris, J C Slehrtens, CRD Burns, Thomas H Riins ford, J H. Wilson, II P Goodwin, W HYeldell, Julian Mitchell. T A Graham, HHCrum, J W Witherspoon. On the Penitentiary?S T McKeo'wn, J M Hyatt, L A Moore, J M Sullivan, El H Crum. . '' On Military?H H Crum. M W Pyatt, H jE Towns^nd, W S Smith, W H Thomas, iFH Dukes, J D Haselden, D H Magill, George B Lester. On Claims?fJ. T. Wycbe, R. L. Caughaaan, Peter Hoi lis, D. B. Henderson, G L Toole, E L Asbill, T E Johnson, L N Gasque, R W Anderson. Roads, Bridges and Ferries?Joshua Ashley, R L Caugbrnan. J D Haselden, CRDBurns, A W Cushman, 1 J S Graham, D M Miles, J 0 Wingo, 0 P Gocdwin. On Agriculture?J A Harvey, H Id Lofton, J W Ashley, Peter Hollis, D , M Bethune, J D Kinard, D F Eflrd, RBA Robinson, X M Seabrook. _ < Corporations?C W Gams, Jeremi- ; ab Misboe, E L Asbill.W H L-eLoach. D A McCullough, W Iiderton, T E Johnson, H J Kinard, W A All. On Federal Relations?T W Bacot. OL Winkler, R B Anderson, A J i Spear, Joseph Bailey, J F Banks, A ' K Sanders, B B Mc White, T I Rod-j gers. Oa Railroads?W P Pollock, RC Barkelev, J M Skinner, R A Lancaster, H J Kinard, J F McLaurin, E E J Terser, M W Phillips, P H Gadsden, | J D Haselden. On Education?John P Thomas, A J A Perntt.A Blythe.George W Gage, : D B Henderson, G L Toole, Cowper : Patton, T A Graham, J D Hiaard. On Internal Improvements?M. W Philips, D II Miles, J H Price C J : Prircs, J S Reynolds, M W Pratt, S ' TVT T1 n TlV? _ A T> ^ vv ivassen, x\. x -j- j ?/-i> On State House and Grounds?RM Lofton, J M Humphreys, George W Fairey, S W Smith, W S Smith, A S ' Bedoc, Vv C Vincen\ "W A All, B B McWhite. On Public Buildings?M W Philips, J M Hiott, J I WiliCn, W A Nettles, T H 0 ^en, J ? Miller, W H Kennedy, < W H Edwards, E M Seabrook. On Accounts?L A. }?oore, L A Carson, W G Austeli, L K Armstrong, C : W Whisonant, JAM Caraway, \Vil liam Mauldin, A F H Dukes On Rules?H C Patton, W P Pol 1 lock, T W Bacot, C L Winkler, Hu- 1 ger Sinkler. , Oh Enrolled Acts?T A Graham, W S Smith, E L Asbili,. Arthur Ki'o- ' le'r. R 'E'Timmerman, TY Williams, D B Henderson. 1 On the Legislative Librarv?M W Pyatt, C J Prince, A J A Perritfc, J M Glenn, C A Barry, E J Limehouse-, 1 C J McDaniel. On Engrossed Bills-Jeremiah Mishoe, LK Armstrong. J S Grahan, A B'Layton, Joel II Miller, Ross Fox, T B Owen. On Public Printing:?J D Kinard, A J A Perritt. W I Ilderton, C J Colcock, R Y Lsmmon, A Blythe, J S Reynolds. On Lunatic Asylum?J D EaseMeD, L K Sturkie, C A Barry William IIderton, H J Kinard, E H Timmerman} L'D Childs. On OfSces and Oilbers?B L Caughman, N W Philips. George W Davis, R B A Robinson, B B McWhite, T T Westmoreland, J 2*1 Price. On Commerce and Manufactures- -R C Barkeley,R Y Lemmon, George W Fairey, E J Limehouse, W A All, J A MeCuilough, A W Cushman, S W Russell, D M Miles. On public Schools--H P Goodwin, William Ilderton, A J A Perrilt, S W Smith, Arthur Kibler. L A Carson, T 7 n T. WfrWor. O .1 Col ccck. On Mines and Mining?J C Mebrtens, J H Wilson, C J Prince, C) W Whisonant, AF H Dukes, S K Epps, T Y Williams, Knox Livingston, W G Austell. THE PROCEEDINGS IN* THE SENATE. Promptly at noon Lieutenant Governor Timmerman called the State senate to order by sharply rapping his gavel. The noise and talk of the senators who were standing about in groups at once subsided ana each hast: ened to 2nd the seat which lot had given nim. ifrom the very first the j senate settled down to routine work as j i? it had been in session for some time i instead of but a few minutes. The roll | call was at once ordered and showed the only absentees to be Senator Dennis of Berkeley and Senator Archer of Spartanburg. A number of new member! were! present to whom the oath of office had j to oe aatnmisierea. xnese scuaiuxs? Henderson cf Aiken, Maytield of Barnwell, Taibird of Beaufort, Gaines of Edgefield, walker of Georgetown. bs&n of Greenville, Scarborough of Horry, Wallace of Laurens, Griff a of Lexington. Brown of Marion, Mower of Newberry, Conner of Orangeburg, Alexander of Oconee. Suddath of Saluda, and Love of York, : were escorted to the front of the pre ! siding oiiicer's s'.and and there sworn ! in. Dr. Tiaimerman was dispatching all I ibis routine work as fast as was cdoii patibie with the dignity of the bsdy | over which he presided, when he sud Idenly recalled tbat the proceedings j h3d no: been opened with prayer. He j susoended business and announced *1-- T>-_ '.I. 1 1 1 U _ ?.,U i tUvit i.az xvsv. jLr. \> xnuuguuv wyuiu i | make-the opening: prajer. 5lr. Wili ioughby did so, asking for direction J | from above and that all work which was done by the senate should be for j the glory cf God and the good of the people for all ages to come. Dr. Timmerman here extended a cordial greeting to the senators and then announced that the election of the clerk of the senate was in order. On motion of Mr. Mayfield Gen. R. K Hemohill was unanimously reelected to that position, no opposition to him having developed. Senator D. K. Norris cf Anderson was elected president of the senate pro tern and Mr. W. H. Steward reading clerk. A gcod many candidates appeared in the field for the position of sergeant at-irms. Messrs. J. D. Hood of Chester, D. .R Lesesne of Williamsburg:, J. W. Floyd of Kershaw. W. J. Shelton of Union, R Jolley cf Spartanburg1, J. T. Parks, of Orangeburg:, John F. Folk of Bamberg, and L. E. Parler of Colleton were the spirants. On the third ballot Mr. J. Floyd was_de clared elected. The Ksv. J. i?. wiiloughby was elected chaplain of the senate. On motion of Senator McCalla the president appointed a committer of three to wait on Governor Evans ana inform him that tbe senate was ready for business. . Senators McCalla, Buist and Pettigrew were appointed on this committee. Dr. Timmerman announced the following appointments: J. T. Gantt, journal clerk; E. A. Perry, bill clerk; George Anderson and ? Auld, pages; Jas. T. Parks, postal clerk, Jacob F. Gooding asd J. F. Shumpert, door keeper and assis-ant doorkeeper; D. W. Harris, gallery doorkeeper; W. E. Evans, assistant gallery doorkeeper; N. 0. Pyles. general committee clerk; M. S. Ashley, Calhoun Butler and 2. I A rv-irtarc- .Tad "RVsitfipr Ann I James Hodges, laborers. He made these appointments after consulting with the newly sleeted lieutenant governor, Mr. McSweeney, to ascertain if they were satisfactory to him. The following committees were also announced: Agriculture?J H McDaniel, chairman ; J S :i^ubose, A S Williams, H M Stackhouse, J T Douglas, A C Sanders, "97 B Love. Claims and Grievances?Altamont iMoses, chairman; E L Archer, Geo S Mower, G W Ragsdale, J M Gaines, J S Suddath, J H Turner. Contingent Accounts?D.J Griffith, chairman; A H Dean, L 31 Ragin, L 3 Connor, J T Hay. Education?W A Brown, chairman; , D S Henderson, D K Norris, W H Mauldin, I H McCalla, G L Buist. Enrollod Bills?LeGrand Walker, chairman; Jos Alexander, A H Dean, rhos Talbird, R B Scarborough, E J r ennis. i TV T T*-i. ? : . T JIDSE01?Or u JL>uist, uuaixLuaj-i, 11 H McCalla, W. B. Lo-e, AH Wil-j liams, A C Sanders, J S Dubose. Alta mont Moses, H M Stackhouse, D J Griffith, D K Norris. [: Charitable Institutions?J T Douglass, chairman; J N Turner, B F Mil- : isr, W B Love, J T Hay, J B Suddath L S Connor. - i Commerce and Manufactures?F L Archer, chairman; A H Dean, D K : Norris/J E Pettier?w, L^Grand Walk;->v-J^-S~ -J H G-agrctn County Officers?A C Sanders, chairman; R B Scarborough, W A Brown, J S Dubose, E L Archer. EagrossedBills?B. F. Miller, chairman ; J T Hay, A H Dean, J S Dubose, Gr W Ragsdale. Federal Relations?H M Stackhouse, chairman: W T O'Dell, G L Buist, J R Turner, E J Dennis, B F Miller. Immigration?E J Dennis, chairman; C RWallace, AH Dean, JS Dubose, G- W Ragsdaie. \ Incorporations?D S Henderson, s'aairman, Geo S Mower, A H Dean, Gr W Ragsdale, R B Scarborough, J T Hay. Judiciary?S C May field, chairman; Geo S Mower, J T Sloan, G L Baist, D S Henderson, Thos Talbird, LeGrand Walker, J T Hay, R B Scarborough. Medical Affairs?A H Williams, c" ^rman; Altamont Moses, A H Dean, D J Gri. 1th, C R Wallace, J BSuddath. Penitentiary?I II McCalla, chairman; Altamont Moses, A H Dean, D J Griluth, C R Wallace, J B Suddath. Privileges and Elections?Geo S Mower, c&airman; I H McCalla, J M Gaines, D S Henderson, G W Rags dale, J T Hay. Public Lands?A H Dean, chairman; J S DuBose, L M Ragin, J T Hay, Jos Alexander. Retrenchment?J os Alexander, chair man; AH Dsan. G W Ragsdale, A C Sanders. Roads, Bridges and Ferries?W T O'DpII chairman: A H Williams. A C Sanders, B F Miller, 0 R Wallace, J B Suddath, D J Griffith. Legislative Library?J THay, chairman ; J E Pett'grew, L S Connor. Military?W HMauldin, chairman; A C Sanders, Altamont Moses, J T| Sloan, J K Turner. Mines and Mining?J S DuBose, chairman; LeGrand Walker^H 31 Stackh^sserAr^i-^eanrG L Baist, C R Wallace, Thomas Talbird. Printiag?J M Ragin, chairman; J H McDaniei, J B Suddath, Jos Alexander, I K McUalla, Altamont Moses, W A Brown. Public Buildings?J E Pettigrew, chairman; W T O'Dell, J T Douglass, r*r A. i ? X O /^i *"* I tt id scacivaouse, jj o uonnor. Railroads and Internal Improvements?J P Sloan, chairman; G L Baist, J T Douglass, H M Stack bouse, S G Mayfield, A H Williams, I HilcCalla, D K Norris, W M Mauldin. Rules?L S Connor, chairman; E J Dennis, G L Buist, A H Williams, J T Kay, D K Norris. Several bills were introduced and re ferred. Tne committee retiirned after informing Governor Erans that the senate was ready for business and announced that the governor said he would send his message in a few minutes. After waiting for a little time for the message, on motion of Senator Moses the senate adjourned today at 12 o'clock. The governors message will then be read. Accidental Killing. S-UOae?, S. C., Jan.' 12 ?A youth HCMjLIUU. aovui v?ao c*v cidentally killed. by a negro on Jan. 9. The parties lived in Broxton township. The negro man was "just fooling" with a pis:ol supposed to be unloaded. Young Carter was standing near looking on when the weapon was discharged, killing the boy instantly, Fatal Explosion. Denver, Col., Jan. 13.?In the Aait Mining Company's tunnel, near Ward Colo., last eveniogJohn W. Glover and Harry G-lover, contractors, and T. A. Degarmo and John W. Shriever were killed by the explosion oi thirtyeight pounds of giant powder. The cause of the explosion is not known j HIS LAST MESSAGE. GOV. EVANS' OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION TO THE LEGISLATURE. Much Space Devote<l to the Dispensary Law?Other Matters of Grave Importance to the Statr. The following: is?the annual message of Governor John Gary Evaas to the General Assembly: Gentlemen of the General Assembly: It is the duty of the governor under the Constitution to give you from time to time information of the condition of the State and to recommend such measures for your CDnsi deration as he may deem expedient. I shall confine myself in this my last annual message to giving you such information as I have been able to obtain as to tne condition of the State, leaving to my successor to make recommendations as to any future legislation or policy. Two years ago I was elected governor to succeed a leader of a revolution who, to use his own Jaa^uage, was the ''worst hated and bsst loved'' man who has ever entered the politics of j our State. The policy that I should pursue was already .formed by the 1 people and the only issue made was as to the enforcement of tue dispensery ; law?whether it should be aggressive 1 with a view of destroyiog the illicit ' traffic in liquor or whether it should : be of a milk and cider form as our 1 enemies would have it with the hope of its final repeal- My nomination 1 and election meant the former and I 1 have endeavored to be true to that : policy. It would have b^en an easy 1 matter for me to have placated my 1 enemies and the enemies of the Re- 1 form movement by giving f ar to the 1 overtures of the whiskey element and J their allies in the cities of the State? 1 the daily press. These people who : !>IttJLLUCrcU itiiU Y-WiUCU tut uauiuo ui the dispensary law have continued 1 their stubborn warfare to aa extent ] that would barely be tolerated by a j less conservative people. They have J not been content to express their con- ] tempt of the law, but have attempted 1 to drag down by lying and slandering < every official connected with the ad- ( ministration of the law. Every error ] in bookkeeping of an inexperienced '< disper has been magnified into an em- * bezzlement. Every arrest of an illicit i dealer in liquor by a constable has < been .characterized as vilest oppression 1 of innocent and law-abiding citizens. $ If perchance an offender is killed ( while resisting the officers and carry- J incr nr? his damnable traffic, it is class ? ed as a murder most foul. These re- 1 ports are sent out to the world as t truths, when as a matter of fact they t are brazen falsehoods. It is a disgrace- ^ ;U spectacle that South Caroliuians ^ should descend so low as. to slander th.eir own government from political J malice. The dispensary law is stronger today than at any time since its enactment and is better enforced as will ] appear from the statistics later on. ] This is the most important matter ] with which vou will have to deal, and ] I would respectfully call your attention to the excellent report of the board of control, wi ll the request that you study it and think well before i making any changes in the present ] system. 1 THE DISPENSARY AS A BUSINESS. ] Tin t.n t.hft time of mv induction into 1 office as governor, the dispeii sary had been in operation about 18 months. < The governor was charged, not only ] with the enforcement of the law, but < as business manager in the capacity < of chairman of the board of control. 1 The business had continually increased until it reached over $1,000,000 an- ] nually. Realizing that as a, business < it was tentative and that it had not i been placed upon what could truly be ] called a business plane and that it was : burdened with crudities of which it must be divested before it could reach ! the expectations of the public as a mor- < al reformation and a busisess success, my first official act was to ?ive its for- i mer management a thorough investi- i gation in order to ascertain its fman~ioi cfotnc qs w??H as its wpak r?r>in?s. I was met by many difficulties, politi- 1 cai as well as business. To commence ( the business the general assembly of < 1S92 voted an appropriation of $50,000. For the first IS months of its existence the dispensary experienced many vicissitudes and when it was placed in my hands I found it still embarrassed and hardly able to stand alone, li had not paid a dollar into the State treasury in cet earnings and the ?50,000 appropriation was still unliquidated. The statements of its growth and progress as published from time to time by the former commissioner were unsatisfactory to the public, for the reason that tbe system of 1 bookkeeping was a Chinese puzzle and i no one could tell exactly tbe true sta i tus of the business. This fact gave ml nr to zf-sa. administration of the law and invited : the terrific accusations that were made against those' charged with its management. The last statement of these ; assets and liabilities and profits which the former commissioner marte was for the quarter ending January 21, 1895. In that statement, the profits claimed to have accrued to date amounted to $151,2^5.51. Bookkeepers of experience could not cipher this out and claims were made that the profits were fictitious I determined to change the business management and adopt a full and satisfactory system of accounting. An expert bookkeeper was employed and it was ascertained that the profits claimed had not accrued, but that the accrued profit to that date was forty-odd thousand dollars less than the amount. This was simply a mistake-in bookkeeping and in crediting to the profit account what had not accrued, but what was expected to have accrued in the hands of county disposers. After a thorough dissection of the accounts it was ascer tained that the pro tits had not reacnea $110,000. The entire assets, including cash, merchandise, teams and wagons and personal accounts amounted in round numbers to $198,000. The liabilities amounted in round numbers to $30,000. Tbe'total assets being subsequently affected to the amount of $2,000 in a final checking and adjustments of accounts. The liabilities were as follows: To State appropriation, $50,000; to sundry persons, for liquors $3P,000; total indebtedness $36,000; cash on hand $15,543.40 or ?40,451.60 less than amount necessary to liquidate the indebtedness. This is simply a rough statement of the status of the dispensary when I took charge of the business. I am happy to state that I ' - - 1-^1 4.-U turned it over 10 iny successor and in good condition and as sound financially as any business institution of the country. It has been taken out cf politics and placed in the hands of a board of control composed of farmers, bankers and business men of ability, whose reputation for honesty and integrity cannct be impugned. The purchasing power, such a temptation to some men, has been taken from the hands of Ihe commissioner and given to this board. They have exercised it judiciously and in a manner to command the respect of all par- j ties. The duties of the commissioner are now exercised bv the chairman of I the board and superintendent, anil the office of commissioner could be abolished by jour body. If this power is ever again placed in the hands of cne man, he would at ones become an object of vituperation,misrepresentation, abuse and slander o:' all the enemies of the dispensary and every penEy a liner, without any moral or social re sponsibility. The experience of the past year should be enough to convince your body of the truth of all that I have said and predicted, and while I am sure tha; you will be advised and importuned to change this law ana return to the old system, you will find by investigation that such propositions"come from lean and hungry politicians with itching palms. You will be told that the operations of the present board are a failure. Judge them b? their acts and results and not by hearsay.. T-ie subjoined CDmparative statement of sales to sounty dispensers has been furnishde me by the bookkeeper and is subject to your examination and verification: The net profit that has accrued to the State for the past year is in round aumbers $200,000. Tae next amount, accrued to the towns and counties for the same period $122,000, making a total accrued profittc the S&te, towns and couuties$322,)00; addiu i $57,652.35 unearned profit on goods in the sands of local dispeasers first of Janiary, 1S97, swells; ths total of earned and" unearned profits to the State and ;owns and counties ::or the past jear ;o the amount'of &370,652.65. The aet profit accruing '.he past adminis:ration for IS months; was $1.10,348 80. Nfet urofits for 1S95. SL33 4G7.79 Net profits for 1S96, $2C0,0CJ0, making a ;otal net accrued pro at to the Slate to late $443,S16 57. ~A3d xothis rret accrued profit the outstanding unearned profit, $57,652.65, makesa total earned ind unearned profit to date of >501,469 22. If to this sum we idd the amount of the net ac:r:ied profits to the towns and counts for the years 11895 and 189 S of >228,121 2S we hare a grand total of jarned and unearned profits to State, ;owns and counties to date of $729,600.50. The amount that has been actualy paid to the State, county and town reasurers from the net earnings from ;he State and county dispensaries is as 'ollows: Paid into the State treasury in 189 5 $100,000 Pirid into the Stata treasury in 189 6 100,000 Total $200,000 Paid to towns arid counties, L895 ....$106 13128 Paid to towns and counties, [896 122.000j00_ Total ... $228,131 28 Grand total net profits paid in from ill sources $428,121 28. For further Darticu/ars of stock on hand, etc., I would respectfully refer you to the re *- ? ? J A V?Awa port ot me ouue uj;?:u. ui tjuuw iioi*?ivith submitted. It will thus be seen that as a finanjial business its success can not be denied. To the above estimates the sum 5f 59,000 per annum, the average cost >f maintaining the dispensary constables, should be added. The enforcement of the dispensary [aw has been the bane of the whiskey dealer, the terror of the illicit distiller, the pitiful excuse for the opposition of hypocrites and cranks, and the platform of disgrunt.ed politicians catering to local influences, good or bad. It is the duty under the law of all the executive officers of the State, counties and towns to enforce this law, and such officers are compelled to take an oath prescribed by your honorable body to faithfully enforce the law when they assume their official duties. The governor is'authorized to employ constables and Slate detectives, whose especial duty it is to enforce the law. 1 have employed on an average about 59 constables during my term of office and one State detective, and ihey have been zealous and faithful in their efforts to suppress the illicit traffic, and I am satisfied?and I am sure the people of the State are?at the results obtained during -hepast year 55 regular commissioned constables, including the two chief State constables, have been regularly employed. The State is divided into two divisions known as the "upper" and the "lower." The upper division is in charge of Chief Fant and the lower m charge of Chief Holley. The salaries and expenses, .ncWii^r one detective and q ruy oTlIct^e^v&u^^dJoJ $47,726.01. _./ Thirty-one constables are assigned to tbe upper and 24 to the lower division. The upper divison has been much harder to handle by reason of the proximity of >~orth Carolina and the mountain distilleries. The amount of whiskey and brandy seized in the upper division for the past year was 3,245 gallons, 90 gallons of beer, S,976 gallons of cider and bee? in bottles, 12 vehicles and 16 head of mules and horses, and 10 illicit dist.iieries were destroyed. In tie lower division there were seized and confiscated 6,090 gallons of whiskey, wine and brandy, 39 barrels of beer, 2,255 gal1 - ? ? ?U~ i -r~t Irjxnrcr fViroo iUU.5 \il Uttl" auu V/IUW iu. vehicles and four head of males and horses one i licit distillery was destroyed. The resistance to the law in the upper tier of the counties adjoining the North Carolina line and m the county of Charleston has been most stubborn. In the remaining! counties of the State a healthy condition exists and the citizens are almost j unanimous in supp9rt of the law, and | I am glad to report that the law is i being better enforced throughtout the State at large, as is snown by the sales; of the dispensaries and the number of convictions of iliict dealers in the! State and municipal courts. The violations reported to my office show a large decrease and the daily reports of the constables show a better state of feeling throughout the State at lar^e, In the counties of Oconee, Greenville and Chesterfield difficulties have been had with traders coming from North Carolina. These desperadoes invaria1 ? fy-v o r] Ol UjLC gU iilLUCU IV Ljut. ictm mw ix termination to resist the officers to the extent of loosing their lives if necessary. In Oconee a dastardly attempt was made to assasinate the constables almost at the doors of the court house and they narrowly escaped with their lives. The good people of the county became indignant and an honest attempt has been made to bring these offenders to justice. In two instances the.constables have been compelled to shoot down these desperadoes, ana although fully justified and acquitted by the courts of the land of any wrong, tney have been handed down by the newspapers opposed to this law and branded as common murderers, j The only way to deal with such offen| ders is ;o let them know that the law win oe eniorcea even ir it oe cec-ssary to take their lives. We have been greatly embarrassed by the decision of toe United State? court which allows the importation of whiskey for "personal" use. The matter is now before the United States supreme court, and if our position is sustained there will be little trouble in puttin ' an end to the illicit traffic. One of the best evidences of the decrease in the illicit traffic is the decrease in the number of licenses issued by the United States Internal Revenue department. For the year ending June 21, 1S9C, there were issued to parties outside of dispensaries 315 licenses and one wholesale license included. Of these 190 were taken out in the city of Charleston. For the same period ending Juae 31,1895, 720 licenses were taken out. Of this number 157 were taken out in the city of Charleston, showing a decrease of 405 in the State and, an increase of 33 in the city of Charleston. For the year ending Jane 20, 1897, there have been issued so Jar to illicit dealers 173 licenses, ot which 125 were taken out for Claries- . ton, among them four wholes ile licenses to dealers in that city. For the same period the previous year there are 299 licenses to illicit dealers, 157 of which were taken out in the city of Charleston. It will thus be seen that for the revenue year ending June 30, 1896, the State at large showed a de- , crease of over 55 per cent, while the < city of Charleston showed an increase of over 20 per cent. Since the 1st of June, 1S95, the S;ate at large shows a i decrease of over 42 per cent., while : the city of Charleston for the sam? period, under the metropolitan police, shows a decrease of over 2D per cent. I It is another significant fact that in the < counties of the State where public sentiment has always upheld the law, as : for instance the county of Abbeville, the sales of the dispensary have fallen < off. Thus showing a decrease in the . consumption of whiskey and a promotion of the cause of temperance Dur- , ing the holidays only oae instance of ] the commission of crime of which whiskey was the direct cause was re < ported in the State, and the Christ- 1 mas holidays were marked for their . sobriety, peace aad quietude. Daring the recent State fair held in the city of i Columbia 20,000 people were reported ; to have been upon the grounds Thurb- i day and not an arrest for drunkenness was made in the city. The same re- i cord has bsen made in every county < iq the Stare, The number of con vie- i lions for the violations of the dispen- : sary law has increased from year to year, as the following table by the at- i torney general shows: No Bills &. di5Coji^Jxoj;_.,iIis _ To- , v 1 rln.1 f?iifT!'vTSli"T In year 1893.24 7 1 16 4S InyearlS94l07 3 2 112 InyearJlS95.65 21 55 141 In year 189644i 2i 159 627 For the past year of the 627 cases reported 231 were from the city of Charleston. METROPOLITAN POLICE. The greatest problem that I have had to meet since my connection with th8 dispensary law has b2en its proper enforcement in the city of Charleston. There are more friends in this city to the law than an outside:1 who has had no dealings with them would imagine, but it has come to be a political and a social question in that community and a great number of its friends have not the timerity to publicly uphold it. I realize that to be politic in dealing wim tnis question meant to b3 false to the great majority of the people of South Carolina and untrue lo those who had elected me and I determined upon an aggressive policy towards this city. The question narrowed itself down simply to this: Whether the illicit traffic and contempt of law and order should prevail in Charleston and be restrained in tbe rest of the State or whether I should support and enforce the law with a strong hand giving equality to all men. Seeing the increased amount of illicit sales of whiskey in this city and the contempt with which the officers c* the law were treated and having warned the mayor and city council repeatedly of my intention to no avail, the State commission consisting of the governor, the secretary of state and the comptroller general, was called together and thoroughly reviewed the situatioa. They uaani mously agreed that the only course left was to use every power 'or the enforcement of the law placed in our the general assembly, or to the rumseller. We decided on; the! former course. I expected and so did j the other members of the board to re- i ceire the condemnation of this city and j of the enemies of the dispensary Jaw j throughout the State, but I determined to do my duty, and, failing in that, to recommend to you such legislation as I deemed necessary to meet the case. The metropolitan police has proved a success in every sens; of the word and I am satisfied, if left to a vote of the hoaest, Christian, lawabiding citizens of Charleston, freed of political malice, they would sustain it. In the first place it is admitted by its enemies that the chief of the force and the police are more efficient and j have given better service than any in the history of the city. The policeman $s a political ward wheeler has been destroyed and even Mr. Barnwell, chairman of the opposition and a bitter opponent of the law and the police, in an interview in a city paper after the last election stated that Marshal Martin and his entire fore 3 had acted with absolute impartiality and had performed their duty faithfully. Praise from Sir Hubert is praise indeed. The only objection seems to be that the city has been deprived of one feature of home rule and this has been the slogan in the absence of any meritous objection. What is home rule'? Does it mean the absolute power of a municipality to abrogate and nullify the statute laws of a sovereign State? Does it mean the submission of the lives ana homes of honest citizens to a government of rumsellers and illicit dealers in whiskey ? Does it mean the free parade through the avenues of lawless Italians with whiskey barrels wrapped in tne ilag of the Union? If so, then let this conception of Jetferson perish in South Carolina. Under the laws of this State police otncers ) m V are State officers. Municipalities are formed for the purpose of aiding the State government ja enforcing the laws of the State. They are intended as subordinate limbs of the government, and when they fail to perform their functions they should be put understate control, of or have their charters repealed. It has been contended that the polics have baen taken from the control of the citizens. Tnis is untrue. The v are in the hands of a commission of native born Obarlestonians, whosi interests are linked with those of the city. Thej' are under the control of a caief who has enpyed the confidence and A. ' J . 1- _ _ ? i J A.I L. 1_ ^ respectoi me city aaa mey-cannoi ds otherwise under the law. It wiil'oeseen that the total driaks and drunks and disorderlies have gradually decreased from 801 in 1890 to 277 in 1S96 under metropolitan police?a decrease of nearly 75 per cent. Daring the year 1S95 there were bound over by the magistrates for , violations of the dispensary law 231 , cases. Their names ana residences are duly given in the report. 0; this , number 32 have been tried and convicted aad aav.-i paid into the county ; treasury 85,250 in fines. A better showing ttian this would have been made butfor the fact that at the last term of the CDurt every c ise was con- ; tinued upon the affidavits of attorneys ; who claimed to be sick and were seen . upon the streets the next day. The grand j lry found 24 additional true ] y I 1 r* I r-? 1 Ofi Ti ? rrr 5 e> UlUd, 1U U.J4 C. LL V X\* YYft2 had, tha graad jury refusing ia many , cases to had tra? bills. Is is a nota , ble fact that two of the city couacil ? who were sworn to enforce this law were among the number indicted aad j against whom true bills were fouad. ( Possibly the bast evidence of the work ( of tiie fores would bs a comparison of j the sales from the dispensaries. The { gains uader tha mitropoiitaa system z during the first second aad third quar- , ters of the year 189o. [ Uader metropolitan system to city c and county reach ?7,427 02, neirly j LOO per cent. < Tae police made during the year j 1S95 5S2 raids aad recovered 418 bot- J ties of whiskey partly filled, 39 bottles j of wine partly filled, 70 demejohns of c whiskey*partly filled, 6 k?gs of whis key partly filled, 5 half barrels of j whiskey partly filled, 42 fall barrels j Df whiskey, 51 10 gallon kegs of whis- ( key, 16 cases of wiskay, 83 ke^sof j beer and 10,301 bDttles of b?er. Tae j i-aids where no seizures were made s have not been entered. ) Thirty-one ex barkeepers and illiet ( iealers have been made to discontinue their business and most of them have < left the city. j The policj department consists of ( three commmissfoners, who exercise j allthe nowers conferred by law upon t the department. The strength of the ( force is as follows: One marshal and t chief of police, three lieutenants, two ( orderly sergeants, eight line sergeants, t one chief detective, thr^e detectives, ( seventy-three privates, four gatemen, j two draymen, five drivers, ten special s officers. In the enforcement of ths dispensa- < ry law the police force have not ne- , glected their duty in the detection of | peace and < gOOCTOTQei' Of VIS Wy., ' plaints have been mr.de on this score, "j Capt. J. Elmore Martin has enforced the laws in an aggressive and vigo- ( rous manner. Notwithstanding the hundreds of arrests made and the in- j tricate and delicate questions he has ( has had to decide as the executive offi- , cer of the department, on every occa- , sion he has displayed the ability to j amicably adjust the issues involved. ( He and his efficient force and the po* , lice commissioners deserve the thanks of all good citizens in placing Charleston upon as high a plane as the ether : cities of the State. So far as the other cities of the State are concerned, I am happy to state that the municipal authorities in every instance have shown a desire to co operate with the State administration in enforcing this law, and while we do not claim to have entirely stamped out the iliiclt traffic, all good citizens must admit that in Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg and the smaller towns a better feeling exists and earnest efforts are bsing made to enforce the law. I desire to call your attention to a feature of the law which I think could be dispensed with, ^he county boards of control in most instances do not control. They could be abolished and their duties imposted upon the State board of control and three or four inspectors, whose duty would be to visit the county dispensaries from time to time and see that they are properly conducted. There have been several shortages in the accounts of county dispensers and they have been invariably the result of negligence on the part of the county boards of control. These de1 - 1 ? T-*? noquern aispensers nave uccu jjioLiipt.ly reported by me to the attorney general with instructions to prosecute, and he has performed his duty in a It is no and becomes aju^ W2?uu> position. We might as well argue that the baa'<: !* system should be destroyed because a cashier occasionally goes astray. There are good and honest men,and they can be had to fill all these positions. It is your duty, not only to the dispensary law, but to the Reform movement and to those having its interest at heart to investigate this business from its organization to the present time. If anything wrong is discovered let it be ventilated and punish the guilty parties aud rebuke the slanderers. Ttiis should 03 done not only with the dispensary, but with every department of the State government where the slightest wrong doing is suspected. In this way alone can your government be kept honest and perpetuated. CLE3ISOX COLLEGE. I am unable to give you a full iu* sight into the workings of this institution. The governor is not a member of the board of trustees and is dependent entirely on the reports of the officers of the institution and personal inspection for what information he may possess. The reports of the oQlcers have not been furnished me although request has been made to the auditing committee to furnish me the Wo-at T shall <mv therefore, is taken from a newspaper report and my own knowledge from visitation, i President Craighead, in his reports, gives the following rigures: Earollmeat 346, of which 1(59 were in the preparatory or filing school, leaving 174' in the college proper. It will j thus be seen that there has been a large j falling of? in the attendance upon the 1 [continued ox page four. ; PLAGUE AND FAMINE TER3I3LS CONDITIONS EXIST1N3 ABOUT BOM3AY, INDIA. Tha Corpjaa Uabaried?Birds of P/?y Cannot Congnms Them -Thoasandi of Rafag883 Camp 3d on tha Plains. Bombay. Jin- 14?"Erery day the plague situation has become worse, and it is estimated that nearly half of the population of the city have flad to escape death. The situation is graatly aggravated by the prevalence of the famine.thousands of natives who leave the city ViOTTit-i/* ? - ? ? ?? ? U'JLUiU^ oa ffflica to support themselves ia the country and thus fall victim? to the slower death of starvation. Tne streets and baziars that a few weeks ago were teeming with life are now virtually deserted, and many shops and offices closed. One result of the plague has been a great diminition in all kinds of crises except burglaries and petty thefts, and these ia many instances are due to poverty-stricken wretches taking advantage of the fact that.large quantities of property have been left without protection by refugees _ from the plague-infested city. S:> great has bsea'the falling off in criminal ind other cases that the high court of ; justice does not fiad Dusiness enough :o occupy more than half its time, while tue courts in which small cases . ire tried have abandoned their sittings altogether and the officials have taken i holiday. Eighty thousand fugitives are camo .ng oat in And heri, where every conlilioa is favorable to an outbreak of iholera. There is a scarcity of water a and abDut the town and the sanitary irrangements are of the crudest charicier. The refugees, however, are ' " nore afraid of the bubonic plague ;han of cholera, and they will unloubfcedly remain where they are ather than return to Bombay. Th? government is doing everything po3;ible to assist the paople, bat its eforts thus fav hava been productive of ittle real result in the directioa of sleanliness. In Pooaa and Bmadra, the plague is aging with great virulence. The efforts of physicians to stay the progress )f the disease in the siighest degree lave bsen fruitless and the death rate . s extremely high. Hundreds of persons attacked by tiie disease have died * " n two or three hours, after suffering Ireadful agony. The customs of the natives add to ;he hideousness of the plague. The Mohammedan cemeteries are overcrowded and it is impossible to find nen enough to dig graves and bury ;he dead. The sound of dirges is injessant in and about the places where ;he Hindoos burn their dead in aciDrdance with their time-honored cus,om, and the funeral music has a-most iepressing influence on all who hear .t, natives and foreigners alike. It is stated that numbers of dead bodies of - - Parasees, the religious sect who expose / ;heir dead bodies to ba eaten by the rultures, are slowly decomposing in ;he open air in the places in which :hey are left. They have not been . ' Ib abundance of corpses furnished. to them. _ -?%$ E?ery where the greatest difficulty is found in obtaining men to cany the iead to the cemeteries, burning places ind the dokhamas. Eran relations shun their last service to _their dead, fearing that they will c .tract the iisease by touching or approaching the corpses. In many cases, bodies have been Mwwuuvugu III. liliC abiTCCbd, CLICH bearers having bsen overcome by fear while taking them to their last resting place. Up to today the number of cases of the plague is placed officially at 3,394 - _ and the deaths at 2,356. The Earasias, . . those of half-natives and half-foreign parentage, enjoy comparative immunity from disease,they apparently not being subject to its attack. A feature of the disease that was noticed &^Baarrrnrii|n, Kong-Kong and Southern Chiffl while it was prevalent there is jggj noticed here. Swine, poultry angBj dents appear to be very suscepjfSj the plague and great numbers ?|? have died. Hicks Trying to JExplair^H Weather Prophet Irl R. Sfl ing kept in a cold state of periH trying to explain how it was t||1 predictions of one of the most^SB Decembers ever known fel^ffl utterly short of the mark. public was promised all the ol$?j| fashioned blizzards it wanted and^P more, between the 12th and 30th of the month. The evil influences of ^?r Mars was to be added to other influences producing a commotion in the atmosphere that would be felt to a tremendous extent But the blizzards didnot come. Old Mars' evil influence did not commote the earth worth a cent Instead there came a temperature and citi zenss i-n -over-^ coats and other healthy a^^iiihave^ " been pouring maledictions upon Mr. Hicks* cranium, while they wiped the perspiration from their brows. Prof. Hicks explains his bad shot by intimating that the forces he relied upon . ? to produce a good old style Christmas got waylaid. When they ran across Mars they not onlv failed to materialize into the blizzards down in the programme, but went off celebrating on an entirely different plan, actually resolving themselves into seismic shocks or earthquakes. It is true these seismics were not felt anywhere except in Great Britain and in a few villages on the eastern coast of America, but Mr. Hicks considers the excuse a perfectly valid one. Then, too, he calls attention to the fact that the high barometer on the Gulf Coast was alone a powerful factor in heading off his blizzards. So tickled is he with this latter discovery that he distinctly congratulates himself on his foresight He predicted a month of frosts and wintry storms, instead of which there came a spring temperature here ana a seismic shoes about 7,777 miles away. And he thinks that was near enough. A Fiecd CoPfetaes. Frankfort. Ky., Jan. 13.?Charles Taylor, the negro in jail here charged with kidnapping 13-year-old Nellie Stej. p.confessed yesterday on condition that he ba removed to Lexington for safekeepiug, that robbed her outraged her, murdered her and then buried her! OiScers were leaving town with him when Circuit Court Judg2 Can- . trill ordered nim back, and commanded the Sheriff to summon a posse and protect the prisoner. -rlAl