The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, December 08, 1893, Image 2
MESSAGE
?OF?
GOV. B. K. TILLMAN.
GrXTLKMEN or TIIK Genkhal Assembly :
In this, the third Annual Mc-mgc wliiclt I
have liad the honor ti send to your honoable
body, matters of the deepest interest and
most vital significance are presented for
your consideration, and to the discussion of
two of the most important questions, the
llailroad Keceiverehip* and the Dispensary
law, much time nud thought lias been given.
The space which has been required to present
these subjects fully has left little room
for the usual presentation of the condition
of I lie various pobl'o institutions and departments.
You will have t> depend on the
Reports of the respective officers of these
departments and institutions, which arc full
and coni|lete, for those details which 1 have
found it nccestary to omit. 1 make exception
of the Treasurer's Report, and give an ais
met of the operations of that department
of the State government.
The year has been one of intense finan
cial stringency, nod the maintenance of the
Btan-.'s crulit, the refunding of the five and
a quarter million* Brown Consols maturing
July 1st, last, and the meeting of our current
obligations }>rompt!y, have enured the
8 ate Treasurer, Ur B ite', a-.d myself de-p
nnzic y and concern at times, bur the
Treasury weathered the stO'iu, and 1 en
congratulate you upon the satisfactory condition
now existing in regard t> our finance*.
The new 4.1 Per Cent. Brown Conso's
were sold in block to a syndicate headed by
the Baltimore Trns' and tiuaran ee Company
All of the old bonds have been redeemed
exicpt ?05,145, whicli have not yet beer
presented for payment; but the money is it
the treasury to meet litem when tbe hidden
bhall evme rhrwaril and ask it.
Before dismissing litis subject it is wel
to remind you of the painful fact that tlit
large revenue whit.li would have been dc
rivid next year f<om the phosphate royalty
and which has enabkd its to make such i
fine showing, will he totally lacking for tin
next fiscal yt ar. The di-astrous siorin, i
full account of which is given in the Uepor
of the l'ho-phnto Commission, cimpieteP
broke up and partially des'royed the l'hos
phatc Mining Industry, so much so that th
C-Miiiiiissten fe't constrained to make sucl
/ctforls for its relief by the reduction of th
roya'ly, etc., ns will leave nfl^inconic ncx
year other ilum the ?75.000, which utide
the law must be devoted to a Silking Fun
for tbc new 4.1 per cent bonds. I mentioi
.7 this because it will be mccs-nry t ? lake i
into consideration in making your estimate
aim arranging me tlUllliai I'lX levy.
RAILROAD TAXES AN1? RECEIVERSHIPS.
Dining the year a question of vita! impot
lance, anil one more far reaching in it
consequences to the Stales than any lbs
lias arisen since the celebrated Virgini
(Vup-n Cases, has beeu tasted upon t>
tlia l-'tderai Courts and decided in a inannc
that must excite liie alarm and reacntmen
of every lover of liberty and justice. Th
issue involved the povertignly of the Stat
and the equality of ad tax payers before tit
law; and by the decision rendered by th
Circuit Court io Charleston an 1 sustains
by the United Slates Supreme Coint. thi
sovereignty has been d sreg.irdcl and, i
effect, destroyed and a preferred class <
taxpayers created witn spcc'al privilege
vouchsafed to o'her citizens.
?Here follows a detailed reiteration of th
troubles between i ho State offica's an
the railroads, the arguments and d.-tails c
winch have been published in full in th
newspapers, and therefore -vculd^be of littl
interest or information to our readers.?En.
tiov. Tillman, however, closes '.liis brnnc
of his message by suggesting tliat the legis
laiure
REPEAL THE CHARTERS
of every llailroad in the hands of a Receive!
in the following forcible, if not statesman
like aud dignified language :
* * * * * *
The South Carolina t?>?
HiHtm Had Sttnonton. for four years
t and tlierc is 110 knowing hew much longer i
is to remain there. True, nn order of Cour
for its sale has just been file I. but that eor
,.f I...........
?vvun|iiivug una oeen going on for over i
year. The Richmond and Danville llailroai
a corporation unknown to our laws, bu
which has absorbed by leaso or purchos
seven railroads chartered by the State, ha
recently gone into the hands of anothc
judicial syndicate, of which Judge Simon
ton is a utrniber. If nothing is done th
Judges and their "servants." the receivers
arc likely to retain possession of that fa
carcass for many years, and we may jndg
the future by the f ast as to the intolcrabl
condition to which we shall be subjectc 1 hi
these judicial usurpations. These creatures
these corporations. hc;d ng their cxis'cnci
front the State's b unity nod tin ier its laws
like the monster Fiankrns'ein. have growt
greater than their crci'or. They a'reab
owe in the neighborhood of two bund re
th.>aennvl ifo'lars to the different tax fund:
of the State. They are in Ofv^u
Mh r 'd'aiiii'ission, and arc heeding ever)
energy to aid th-sc who would smuggh
whiskey into the State and contimio >t<
illicit sale. There is nothing left the fdite,
a .her the circumstances since ilie decision
i.'the Supreme Court, but to repeil the
charters of every railr oul in tlie hand of n
r-'cciver and dc-troy these creatures, wbtcli
have grown so insolent that they trample
our laws under foot under the protecii n ol
tuis Federal Judge, and laugh to scorn the
restr.ctioos wliich all citizens and other corporations
must obey. It is a haish an <
drastic measure, which would lie wh 11 y unwarranted
under any uiher circumstances,
not it is the last dusp-rato remedy. Ttie
unholy i- an iagc beta ecu the "digni'y"
of the Federal Court and these harlot corporations
must be nnnttlici, and the owners of
the bonds made to uiiderst mil that there is a
point beyond which ttie patience of the State
>viil not peimit them to go. The Federal
rfjottri w ill, of course, e'aiiii that the property
is in its possession and at tempt to administer
it: but ifiheic ?< any regard for
law left, sucli a course will loic.' the proporftt
*? I - ? * * *
,.v iv ?;??! ?n<] wiuii iij> the existence of
these roads as at pro-ent organized and
'owned. Afler.-.thai i< accomplished, or
while it is being accomplished, provision
?an he made for giving them a new life upon
such conditions as the Legislature may determine.
Care should he taken Kin granting
all future charters to prevent the absorption
of competing lines by any railroad syndicate
in or outside of the State. A law should he
passed limning the life of receiverships in
the State, and a memorial addressed to the
United States Congics setting forth the conditions
which exi.-.t. here, calling atlen'ion to
the abuses which have arisen, and asking
legis ation to restore to the Stale the rights
ot which the Supreme Court's dtcision has
rob^ rM the enactment of such laws
hb wid throw the necessary restrictions
mound receiverships in futuio- Since the
Inst decision of the Court the situation lias
intolerable.
*. V TDK OISi'KNsAKV LAW.
The agitation last year on the subject of
prohibition resulted m the euictincut of
what in known an the Dispensary Law. The
original Prohibition It'll introduced in the
JJou-e, alter numbcrles-i amendments, was
withdrawn nud a substitute 'iocorpmuiing
inohi of those amendments, willi others, whs
nllered by Mr. Nettle*. This, with a few
minor changes, pa.-oei the iltuef and was
sent to Ihe .Senate. That body using the
Nettles Pill in its entirely olin itt as a basis,
with a few nlicrnti lis an I amendments
made nccissaiy on account of ilie change of
purpose, returuiti the Disj cnaurpr Act as a
#
substitute fur tho Prohibition Hill and the p
House concurred in the same without ti
aiuet dinent, as the time was t'.o short h
to crcn discuss it. Tbo Act thus bur- t
ricdly prepared became a law, as a conipro- t
tnise between the Prohibitionists and the t
temperance people, who were skept cat as to 1
the practicability or a prohibition law. This c
hurry in its preparation and enactment left c
the law with many crudities and omissions f
which I will point out somewhat in detail
later on s
Considering the change made in the pur- i
pose of the Act, and the lack of time to debate
and digest its various provisions, it is :
woudcrlul that it has thus far stood the test
of the tempest of litigation which it has
occasioned. It has been in the United
Slates court, in our Supreme Court, and
before Dearly every Circuit Judge on tho
Bench, but without any serious inroads thus
fur having been made on its Constitutionality.
Perhaps no measure passed by any Legislature
of any State within the memory of man
has excite I such widespread comment and
chcited such deep interest. This is mainly
owing to the fact that it is sn entirely new
idea, from an American standpoint, and
deals with the question of controlling the
liquor traffic in a new way.
In the Stnto the dispensary law has been
ai? I still is the one absorbing, never-ending
topic of discussion, and it has produced some
Comical alignments and alliances in the
efforts to obstruct and defeat it. Newspapers
which have always fought prohibition,
aud those kr.owu as the organs of the whiakry
ring, have suddunly become strong
advocates of prohibition. Prohibitionis's
who arc so radical in their views that the
uuclinriiablc call them "cranks" have been
found shoulder to shoulder with barkeepers
and whiskey denlcrs in opposing it; and
while many cmiuent divines have lent it
their aid aud endorsement, others are bitter
iu its denunciation. The more moderate
prohibitionists ore delighted with it. The
whiskey men aro more bitter in their opposition
to it than they have ever been toward
prohibition.
The law went into effect July 1st, and on
the night of the 30th of June every bar in
the State c'osed its doors. Tho work ol
preparation, organization and arrangements
for the c >ntrol of so mammoth a business
had been going on for several months. The
i'lncss of Comptroller-General Ellerbo and
the heavy burden of litigation which tho
, Attorney-General had to bear (my colleague
on the State Board of Control) together with
the long continued illness of tho State Commissioner,
Mr. D. H. Traxler, devolved
most of th<s work 011 my shoulders; and this.
" together with the organization and direction
of the S'a'o Constabulary provi led to en8
force the i**?, h?s more than doubled the
labors of the Executive othc*.
All of the legal whiskey tratlic has been
turned into one channel, flowing to Colums
bia, the central distributing depot. Soino of
it the rnilri ads are yielding a measure of obeli
dicnce to the law, but most of tljcm openly
y defy it or lend their assistance to smuggling
r liquor into the State. The Richmond and
it Danville system and the South Carolina Raile
way in particular are bending every energy
c to defeat ihc l*w. So much for the present
e conditions.
c The Dispensary has been more than oelf
d sustaining, and lite net profits to the State
it for the first four months have been ?32 198.11
10. The giotfs sales to consumers have been
if ?100,043.50; total expense of Stnte Dispens
fury, ?72.500.30; of County Dispensaries,
?19,890.00. The three principal items of
e expense, as will be seen, nro freights, glass
d butles and the Constabulary,
if During the month of July twenty-nine
e dispense, ties; were running; in August thirtye
nine; in September forty-seven; in October
] fifty-one. One has been dtsconfniied, leavh
ing fifty now in operation. The number of
i- clerks to Dispensers and assistants is twenty
four. The salaries of these local officers
have been fixed by the State Board, aud
range from ?1,000 to ?300 per annum.
Where the magnitude of the bu-iness requires
it the PNpeuscr is giyen ono or more
assistants, but in no case is the sd'arypiore
,i...<u.g-Mivsti ines atus of the business
i as a business, it is not improper to make
i some deductions purely front a financial
t statdpoini. Hitherto under the license syst
tern the several C unties have derived a
tt revenve of ?100 for eich license aggregating
j last year for the entire State ?71,1(10. Of
t this, four Counties?Charlts-on, Beaufort
q uvrKCP'^ iiiiu \yuiiciuu?rcvcivvu ?poi,-?v/v,
8 leaving ?23,900 for the oilier thirty-one
*. Counties. The Stole received nothing. In
the cities and town* (he licenses varied, hut
L. the aggregate of all towns in the Sfato for
last year was ?131,372. It is imp ssihlc to
I do more as yet than give an approximation
e as to what the revenue the Suite, Counties
L. and towns wilt derive f.om tho change ill
,. the ni' thod of controlling the liqnor traffic.
It is s-if?i to say, however, that if the towns
p ceaso their unreasanablc and senseless oppo-i
ion, an I three-fnurlhs of the liquor,
i which under any conditions will he eou,
sinned in the State, sha'l pass through the
I Dispensary, the revennc of ilie towns will
8 not t.e decreased from what it wns finp0,^"!
l)i?L! lift. ^VrlVi1' 'obi hi a a Itcvcnuo equal a'
r least to both of these.
, lint notwithstanding this, revenue is not
, to he dispiscd, the law d es not rest on a
revenue basis, was not enacel for that pur|
pose, an I canned be defended on that ground
, I rests wholly on its claim to being the
k best method of controlling the evils which
! ai o inherent and ineeparab e from the in.
temperate use ot liquors, and must stand or
! full on its merits as compared with other
, methods of controlling the evil. When the
law first went into effect, outside of tho city
of Charleston thcic was almost a total cessation
of the illicit sole; but, ns time wore on,
the men who have always dealt in liquors
and grown rich thereby became more and
more emboldened to d'sobey the law ma nly
b/ the encouragement given them by the
1o/i liiitr 11!?i i v nhwunortftfo i*rk5?l?
? n ?.?v .v..?'|/?|/v?oj jMuunacu
tlieuj immunity from punishment by juries,
ami presented the spectacle of the teachers
of the peop'e inculcating disobedience to
law.
THE LAW OX ITS MERITS.
I .-hull promise what I shall say by observing
that the United Suites government
considers liquor a legitimate and proper
source of revenue, and that it derives therefrom
about $100,"000.00(1 snnuajly. It will
not be denied by any advocate of tompcranco
or prohibition that it is a proper subject of
taxation, and if it were proposed to remove
the tax, which would inevitably reduce the
cost to consumers at least three fourths,
there would be a universal howl by these
two classes of ciiizcns. The State, in the
exercise of its police power for the ostensible
preservation of the public lieabh and
ruornls has, time out of mind, required a
license, and the towns nud cities in turn
required license; and while it is true that
the Slate derived no revenue, and sought
only to restrict the traffic within (lie limits
of such municipalities as saw tit to giant
licenses, it cannot be denied that the raising $
of revenue to Slinnort iniiiiii-innl V
ri 0vv?)H u
mollis has boon the main factor in causing j
licenses lo'bc issued by I lie towns. It is far a
fetched, unreasonable, then?hypocritical in )i
fact?to pretcud that any disgrace cau at- b
taoli to the revenue feature. The men who n
are now most loiio-mouthtd in this pliarisai- si
cat denunciation arc the strongest advocates A
of the license system, and have had the r t<
municipal taxes reduced thereby. On the p
contrary, if it can be shown Hint under the et
Dispensary system there wij be a reduc- tl
tiou in the consumption of liquor, and a r<
necossary reduction in crimo and misery m
resulting from it, it must follow that the s?
Dispensary, without regard to the revonue m
feature, is a long stride lorward and an im- hi
ptoveuient on the license system. 1 will not nt
J
/
\
retcnd t-> say that it is as good as prohibl- I
ion Wi uld be, but I do soy that prohibition, <
icro or anywhere else, is impossibte, and i
he ouly question is how best to ryjlAte the
rnftic so as to minimiie tlie inevi'. Wiujury I
o society, inseparable from the sale of I
iquor under any circumstances. ?he claim i
>f the Dispensary to support, nnd Irs supcriirity
over any form of licensing, rwfs on the
VDowiug grounds :
Is'. The clement of personal proT't is deuroyed,
thereby removing the incea'tive to
ncrense tho salts.
Vld. A pure article is guaranteed, as it ;?V
subject to chemical analysis.
3d. Tho consumer obtains honest measure
of standard strength.
4tb. Treating is stopped, as the bottles
arc not opened on the premises.
6th. It is sold only in day time; this under
a regulation of the Board and not under
the law.
Olli. The concomitants of iee, sugar,
lemons, etc.. bciug removed, there is not the
same inclination to drink remaining, and
the closing of the saloons, especially at
night, and the prohibition of its sale by the
djiuk, destroy iho enticements and seductions
which have oauscd to many men and
boys 'o be led astray lind enter the downward
course.
7th. It is sold only for cash, and there is
no longer "chalking up" for daily drinks
against pry day. The workingraan buys
his bottle of whiskey Saturday night nod
enrties the rc9t of his wages home.
8th. Gambling dens, pool rooms and lewd
houses, which have hitherto been run almost
invariubly in connection with the saloons,
and were thus a stimulus to vice, separated
from the sale of liquor, have had their
patronage reduced to a minimum and there
must necessarily follow a decrease of crime.
Uth. The local whiskey rings, which have
been the curse of every municipality in the
Stale, and have nlwnys controlled municipal
elections, have been torn up root aud
branch, and the influence of the bar-keeper
ns a political manipulator is absolutely destroyed.
Iu ether words, the restrictions
thrown around tho consumption and use of
liquor by the Dispensary law and the bene
fits to arise therefrom will bo in proportion
us the liquor consumed is purchased at the
Dispensary rather than obtained from illicit
sources. Some fanatical, unreasonable people
cry aloud against the iniquity of a government
sharing in the "blood mouey," as
they term it, iho tears of women and children,
whose fa'hers, husbands or brothers
are adJivteu to the use ot whiskey, it has
already been shown that any system of
license, which leaves the element of personal
profit untrammelled, leaves this class of
consumers utter'y at the mercy of the owners
of those dens of vice, the saloons. Men who
are compelled to go in the daylight and get
What liquor they want from a government
officer and then go elsowherc to consume it
will be likely to go home and be within the
restraining influence of that charmed circle.
It is urged that it the State controls tho
traffic, it ?ljould sell only at such profits as
will cover oxponeos mid no more. Is it not
clear that if the price be fixed at that ratio
it will act ns a premium on consumption by
reason of the fuel that a dollar will buy more
whiskey tliau it dois now? On the other
hand an equally impracticable scheme is to
put (lie price *crv }ti"h and make the money
that is spent on liquor go only a Httip way.
It will be found here that, as in most things
in life, "the middle way is the best." if
the price is too high it puts a premium on
the establishment of "blind tigers," on
smuggling, on the illicit sale in every way;
and, while the amount consumed will not be
appreciably ltss, tlio indirect benefits to
society arising from the revpnue ntul bv the
destruction of all competition with the State
aro lo?t. Under the scale of pricei fixed
by the State Hoard on whiskey now sold in
South Carolina fhfcpc is a handsome profit,
while at the same tiniO the liquor at rot ail is
cheaper linn it was when sold across the
bar. Making allowances for the watering
or oilier adulteration of the whiskey that
was formerly consumed, a half pint bottle
nf |rgn<.n<.v? unuwf, oi
farsu'erior strength, would have cost fifty
cents at least from a saloon. The profit on
the half i nn'o"ftS l'ic rc^ucii?u ?f the
general tax, a-.d thi:ty cents saved to the
consumer g?cs into his pocket for the support
of liis fami y.
It is thus seeri that wiiipkey at retail is
cheaper than when it wa? bought from tbe
saloons, while at wholesale or by tho gallon
it is considerab'y higher: but the profit in
i*s illicit sale not being very great in wholesale
quantities, it is not likely that after .he
law has ben nmetidcd in the way experience
has -liuwn to be necessary that there
will be much competition wqh the llisicnsary
in wholesale quantities, by which I
moan one or tnoregalli ns. it is the retailer
with whom wc have to deal; and he thrives
on political oppo-i'ioi) apd where there is
no uispviiMirj'. " uuu swiii uuu euro puniihaioiit
shiill be mete 1 out to those who
break the law, and when pub ic opinion shall
have been cducitfdsa that the violent opposition
now existing shall irradiis'lr J'.-uppear
,, . ... small com pi tition with the
Dispensaries in tt?e Counties where they
are located.
Of course it is expected that along the
North Carolian border, win re the United
yiates Government has hi en unable to suppress
the "moonshine" stills, there will ho
more or less wluskry entering into competition,
which pays neither the Internal llcvenue
tax nor the | r<'fit which theS'atc would
receive on its sale.
o * * * * *
DOMESTIC WINKS.
A question which presents itself here,
and which is worthy of your serious consideration,
is the disposition to he made of
domestic wines, and whether it is not best
to ixceDt these from the general operation
of the Dispensary Law.
Hut it would he a misfortune to have
tho growing of grapes and the nianufAfflirrt
ftf utinn or* iml.iolwt. 1 ! -
... .... .......ci.j jim oeginning
to take root a'ong tne Piedmont anil in other
parts of the State, destroyed absolutely by
the Dispensary Law, ns veiy likely it will be,
unless you adopt the suggestion which 1
now offer, I would therefore stiougly reooinmen.1
that autliovity be given the State
Iloa-d to make contracts with all responsih'cgrape
growers to have the r wine made
after a certain method, to he of a certain
strength and age before it enters into consumption.
Then let the product he placed
on the market tjipough the Dispensary at
such prices ns will cover lite actual oxpeusc
for bottling and distributing, and leave all
the profit, or nearly all of i', to go to the
manufacturer or grape grower.
Now ae to the question of beer, I am indined
to believe I lint it will he in tne interest
of temperance to exempt it from the
Dispenser/ law altogether, upon certain
iondilions, to wit : Require licenses under
luoh stringent regulations ns will ensure
>nly nton of probity and good character chaining
them. Put the beer seller under a
en thousand dollar bond for the strict ob- i
ervnnce of tlio law ; the conditions of the
iond to he such that whenever satisfactory
iroof ha. been adduced that lie has sold <
nythingelse than beer or has broken tho i
*w in (lie least ('articular, the bonds shall I
e forfeited in the most speedy and sure i
tanner that the law can devise. The beer i
aloon can be closed at any hour the General |
ssombly sees proper. The point 1 wish i
> make is, thai so far as we may it is good i
olicy and in the interest of temperance to i
acournge the consumption of beet as against j
te consumption of whiskey. Under euch i
iStrictions as 1 have mentioned very few c
en would run the risk of undertaking to j i
ill anything cleo than beer. Th's course a
ust bo pursued or else (lie Legislature will p
tve to prohibit absolutely evsiything of the t
iiue or nature of beer or uiall lienor of any a
< "JC.
1 < dad
containing a trace of alcohol. The totalled
' raft drinks," which have become so
numerous since the saloons were dosed, and
"rice^beer" especially, which has entered
Into consumption on the claim of being nonintox^oating,
hare become the screen or
cloak behind whioh liquors of alt kinds are
beingaold.
Nomas to the enforcement of the law.
Tberamre many omissions, oversights and
mlstdftes in the law as it stands. It will be
muolwetter to omit the enumeration of
thoe^fti^ incorporate suoh changes as experient^Kas
shown to be neoessary in a Dill
ttaA^Ejiaend the law by piecemeal. Such
a BlnMji be presented to you, oovoring in
effectHLthe changes which experience has
showrmi be desirable. One feature to
which \ wish to direct your ationtion is that
under (he present law the punishments are
too severe and tho methods of scouring punishment
are of such a character that it will
be altnW impossible to convict** Grand
nines will not brincr in true hills, and nettv
juries i^jll not find verdicts of guilty for
offeoses which most men consider as not
meriting such severo punishment as that
now provided. It is best in my judgment,
to dispense, in the administration of this
law, as far as the offonse fer selling is concerned,
with juries altogether, if it can be
done, and impose the duty of trying offenders
upon a special officer?a Recorder or
Judicial Trial Justice?to be designated in
each county, who when satisfactory proof
lias been presented to him that the law has
been infringed, shall have the powor the
same as a mayor to commit the offocder to
the chain gang, or the Penitentiary for
thirty days, or fine him within the limit of
$100. It Vrill be necessary also, in caso it
shall bo f^ind unconstitutional to punish by
imprlsoniAot without trial by jury, though
I do not s?a how that can be, unless all our
municipal' Charters are unconstitutional,
that provii on be mado for a ohange of venue
before a tr le bill is found. I judge from
the reports of tho Chief Constable that almost
all tils people of Charleston aro io
league against tho law and determined to
overthrow it. Tho officers of the Conrt, the
Sheriff and others, charged with drawing
tho jury, and the Trial justices are known to
be friendly'to ox-saloon keepers, who aro
defiantly ooutinuing the sale of liquor contrary
to law^nd the Grand Jury has just
thrown out cases resting on positive evidence.
One hundred and four licenses to sell
whiskey and sixty-eight licenses to sell
malt liquor ?sve been issued by the Inter
nal ltevcuqh Collector 8'ncc July to persons
in that city*, and thirty-three whiskey and
! hirty malt'licenses have been issued in
other parts af the State, showing the determination
W the whiskey men to continue
the traffic^L
When firsW arrests were made in
Charleston bw the State Constables under
injunctim^rlceedings, the Constables were
treated in In outrageous manner by the
mob; and onlof the leadiog business men
of the city oflEbarltston told me to my face
thai if her the graud jury he would
not vote fof^^P&bill against the most notorious
offd^Hjf^dcco. It is idle then to
expectciin?^fc>n.in that city, or true bills
to bo found,'VKihaiter how strong the testimony.
In ndntion, the newspapers have
heaped everyAesible abuse on the Consta
tiles, calling tnlm "spies," "sneaks," aod
other opprobrljus epithets with a view of
poisoning the fublio mlhd end discrediting
their evidencelalthough I have used due
precaution amlVxortod myself to solect as
Cons'nblrs onlja nieu of good character, who,
in their own clmmunities, h?vve thu rospoct
of their fellowydtigene.
Desperate dljeasea require heroic remodies,
nnd the>Jj|aeral Assembly may as well
understand thU the enforcement of this law
in some parts of the State, and especially in
Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg,
De^uforl qn<l Sumter, will require
some special legislation, u is against tno
municipal ordifcanoes to sell whiskey without
license in every town in the State, but
tho police in WW ipu a mlo u?ui idj^i
arcpartictps crtvvnm in. !h* offense or a^'Iva
nirlpra and fkhnltilrs of th#? mnn wKn 1/ it
As som as a (Jonji'ablo arrives in lown he is
spotted by thein and reported to those who
run the illicit saloons.
Under the provision of the Dispensary
Act, one-half ofuhe revcuuo of the local
Dispeusaries nvdr and shove the expenses
go<s into the (roasury of tho municipality
where they are located. 'I eoe no remedy
for lhe eonditfon "of affairs existing in
Charleston ana Columbia except to provide
for a system of
METROPOLITAN POLICE,
divorcing the control of the police force nb
solutcly from pol-jtlcs and plnqlng it in (lie
hands of a Commission, who shall appoint, direct
and remove such members of the force
as will not enforpo tho law. 1 asked ihe
Mayor gf Chnrlestcp, with whom 1 had a
conference, to'hWilbo polico aid me in re?
pv???ing and ajpVoting the illicit sale of
whiskey, but he dwtned on the ground that
that duty had bo4fl* imposed on the State
Constables.
Of the $12,000 which have been spent for
Constables during^he four months since the
law went into effect, about one-half has gone
to pay C nstablts who have been in
Charleston unking nrres?s and trying to
suspress the illicit] rale of whiskey. With
t lie two mtpn pit pi of the State officered by
on efficient force of police in sympathy with
the law, or, who:her in sympathy or not,
afrdd to lose their? office if they fail to do
their duty, the expense of Constables would
bejreduced at least onchalf and the back-bone
| or opposition would be broken. In (he
I other places I hove mentioned, and iu fact
throughout the state, if the power is given
the Governor to require the polipe of the
various municipalities to enforce the law,
and to remove and replace them if they tail
to enforce it, there would be a still further
reduction in the expense of Constables.
Hither this should be done or it be left with
the State Board of Control to designate such
cities and towns as shall have none of the
income from the sale of liquors at the Dispensaries.
and let the revenues which now
goes to the town to pay for the expense of
enforciug the law.
Those are drasiio measures, but the law
should be enforced or it should be repealed;
and in so far as in mo lies 1 shall continue,
as I have hitherto done, to exert my whole
power as Governor, and leave no stone unturned
to see that everybody complies with
its requirements. If yon give me the power
I will use it with the best discretion I possess,
and stop the sale of whiskey, as far as
may be possible, except through the legitimate
channels.
Ono more suggestion and I shall leave this
subject. Under tbo provisioii9*of the Act,
as it now is. the election of Dispensers in a
municipality requires a petition signed by n
MAJORITY Or Till FREEHOLD VOTERS
and no county or towa now dry" by Statute
can have one. There are in the Stite
six counties where the sale of liquor is thus
piohibited : Oconee, Pickens, Marlboro,
Marion, lloj:ry and Williamsburg. These,
of course, have no Dispensary, and their
B tizens are loft under the law to obtain
Iheir liquor?whether used for medicine or
otherwise, wine for* the sacrament in
shurch, and the alcohol for compounding
ohyeicians' prescriptions?as best they may.
Law-abiding oitixens save been put to great
nconvenicnce by thivand such a condition
s a premium on the' illicit sale and almost
treeludes obedience to the law. I urnni.i
tot urge you to force 4 Dispensary on any
'immunity to whioh it is objectionable, but
f the majority of the voters of a coumy
hall decide in an eleotion held for tbe puri
>ms that they do not want provision made
or lliom to get liquors in a legitimate wny
nd for a legitimate ^ua?, (hen provision
?
should be made by whiob the enforcement of
the law in such eounty shall be paid for by
a tax levied on the pc >ple of that county.
If they want prohibition, let them hare it
in fact and not in name only. My observetion
and experience with men tesoh me that
it is idle to expect any eleotive oflioer to enforce
this or any other prohibitory Statuto.
Such men want votes, and will not make
enemies if they can help it.
In regard to the provision requiring a
majority of the freehold voters to sign a
| petition for the appointment of a Dispenser,
it Is both unjust and unreasonable. Some
of the present Dispensers appointed under
this requirement nre incompetent, and in
some cases they are not fit persons te fill so
responsible a position. 1 think a provision
allowing the County Board to establish a
Dispensary st such point or points in a
county as will put the people to the least
trouble sn securing what whiskey they need
for legitimate purposes should be incorporated
in the oinended Act.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
The Citadel is performing the work which
it undertakes to do in its usual satisfactory
manner.
Clemson College haa been completed aod
partially equipped, and opened in July Inst
with over four huudred boys, and there is
promise that at its next session it will bo
tilled to overflowing and many will have to
be turned away.
At the South Carolina College, n'one of
the schools which are running, tbo attendance
is unsatisfactory. Materially, as to
plant and buildings in general, the College
is in better condition than it lias been for
half a oentury. The corps of l'rofessors is
an abl? one. and they are performing their
work with accustomed satisfaction ; but, for
the causes which were set forth in my lost
Annual Message, the boys continue to go
elsewhere. Yet 1 have every reason to believe
that low water mark has been reached,
and that the College in the future will attract
a larger and larger number of students,
so that the attendance will reach a satisfactory
average in one or two more years.
Wo oannot atford to take any step backward
in education ; nor can we lower that
standard. State pride, regard fjr the
pledges of the Reform Movement?everything
which should influence those who now
guide tbo destinies of the State, point at
this time rather to the wisdom of searching
for the diseases which rany cause the sickly
condition of the school, and applying the
remedy, than taking advantage of the unhealthy
conditioi} to strike it down, and
thus remove a landmark which always has
been and sltou'd continue to be the pride ol
every true Caroli ian.
Of the South Carolina Industrial and
Winthrop Normal College, which has been
located at llock Mill, after a lively competition
between that ei'y, Spartanburg anr
Chester, I will only say ilint, remembering
the demand for a similar institution for boyi
Hi Clemson, iho Hoard of Trustees arc plato
ning for a duplication of that school. Tin
amount of money paid by the peoplo of thu
thriving and ambitious little oily, $00,000
will be expemhd In the erection of the man
college building, which will afford clasi
rooms for at least 000 girls ; and we hope t<
hate the building completed and ready foi
use by the 1st of September next. It i
estimated that the equipment of a dormi
tory sufficiently large to accommodate fou
or tive hundred girls would cost $o0,000, 1
Would therefore recommend and urge tha
yon appropriate for this purpose from th<
earnings of the State Dispensary such i
sum of money, to he available after the flft;
thousand dol'nrs appropriated last year t
the Dispensary has beon repaid to th
Treasury. If the Dispensary docs not mak
it, then no harm will have been done.
There only remains to be mentioned th
Cedar Springs Ius'itute?tho school for deal
dumb and blind?yfhich lir^s been managci
with ibe usual good sense and judgmen
characterizing the institution, and merits
continuance of your fostering care.
The management of the State ^Lumvli
' hia?* cuutu oe desired. While the Stat
farm on iiie ?Yatctio suffered severe logs b
th(; breaking op the dam and the consequen'
overtlow of ae?en hundred acres of crop bj
the river, the institution has been more thai
self-sustaining, has met payments on th
property, and has a large cash balance t
its credit. It is the ir.tcntipg of die hircc
tois to so increase (be1 strength and heigh
of the dam that such a disaster will be iro
posoiblo in the future. The number of con
victs in the institution shows a heavy in
crease, being 1,033 ngainst 900 last Novom
ber.
The number of inmates in the Asylun
has remained about at the average nnd ?n
capacity of the institution is tested to it
utmost. The Supei intendont makes a sag
gesiion, in connection with the use of con
victs, to make bricks in anticipation of tin
neccssi'y forenlirg'ng the quarters for th
colored nm'es and guarding against five
which 1 think a capital idea.
I would also direct your attention to thi
correction of an abuse which he points out
nainelv : Iho n?o of il>? L?
, -- j in in uj person;
feigning insanity to escvpo crirn'ual prosecu
tion, Of course it is not proposed to pu
insane people in the Penitentiary, but they
can go there with perfect propriety when
they are charged with crime until insanity
is satisfactorily proven.
In conclusion 1 beg to renrnJ you, gen
tlemen, thut this session of the Legislature
by resson of the fourth Tuesday falling sc
near the end of the monih, will be shortei
by a week than the average, should you ad
journ st Christmas in accordance with the
unwritten lnw. No session of the Genera
Assembly in tho history of the State ha;
ever had to deal with more important vital
questions. In addition, you hfive to oleoi
five of tlii. eight circuit jddges and one Jus
tice of the Supremo Court. My cxpetience
and judgment havo shown mo that when important
elections <uc pending the public
business is neglected and tho Legislators
seem paralyzed, becoming partisans of this
candidate or that, and paying no heed to
matters of lcgisla'ion.
1 therefore utge on you to appoint a day
not later than Monday, the 4th of December,
f?r gotting rid of these elections?obstructions
to legislative business. Tho new
Criminal and Civil Pn<t? '? k? 1 --
? ? ? ww pmocu uii;
the Dispensary law must he amended and
perfected ; a wise and judic otis bill reducing
salaries, not i he haphazard Act now on
its passage, should be passed ; a new system
of county government, simplifying and
affording a greater measure of local control
than now exists, is altogether desirable, and
the Oeneral Assembly will in a measure confess
its imbecil'ty if it fail to provide such
a law. If this General Assembly would sig|
nalize itself, It could n >t do better than to
kill out of hand every Bill of petty, special
and local character presented, and for
once devote itself to legislating for the Stato,
pass such of the Acts indicated as it may
deem wise and proper, the Appropriation
and Supply Bills, and go home. I can only
repeat what I have said once before, that I
am ready and willing nt all limes to furnish
any facts or suggestions I may have, or lend
any help that I can, for tne information of
members of Committees ; and, invoking the
blessing of the Divine ltuler on your labors,
and praying that he may grant you the
wisdom to do the right, I feel assured (hat
you will work wisely and well for the best
interests of the State.
B. R. TILLMAN, Governor.
Bucki.kn'b Arnica Salvr.?The best
Salve in the world for Cuts, Bruises, Sores.
uiccrs, Mail Kheum, Fever Boies, Tetter,
Chapped Hands, Chilblains, Corns, and all
skin eruptions, and por-itively cures Piles,
or no pay required. It is guaranteed to
give perfect satisfaction, or money refunded.
Price '.6 cents per box. For sale by
B. F. Posey.
Me JDeefsf}) Union Mines.
R. M. STOKER. - - Editor
Friday, December 8, 1803.
SUBSCRIPTION, 51 60 PER ANNUM
New Advertisement*.
City Market.?N. P. Dunbar.
Partridges Wanted.?E. P. McKissick.
Sarah l'aoolet's Annual Letter.?8. M. Rico
Jr., E. U.
Another Qrand Diatributioa of Prizes.?T.
E. Bailey.
" "
Cotton MarketLow
grades 6j @ 6j. #
Middling cotton 7.
Good middling 7.30.
scales for the week, 021 talcs.
CottoD Seed 16 ceute per bushel.
IN GREAT NEED.
I am really wanting money to continue
my business, and call on all who owe me for
subscription, advertising or job work to
come forward promptly and pay their indebtedness.
R. M. STOKES.
And don't forget that every new subscriber
paying one year in advance, and every old
subscriber paying all nrreages and one year
iu advance, will get either "The Farmers
Guide" or "Womnokind," a family paper,
odo year freo. v* . \ ' " ' J
lVe have also made arrangements with the
publishers of the cclebratyd weather Proplw
ct, Irl K Hicks' magaxihq,
WORD AND WORKS,
by which we can send that splendid monthly
and the Timbs during the year 1894, for the
reduced price of f>2 00, to subscribers paying
all aricarsgcs and 1 year in advance.
1RLR. HICKS' ALMANAC FREE.
We will give a copy of this valuable book
to every subscriber paying, in cash, all duos
to the Time* up tr Jan. 1, 1891. The retail
price of this Alnmuac is 26 con's, and
i those who nrc not subscribers to tho Times
can purchase one at the Times office at that
| prioo.
f It is a book of 68 pages including cover,
printed on very fine paper, and filled from
[ back to back with original illustrations and
the .most carefully prepared matter. It is
really not au almanac, but a costly book,
I wholly devoted to one purpose. This is the
r first year of its existence, nod it must not
, be confounded with any almanac ever before
printed. In it, the author's storm calendar
3 and storm forocests are fully elaborated for
I 1894. Tho foundation of his whole meteorological
theory is given, with full data and
j instructions for computing storm periods for
3 all time. In the freshness and fullness of
) its contents?pe tincnt mutter pever before
r made so plain?there is a glad surprise for
g every reader. Many thousand copies were
. ordered before it came from the press, and
r within one week after we began filling
[ orders, the most enthusiastic commendatious
I came Hooding upon us from all quarters.
, Thanks to Qod and tho people?the author's
hard and conscientious toil, and tho pubY
li-hers' solicitude and pains taking have
0 met with tho most substantial support!
e Bfc*y We regret to learn that our friends,
Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Thotnis, at Carlisle,
? lost a very interesting littlo son, about 13
j years old, last Sunday, from lung disease.
? K3T Columbia is a cold city. Lost Sun
day afternoon hail stones as large as
C. or ii i no a k **
c fnc (jrccnvillc train left on Tuesday (lie city
y '* *' ?i?rCu n itu ouvn u iuCuvo UVCpi V/O
t have had neither of theso cliilling visitors
r in this towo this season.
? --? . ? ?
e The rush increase* with ns evesy day.
0 Tlje people ieat ze that times are too hard to
* throw thidr money away buying cheap, shoddy
t go >ds, when tliey can get the iikst from us
* at the eainc prices.
A. II. FOSTER & CO.
thajT" About 4 o'clock last Suuday after(
noon n terrific atorm of wind and rain sude
deniy rose, nnd for half an hour the rain
s fell in sheets nnd tho wind made houses
tremble. It blew down the gable ends of
ilie unfinished A. M. E. If^ou church. Wo
e have been (.ohj that it hailed a few miles
, north and west of this towu.
b The common voles of the Reform
> movement novo made the changes in the
1 State officials, under the promise that they
L shou'd receive beneficial governmental rc'
forma is it not about time that the
1 common voters should demand of their leaders
to give them something more than reform
. jiromttrs or step down from the fat positions
, the people have placed thein in?
> ?
r The news travels like wild fire that "THE
- OLD RELIABLE" is selling noon goods at
5 unheard of now prices.
I ??.
1 Bfea)"" A happy, Independent man. Mr.
| J. If. Hentley, of Asbury. this County,
oellcl on us Wednesday, after paying his
i taxes, and had money left to pay his subscription
to the Timks. Upon taking his
1 receipt, lie said, "that's the last dollar I
owe, and I have got more corn and roughness
than wilt do iny family nnd stock next
year, 4 good hogs in the pen and 4 bales tf
cotton that I can ho'd adong as I please."
Thai's farming for profit and independence.
Ktaff" There wan a most interesting musical
at the Union Hotel Thanksgiving night.
The parlors of the hotel were filled with as
lively an assembly of young people as you
could find in a week's march. The music
was excellent and came from the Arthur
string band, assisted by Mr. It. M. McDermid,
of Charleston, and Mr. Win. McQowan,
of this cuinty, both splendid violin*
ists. Songs by Mr. Thomas McNally and
Mr. Kdwin Kison enlivened the occasion
It was a most delighful social gathering and
greatly epjoye I by all present.
How much do you save in buying cheap
shoes? *Ye have sold the "Bay State" and
/.iegler lines for ye?rs. Every pair guaranteed
to give satisfaction
' THE OLD RELIABLE."
#
fifcgr The entertainment given by the
Young Peoplo's Sooiely of the Chri-tian
End-avor. at the 0afford Seminary, last
Monday night, was a very delightful atfa r,
and did great credit to the "young people"
who got it up. As we predioted, it was one
of the tnjst enlortiining and enjoyab'e entertainments
of Iho season, ned all who attended
left well Bu?
lonmiK. ?: ?unuu WC
are please I lo learn, it was a success. '
The "three li.tle Tolls," were the belles
of the evening, winning praises fro-n everjbodj.
* ' JtASvr'vVfi. ??ii
The Hew Jid|*e
The election of four Reform Judges by
the Legislature iu piece of the four old
Judges wee no surprise to us. It im a
foregone conclusion ef the leaders of tly$*
party. o , .V
With the exception of Mej, D. A. Tofcn: -Li|
send, we can say bat little of the meai j
chosen, for we know but little of ! thtl^Hfl
worth or fitness for the high positjgffl^^|^H
whieh they hare been elevated, but
fess considerable doubt in the suppoei^^^^^^H
that the character and ability of the
cisry of the State will be elevated by tbei^^^^H
election;
Mr. Townsend is a man of undoubted
ability, of unimpeachable integrity and
honesty of purpose. We confess be was
not our first choice, hut next to our long
| lime personal friend, Judge Wallaoe, he was
our oho<ce above all others. He is a herd'
student and we predict he will make an
honest, impartial, able and popular Judge.
He will, we think, he more an "upright
Judge" and less a partisan than either of
the other newly elected Judges.
The Legislature
As usual, scarcely anything has been i
done by the Legislature this early in the *
season. A number of new bills have been
introduced; among them one to reduoe sale- J!!p^
lies, ^s .the induction w^lt net a (Toot the j|
salaries ot the' peasant legislators
State officials during their present terms, It "
is probable that the bill will pass, in some "*
form. iv\
A bill to amend the dispensary law; alse a
bill to repeal that law and substitute a new
law, with some of the provisions of the old
law in it, aro both before that body. The
bill to ' amend" will be passed, no doubt.
A dog tax law; a bill to abolish the office
of Auditrr, nnd impose the duties of tbat
office on the Treasurer, and a joint resolution
to change the time of the annual mer^^^^
ings of the legislature nre a'l under con^^V
sideration. ?
> jig.
fifcaJT' There was a happy gathering of the
Arthur fnmi'y on Thanksgiving day/at* the
old homestead, now the residence of the
youngest eon and brother, Mr. Warren D.
Arthur.
It-is now likely that the "Arthnr corner,"
or Arthur lot, will hold its name for generations
to come. It has been divided into ^
three lots : Mr. B.A\Arthu?lives on the
*\ftrnkft, Wfcren D. Arthur live* next to hint
and Joseph D. Arthur o t the other side. It
is a settlement of Arthurs, and we don't seer _ j
where thoy are going to put the other brothor.
E. J., when ho gets ua&rried, (7)
he settles upon tho "yellow houas" triangle.
It is plain that none but those bearing tho^^^H
name of Arthur are expected to settle on the
old homestead lot, as tlio boys hate taken
possession of it, so the girls, as they marry
aud change their names, are orowded elf.
One sister has already change 1 her name,
and established the Rodger homesteadr
while another is "halting between two opiniAna;"
whether it. is bailer to remain at the
old home, or change her name and go off to
somebody else's home. Wo never cbuld giv?
advice upon the solemn question, "whether
it is best to hold or soli in the metrimoniiil
markei." We hare seen as many people
-. itj v.ttiug-as win By holding. And we *
don't think it is anybidy's business but the
parties themselves.
? e?Stair*
A small colored boy, son of Jim
Wallace, had a narrow escape from being
killed upon the railroad last Saturday.
It seems that he attempted to jump on
tho step of a parsenger coioh near the
switch at Mr. Nicholson's yard, but missed
and fell, striking the switch as he fell. For*
tunately he did not fall under the train and
escaped being crushed to deslh. As it wow,
his arm was broken and bis head was badly
bruised.
It seems to us that an ofliocr shoultf "be
s'ationed on tho road betweon the Church
street and the Aculemy street crossings,,
with authority to nrrest any person, not in
the employ of the railroad oimpsuy, attempting
to jump oa Jho paxsenger ears
wfftfe ?A motion. Thoitffare daily a nam*
her of boys hanging about the depot and
along tho track fir the purpose of jumping
on and off the passenger trains as they arrive
and leave. Not long ago we saw s
white child not 10 years old, hang to the hand
rail of a car from Msin street crossing to
iiiu ucpoi, riavmg missel the step as he attempted
to jump on the train in motion.
There should be a severe punishment for
suoh reckless conduct.
?a
Over coats, Suits, and Men's Winter Underwear
can bo bought at moneu toeing prices a
from "THE OLD RELIABLE. ? - A
tGS" Detective Braddy has been here and . W
unearthed four cases of anti-dispeosarj
whiskey selling?one white man and three
negroes. Trial Justice Stokes promptly
issued the necesrary warrants aod had
principals and witnesses arrested.
The Dispensary law is a law of the Stale,
as much as the laws for murder, arson and
robbery, and should be respected and enforced
with ns much teal by all law-abiding
citizens. ^
So far as Trial Justice Stokes is concerned,
we gunrabty that he will do his
duty without fear or favor, upon all ceeasions
upon proper showing.
But we are not alone in thinking that
there aro more than 4 blind tigors in toiffy
against whom fully at tlrony evidence ettijd
be brought.
^
Ttuv n...,. --.i -v *
i ?j - m? uui?3 nuu aiuna niiimunillQty *
from us if you want the beat.
A. H. FOSTER & CO.
. #
WSf County Treasurer Jeter informs us
that ne?er before in the history of this county
hare iho receipts of taxes been so far
behind, this near the last day, as they art
tbis year.
Not half an hoar after he tol<| us thati
ons of our most reliable and responsible
farmers told us he did not know how or
where he would ra'so enough maney to P*7
his taxes.' He could not sell anything bn
bail, for cash, for no one bal mon-y to buy.
anything they did n t actually need. He
aaid^he could not even swap a sow, a mule
or any o'her proper.y for his S ore and other
ncoounu. There is scarcely ony raltie to
any specie of property, for no one wants
property wh-le ererybo ly is la digress for
money.
I