The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, January 20, 1897, Image 1

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O II MAN NJING., S. C. WEDNESDAY, JANyAtRf 0 S THE 1EFRAL 1SE1iYl) E T !N A NN'%L AL S F E_- IC"NN7jES D A Y CAS 7TN'E Z k. The ;Elhcetion of o0e- lan - Ho sd. Senate thi e ot Im tn~ov Wei k D~ne: vu the Firs.t Div - he -r Getneral : c Carol convenec In u i Sesion - es-Erday at 12 o'cloc . THE PROOK 1 N IN TP o'. Promptlv st 1 o'cce G'ier rav, clad in bis c i robe -. s-pped up to the speaker'si d :h. to order. When ti :o,,!, beenI called toor~ier Mr. B B. McWite moved M r. . . Garris for temp IrY chairman. Mr. Garris thanktd he house for the ho.cr enfrerred ipon him, and rcd tosa hat he would leave al! maers relatig ::e affairs of the State forhe iprmanent otficers. The roll was cailed by counties an d all the members wt re sworn in a Z the oath in front of thesnak--r'sstand, the temporary speaker admiuisrir the oath. The embers a: tenk i oath with hands raised and coniUpIeud the act by kissing a cheap, cloth bou d Bible, which was zran ad easy to handle. Each metber, after taiU the oath, went up on the stand a-. signed the roll. Considerlc - the fact that it was the lh&st day of ihe session, f the number of abs-ntes was very small. Hon. Frank B. Gary was unaui mous-! ly re elected Speaker. On motion of Mr. Winkler a committee consisting of Messrs Winkler, Rainsford and I Bacot was appointed to wait on Mr. Gary and inform him cf his election. This committee soon returned with I him. Mr. Gary on reaching the stand C was sworn in. the members standing meanwhile. Ocr taking tne chair, be ing presented by M'r. Garris, he pro ceeded to thank the members. He said J he esteemed it a high honor to preside s over a legislative bcdy in South Caro lina. When he thought of thcsa vho had presided over the house in the c past he felt that the members had mada a mistake in electing him. How ever, he would know to party or. fac tion. He would be the speaker of the I house of representatives and with their co-operation he hope! that the busi- I ness of the house would not suffer. He again thanked them for The high honor paid him. Theelection of a clerk was then en- J tered into. Mr. Sturkie in pleasing terms nominated Gen. J. Walter Gray ( of Greenville. It wasseconded by Mr. Magill. Mr. Haselden rose to nominate a 9 man whose aualiacations could not be challeneed-Mr. Jesse T. Gantt. Mr. Bythe then in appropriate lan- t guage nominated Mr. J. Tom Austin, ) who had served three terms in the 2 house, one in the senate and was a member.of the Constitutional conven- J tion. Messrs. Crum, Haselden and de- I Loach were appointed as tellers. The -ote resulted as follows: . .Gantt.... g.......--.. 4 ..ra......................-.. ustin...... ............. 9 Total vote cast.................111 Gen. Gray was then declare<i elected I d sworn in. 3 Mr. Burns nominated Mr. N. H. 3tansell as sergeant-at-arms. Mr. d1 aughman nominated Mr. S G. Hol- I ey of Saluda..- Mr. McG. Simpkins eoonaed the nomination in a speech bly eulogistic of Mr. Holiey, whoS a Confederate veteran. Mr. Crum en seconded the nomination of Mr. 1 tansel), referrizrg to his excellent rd. Messrs. Rsinsford, Childs and Burns a ere the tellers. The vote resulted: olley 25. Stansell S7; total vcte cast ~ 12. Mr. Szansell was declare d elected I d sworn in.I For reading clerk Mr. Crum nomi ated the "man with a voice that few I en had," Mr. J. S. Withers. the for- a er reading elerk. Messis. Graham- C ownsend and Perritt were appointed 'ers. Mr. Withers received 108 b ots, all thiose cast, and was sworn :A resolution cifered by Mr. Garris adopted, that a committee be sent J Rotify Governor Evans that this c y was ready to receive any comn- I unication he might have to make essrs. Garris, Sturkie and Paoick I appointed. The committee at - redred.r Mr. Gocd win moved that the rules of the old house be adopted for this r 2ouse. Mr. Meares wanted rule si except ed as this was the only legislative body that was accustomed to seatiog ( of members by delegations.. Ee I thought that it was for tne best inter ests of legislation that the membefrs b- I seated separately. It would prevent sectionalism. Mr. Goodwin dislred with Mr. Neares. He said it was the best ad- - vantage cf the house to have the miem bers seated by delegations. Mr. Meares' amendment was killedt and the old rules were adopted, m:0 copies of the rules being ordered print ed. Mr. Sturkie cffered a resolution re quiring all memt~ers to stand outside the rail while the seats were being drawn. This was adopte d. The house, on mtotion of Mr. Ki nard, under the new act, proceeded tos elect a chaplain. Tiester. J. C. Ab ney was nominated by Mr. McG.e Simpkins; tne Rev. R. M. Kinard was nominated by Mr. Skinner. The bal-3 lot resulted as follows: Kinard 53,i Abney 46;. Mr. Kinard was declared!i elected.. IC The governor's message cante in att this time, and at the suggestion of! the governor, upon motion ofc Mr. Garris, the reading of the message was postpone d tunin thie pri. ter could upply sutlicent copies 11 ,e placatd upon the cask~s of a:l the members. A synopsis et the measage will. be I ound in another courmn.e The delegations then -prcceeded to I draw forseats. A sm-all rty dre w the 1 names of the courLie-s from a hat. ~c Hampton gct the tirst chonce and took the seats mid way on tUe r:sit .ede or a te centre aisle. U. .n, 'Jhester"iel d and Spartanbuirg camne Lext. L monv and Onesterfid selecta. seats on the s eft side. Clarendon lAme next Spartanburg got the front seats on th~e right side and Lancaster d Aboe viylle on the itft. Messrs-.1 lo.lock of Chesterfield and Smitt of hampton ot the t wo best seats in trie house. SIt required over an noar s ae to cmplete tae sehetiosS cf seat. Fior ence was the last counlty to get seats and had to takeC wcar were le . R. B. Anderson, t1i cnly colore member. got the sceat he has occcitpieu f'o- sev 1mia seins past Speake r Gary was at vork last ever. nZ on the arrangenent cf his comn LLLteEs. he expcces to announce his ppoirnttr.ts ar iday's session. El avs he wiil *ive tne matter most a'reful considerat ion and ascertain tile sentiment prevailing amng the nem bers as to zhe personel of the coimit ees. At NestErula's sezsion. Mr. Riins ord called sit-ention to tne dange: row falling s ylI.htsad the ser Zeant at arns was directed to have the natter gien tProper attention. All ut 13 mnembers of the hiuse were iresent Fest-rdav. Scame of the absen eEs are sick a m Speaker Gary appointed the folow .'comuuttees: Privileges and Elections-D H Mai zill, Chairman: S T McKeown. R Y remrrmnc. Ben F Townsend. C M Da -is, G L Toole, John M Glenn, D F ?Srd. Peter Hollis, Jeremian Mishoe, 3 McGo. Simpkins, T T Westmore and. J GWollinz. On Medical Atfairs-L K Sturkie, I T Wyche, H P Goodwin. RH Tim nerman, A J Spear, .1 R Smith, J H ?rice. On Judiciary-J M Skinner, T W 3acot. P H G.adsden, C L Winkler, I C Patton, W P Pollock. A Bly the, nox Livingston, T Y Williams. 7eorge W Gaee, W H Thomas, W i Stevenson, Rp A Meares Ways and Mc ars-C A Barry. John ? Thomas. Jr, C W Garris, J C Mlehr ens, C R D Burns, Thomas H Riins ord. J H. Wilson, H P Gcoi win. W I Yeldell, Julian Mitchell, T A Gra am, H H Crum, J W Witherspoon. On the Penitentiary-ST McKeown, M Hyatt, L A Moore. J M Sullivan, H Crum. On Military-H H Crurn, M W PV tt, H E Towns-nd, W 8 Smith, W I Thomas, A, F H Dukes, J D Hasel en. D H Magill. George B Lester. On Claims-'. T. Wyche. R. L. aughman. Peter Hollis. D. .8 Hen erson, G L Toole, E L Asbill, T E ohnson, L N Gasque, R W Ander on. Roads. Bridges and Ferries-Joshua shley, R L Caughman. J D Easel en, C R D Burns. A W Cushman, S Graham, D M Miles, J 0 Wi:ngo, ) P Gocd -in. On Agriculure-i A Harvey, H M ,ofton, J W Ashley, Pe:er Hollis, D I Betbune, J D Kinard, D F Efird, Z B A Robinson, N M Seabrook. Corporations-C W Garris, Jeremi h Mis hoe, E L Asbill.W H eeLoach. ) A McCullough, W LIderton, T E ohnson. H J Kinard, W A All. On Federal Relations-T W Bacot, L Winkler, R B Anderson, A J pear, Joseph Bailey, J F Banks, A Sanders, B B McWhite, T I Rod ers. On Railroads-W P Pollock, R C arke'ley. J M Skinner, R A Lancas r, HJ Kinard. J F McLaurin. E E erner, M W Pnillips, P H Gadsden, D Haselden. On Education-John P Tbomas, A A Perritt,A Bly theqtiec e W Gage, ) B Hendersor, G L Too e, Cowper latton, T A Graham, J D Hinard. On Internal imnrovements--M W 'hilips, D M Milks. J H Price C J >rir e3, J S Reynolds. M W Pyatt, S V Russell, RY Lernmon, A B Lsyton. Oa State House and Grounds--R M of tot, J M Humphreys, George W airey, S W Smith, W S Smit, A S edon, W C Vincen', V A All, B B cWhite. On Public Buildings-M W Philips, M Hiott, J H Wil:on, W A Nettles, 'H O wen, J E Miller, WV H.Kennedy, V H Edwards, E MI Seabrook. On Accounts-L A Moore, L A Car on, W G Austell, L K Armstrong, C V Whisonant, J A MI Caraway, Wil Lam Mauldin, A F H Dakes. On Rules-H C Patton, WV P Pc' >ck, T W Bacot, C L Winkler, Hu er Sinkler. On Enrolled Acts-T A Graham, V S Smith, E L Asbilil, Arthur Kib r. R H Timmerman, T Y Williams, >B Henderson. On the Legislative Librar--M W yatt, C J Prince, A J A Perritt, J I Glenn, C A Barry, E.J Limehouse, J McDaniel. On Engrosse d Bills -Jeremiah Mis oe, L K Armstrong. J S Grahan, A Layton, Joel H Miller, Ross Fox, T Owen. On Public Printing-J D Kinard, A A Perritt, WV I Ilderton,. C J Col ock, R Y Lemmon, A Blythe, J S ~eynolds. On Lunatic Asylum-J D Haselden, K Sturkie. C A Barry Wiliiam Il erton, H J Kinard, R H Timmner ian, L D Childs. On Otfices and 0O11 ers-B L Caugh ian, N XV Philips, George W Davis, tB A Robinson, B B McWhite, T T Vestmoreland, J M Price. On Commnerne and Manufactures- -R BarkeleyR Y Lemmon, George WV airey, E J Limehouse, XW A All, J t MCullough, A XV Cushman, S WV tussell, D M Miles. On public Schools--H P Good win. Villiam Ilderton, A J A Perritt, S WV mith, Arthur Kibler. L A Carson, 1. Rodgers, C L Winkler, C J Col ock. On Mines and Mining--J C Mehr ens, J H Wilson, C J Prince, C WV hisonant, A F H Dukes, S H E pps, SY Williams, Knox Livingston, WV G kustelI. THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE Promptly at noon Lieutenant Gov rnor Timmerman called the State enate to order by sharply rapping hgis avel. The noise and talb- of the enators who were standing about in roups at once subsided and each hast ned to find the seat which lot had ;iven him. From the very first the enate settled down to routine work as it had been in session for some time ostead of but a few minutes. The roll all was at one: ordered and showed he only absentees to be Senator Den tis of Berkeley and Senator Archer if Spartanburg. A number of new members were present to whom the oath of odfice l ad o be administered. These senators lenderson of Aiken, May field of sarnwell, Taibird of Beaufort, Gaines f Edgefield, Walker of Georgetown. )ean of Greenville, Scarborough of lorry, Wallace of Laurens, Gritilib f Lexington, Brown of Marion, lower of Newberry, Conrer of Or ngeburg, Alexander of Ocone, Sud atn of Saiada, and Love of York, ere escorted to the front of the pre iding officer's stand and there sworn Dr. Timra wvas dispatching all hs routine work as fast as was comn stile with the dignity of the body mrwhich hie nresided. when he sud eny recalled that the proceedings jad not been opened with prayer. He usended onsmness and announced hat the Rev. Mr. Willoughby would nake the one ni n prayer-. Mr. Wil oughby did so, askini ftor direction roma above and that all work whicn Aas doe the seate sanli he fm zhe glory of God and the good of th people or all ages to come Dr. Timmerman here extended -crdial greeting to the senators an< then announced that the election o the cerk of the senate was in order On m-otion of Mr. Mayfield Gen. I R Hemnohill was unanimously re elected to that position, no oppositior to him having developed. Senatot D. I-C Norris of Anderson was electet pt essident of the senate pro tem an Mr. W. H. Steward reading clerk. A good many candidates appearei in the field for the nosition of sergeant at-arin . Messrs. J. D. Hood of Ches ter, D. R Lesesne of Williamsburg, J W. Floyd of Kershaw. W. J. Sheltor of Union, R Jolley of Spartanburz J. T. Parks, of Orangeburz, John F, Folk of Bamberg, and L. E. Parler ol Colleton were the qspirants. Oa the third ballot Mr. J. W. Floyd was de clared eketed. The Rev. J. H. Wil loughby was e'ected chaplain of the senate. On motion of Senator McCalla the president a-ppointed a committea of three to wait on Governor Evans and inform him that the senate was ready for business. Senators McCalla, Buis and Pettigrew yvere appointei on this committee. Dr. Timmerman announced the fol lowing appointments: J. T. Gantt, journal clerk; F. A. Perry, bill clerk; George Anderson and - Auld, pages: Jas. T. Parks, postal clerk, Jacob F. Gooding and J. F. Shumpgrt, door keeper and assistant doorkeeper: D. V. Harris, galler-'doorkeeper: W. E. Evans. assistant gallery doorke?per; N. 0. Pyles. general committee clerk : M. S. Ashley, Calhoun Butler and H. A.. Turner, porters: Jas Frazier and James Hodges, laborers. He made these appointments after consulting with the newly elected lieutenant gov ernor, Mr. 'McSweeney, to ascertain if they were satisfactory to him. The following committees were also announced: Agriculture-J H McDaniel, chair man: J S Dubose, A S Williams, H M Stackhouse, J T Douglas, A C San ders, W B Love. Claims and Grievances-Altamont Moses, chairman: E L Archer, Geo S Mower, G W Ragsdale, J M Gaines, J S Suddath, J H Lurner. Contingent Accounts-D J Griffith, chairman: A H Dean, L M Ragin, L S 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. Thos Talbird, R B Scarborough, E J Dennis. Financ!-G L Buist, chairman; I H McCalla, W. B. Lo-e, A H Wil liams, A C Sanders, J S Dubose. Alta mont Moses. H M Stackhouse, D J Griffith, D K Norris. Charitable Institutions-J T Doug lass, chairman; J N Turner, B F Mil Isr, W B Love, J T Hay, J B Suddath L S Connor. Commerce and Manufactures-F L Archer, chairman; A H Dean, D K Norris, J E Pettigrew, L Grand Walk er, J S Dubose, 3 M Gaines. County Officers-A C Sanders, chair man; R B Scarborough, W A Brown, J S Dubose, E L Archr. - Engrcssed Bills-B. . Miller. chair man; J T Hay, A H Dean, JS Dubose, G 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, chair man: C R Wallace, ARH Dean, J S Incrpraios- Henderson, chairman; Geo S Mower, A H Dean, IG W Ragsdale, R B Scarborough, J T Hay. Judiciary-S C Mayfield, chairman; Geo S Mower, J T Sloan, G L Btuist, ID S Henderson, Thos Talbird, Le Grand Walker, J T 'Hay, R B Scar borough. Medical Affairs-A H Williams, chairman; Altamont -Moses, A H Dean, D J Grfliith, C R Wallace, J B Suddath. Penitentiary-I H McCalla, chair man; Altamont Moses, A H Dean, D J Griflith, C R Wallace. J B Suddath. Privileges and lections-Geo S Mower, enairman; I H McCalla, J M Gaines, D S Henderson, G WV Rags dale, J 'l' ay. *Public Lands-A H Dean, chair man; J S DuBose, L M Ragin, J T Hay, Jos Alexander. Retrenchmnent-Jos Alexander,chair man; ARH Dean, G W Ragsdale, A C Sanders. Roads, Bridges and Ferries-WV T O'Dell, chairman; A H Williams, A C Sanders, B F Miller, C R Wallace, J B Suddath, D J Griffith. Legislative Library-J T Hay, chair man; J E Pettigrew, L S Connor. Militarv-WV H Mauldin, chairman ; A C Sanders, Altamont Moses, J T Sloan, J H Turner. Mines and Mining-J S DuBose, chairman; LeGrand Walker, H M Stackhouse, A H Dean, G L4 Buist, C R Wallace, Thomas Talbird. Printing-J M Ragin, chairman: J H McDaniel, J B Saddath, Jos Al exander, I H Mc(2alla, Altamont Moses, WV A Brown. Public Buildings-J E Pettigrew, chairman: WV T O'Dell, J T Douglass. B M Stackhouse, L S Connor. Railroads and Internal Improve mnents-J T Sloan, chairman: G L Baist, J T Douglass, H M Sackhouse, S G May field, A H Williams, I H Mc Calla, D) K Norris, W M Mauldin. Rules-L S Connor, chairman; E J Dennis, G L Buist, A H Williams, J T Hay, D K Norris. Several bills were introduced and ra ferred. Tne committee retrrned after informing Governor Erans that the senate was ready for business and an nounced that the governor satid he wouid send his message in a fe w min utes. After waiting for a little time for the message, on motion of Senator Moses the senate adjourned today at 12 o'clock. The governor's message will then be read. Accidentai Kulizig. S3IoAs, S. C., Jan. 12 -A y outh named C~rter, aged about 15, was ac cidentally kil led by a negro on J1 an. 9. The parties lived in Broxton towvn ship. The negro man was "just fooltng" with a pis:ol supposed to be unloaded. Young Carter was stand ing near looking on when the weapon was discharged, killing the boy in stantly,___ Fatal Explosion. DEN VER. Col., Jan. 13-I the Auit Mining Company's tunnel, near Ward Colo., last eveniJg J obn WV. Giover and Harry Glover, contractors, and T. A. Degarmo and John W. Shriever were killed by the explosion of thirt eight pcunds of giant, powder. The j.m cao the eoion is not known. HIS LAST MESSAGE. I(GOV. EVANS' OFFICIAL COMMUNICA TION TO THE LEGISLATURE. Much Space )evoted to the Ditpensary Law -Other Matters of Grave Importance te the State. The folowing is the annual message of Governor John Gary Evaas to the General Assembly: G-ntlemen of the General Assembly: It is the duty of the governor under the Co.-stitution to give you from time to time i.,formiation of the condition of the StaLe and 'o recommend such measures for you4r cnsideration as he may deem expedient. I shall confine myself in this my last ann ual message to giving you such information as I have been able to obtain as to the con dition of the State, leaving to my suc ezssor to make recommendations as to any future legislation or policy. Two years ago I was elected gover nor to succeed a leader of a revolution who, to use his own language. was the "worst hated and best loved" man who has ever entered the politics of our State. The policy that I should pursue was already formed by the people and the only issue made was as to the enforcement of the dispensery liw-whetber it should be azgressive with a view of destroying the illicit traffic in liquor or whether it should be of a milk and cider form as our enemies would have it with the hope or its final repeal. My nomination and election meant the f.>rmer and I have endeavored to be trae to that policy. It would have been an easy matter for me to have placated my enemies and the enemies of the Re form movement by giving Par t> the overtures of the whiskey element and their allies in the cities of the State the daily pi-ess. These people who slandered and vilified the framers of the dispensary law have continued their stubborn warfare to an extent that would barely be tolerated by a less conservative people. They have not been content to express their con tempt of the law, but have attempted 'to drag down by lying and slandering every official connected with the ad ministration of the law. Every error 1 in bookkeeping of an inexperienced disper has been magnified into an em Ibezzlement. Every arrest of an illicit dealer in liquor by a constable has been characterized as vilczt oppression of innocent and law-abiding citizens. If perchance an offender is killed while resisting the officers and carry ing on his damnable traffic, it is class ed as a murder most foul. These re ports are sent out to the world as truths, when as a matter of fact they are brazen falsehoods. It is a disgrace ful spectacle that South Carolinians should descend so low as to slander their own government from political malice. The dispensary law is stronger to day than at any time since its enact ment and is better enforced as will I appear from the staCstics later on. - This is the most important matte. with which you will have fo deal, and I I would respectf ally call your atten tion to the excellent rtport of the board of control, wil the request that you study it and think well before g making any changes in the present I system. THE DISPENSARY AS A BUSINESS. Up to the time of my induction into i office as gover-nor, the dispensary had been in operatidn 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. The business had continually increas ed until it reached over $1,000,000 an-] nually. Realizing that as a business< it was tentative and that it had not been placed upon what could truly be] called a business plane and that it was burdened with crudities of which iti must be divested before it could reach] the expectations of the public as a mor al reformation and a business success,i my first official act was to give its for mer management a thorough investi gation in order to ascertain its finan-I cial status as well as its weak points. I was met by many diH ecuities, politi cal as w-eli as business. To commence the business the general assembly of 1S92 voted an appropriation of $50, -] 000. For the first 18 -months of its existence the dispensary experienced many vicissitudes and when it was placed in my hands I found it still 4 embarrassed and hardly able to stand alone, it had not paid a dollar into the State treasury in net earnings and< the $50,000 appropriation was still un- - liquidated. The statements of itsi growth and progr eis as published from - time to time by the former commis sioner were unsatisfactory to the pub lic, for the reason that the system of bookkeeping was a Chinese puzzle and ( no one could tell exactly tbe true sta ( tus of the business. This fact gave - color to the adverse eciticisms of thet administration of the la w and invited t the terrific accusations that were made against these charged with its man-t agement.- The last statement of these assets and liabilities and profits which1 the former commissioner made was t for the quarter ending January 21,t 1895. In that statement, the profits< claimed to have accrued to datet amounted to $151,295.51. Bookkeep ers of experience could not cipher this Out and claims were made that the 1 profits were fictitious I determined to change the business management and adopt a full and satisfactory system of accounting. An expert bookkeep er was employed and it was ascertain ed that the profits claimed had not ac crued, but that the eccrued profit to that date was forty-odd thousand dol lars less than the amount. This was simply a mistake in bookkeeping andi in crediting to the profit account whatj had not accrued,bat what was expect-i ed to have accrued in the hands of county dis pesers. After a thoro-ugh< dissection of the accounts it was ascer-1 tained that the profits had not reached1 $10,000U. The entire assets, including] L ash, merchandise, teams and wagons and personal accounts amounted in round numbers to $10,000. The lia-< bilities amounted in round numbers< to $Sb,000. The total assets being sub sequently affected to the amount of $2000t inna final checking and adjust-] ments of accounts. The liabilities wer-e1 as follows: To State appropriation, 8.5,U00: to suudry persons. for liquors] S oui: total indebtedness $S0,000; cash on hand $15,54S.40 or $4,45t.6t4 less than amount necessary to liqui-( date ihie izndebtedness. Tmis is simply1 a rou;.h statement of the status of the1 disentsary when I took charge of the busmness. I am happy to state that I turned it over to my successor healthy and in good condition and a3 sound I nancialjy as any business institution of ta comtry t ha been taken out1 of politics and placed in the bands of a board of control composed of farm ers. bankers and business men cf ability, whose reputation for honesty and integrity cannot be impugned. The purchasing power, such a tempta tion to some men, has been taken from the hands of the commissioner and given to this board. They have exercised it judiciously and in a man ner to command the respect of all par ties. The duties of the commissioner are now exercised by the chairman of the board and superintendent, and the office of commissioner could be abol ished by your body. If this power is ever again placed in the hands of cne man, he would at orce become an ob ject of vituperation,misrepresentation, abuse and slander of all the enemies of the dispensary and every pensy a liner, without any moral or social re sponsibility. The experience cf the past year should be enough to con vince your body cf the truth of all that I have said and predicted, and while I am sure that you will be ad vised and importuned to change this law and return to the old system, you will find by investigation that such propositions come from lean and hun rry politicians with itching palms. You will be told that the operations of the present board are a failure. Judge them by their acts and results and not by hearsay. The subjoined comparative statement of sales to county 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 numbers $200,000. TaE next amount accrued to the towns and counties for the same period $122,000, making a total accrued profitto the State, towns and couuties$322,030; addin g $57,652. 5 unearned profit on goods in the bands of local dispensers first of Jan aary, 1897, swells the total of earned and unearned profits to the State and owns and counties for the past year to the amount of $379,652.65. The et profit accruing the past adminis tration for IS months was $110,34S 80. Net protts for 1895, $133 467.79. Net prohts for 1S96, $200,000, making a ,otal net accrued profit to the State to late $443,816.57. Add to this net ac 3rued profit the outstanding unearned profit, $57,652.65, makes a total earned nd unearned profit to date of :501,469 22. If to this sum we idd the amount of the net ac rned profits to the towns and coun ies for the years 1895 and 1896 of ;228,121 28 we have a grand total of ,rned and unearned profits to State, owns and counties to date of $729,600. 50. The amount that has been actual y paid to the State, county and town reasurers from the net earnings from he State and county dispensaries is as oliows: ?aid into the State treasury in 1895.......... ......$100,000 ?aid into the State treasury in 1896.................... 100,000 Total................ $200,000 aid to towns and counties, L895.....................$10613128 Paid to towns and counties, 86L...................... 122,00000 Total........ .....$228,131 28 Grand total net profits paid in from dl sources $428.131 2S. For further >articuars of stock on hand, etc., I ould respectfully refer you to the re yort of the State board of control here mith submitted. It will thus be seen that as a finan ial business its success can not be de ied. To the above estimates the sum >f 59,000 per annum, the average cost1 >f maintaining the dispensary consta-1 yles, should be added. ,1 The enforcement of the 'dispensary1 .aw has been the bane of the whiskey< lealer, the terror of the illicit distiller, he pitiful excuse for the opposition of ypocrites and cranks, and the plat - form of disgrunted politicians cater ng to local influences, good or bad. t is the duty under the ]aw of all theJ ~xecutive officers of the State, coun-1 es and towns to enforce this law, and uch oilicers are compelled to take an< ath prescribed by your honorable1 aody to faithfully enforce the law whn they assume their ollicial duties. Ihe governor is:authorizedJ to employ ~onstables and State detectives, whose1 ~special duty it is to enforce the law. Lhave employed on an average about 0 constables during my term of office nd one State detective, and they iave been zealous and faithful in their ~fforts to suppress the illicit traflic, Ld I am satistled-and I am sure ttie < >eople of the State are-at the results >btained during the past year 55 regu-< ar commissioned constables, includ-1 ng the two chief State constables, iave been regularly employed. The!: tate is divided into two divisions< inown as the "upper" and the "lo wer." he upper division is in charge of< Thief Fant and the lower in charge of Thief Holley. The salaries and ex enses, including one detective and he clerk in my oflice, amounted to ~47726 01. Thirty one constables are assigned o toe upper and 21 to the lower divi ion. The upper divison has been nuh harier to handle by reason oft he proximity of North Carolina and< he mountain distilleries. The amount< >f whiskey and brandy seized in the t ipper division for the past year was ,245 gallons, 90 gallons of beer, 8,976 tallons cf cider and beer in bot les, 12 vehicles and 16 head of mules Ld horses, and 10 illicit distilleriesi sere destroyed. In tie lower divi ion there were seized and con fiscateu ,090 gallons of whiskey, wine and: randy, :30 barrelsi of beer, 2,255 gal-j ons of beer and cider in k-egs, three; rehicles and four head of mules andi iorses one i licit distillery was de ;troyed.- The resistance to the law n tihe upper tier of the counties ad oining the North Carolina line and n the county of Charleston has been nost stubborn. In the remaining ~ounties of the State a healthy condi ion exists and the citizens are almost inanimous in support of the law, and [am glad to report that the law is eing better enforced throughtout the state at large, a-s is snown by the sales f the dispensaries and the number of :onvictions of illict dealers in the< state and municipal courts. The iolations reported to my oflice show a! arge decrease and the daily reports of1 he constables show a better state of eeling throughout the State at large, [n the counties of Oconee, Greenvillei Lad Chesterfield dihliculties have been 2ad with traders coming from Northj arolina. These desperadoes invaria-J Ae go armied to the teeth with a de :ernation to resist the officers to the < xtent of loosing their lives if necessa 7y. In Uconee a dastardly attempt Eas made to assasinate- the constables ilmost at the doors of the court house Lnd they narrowly escaped with their ies. The goo nonle of the county 1 became indignant and an honest at tempt has been made to bring these offenders to justice. In two instances the constables have been compelled to shoot down these desperadoes, and al though fuly justifiei 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. The only way to deal with such offen ders is to let them know thvat the la;v will be enforced even if it be necyssa ry to take their lives. We have been greatly embarrassed by the decision of tne United States court which allows the importation of whiskey for "personal" use. The mAtter is now before the United States supreme court, and if our posi tion is sustained there will be little troubie in puttin - an end t'. the illicit trallic. One of the best evidences of the decrease in the illicit trafi, is the decrease in the number of licenses is sued by the United States Inter. nal Revenue department. For the year ending June 21, 1890, there were issued to parties outside of dispensaries 315 licenses and one wholesale license included. Of these 190i) were taken out in the city of Charleston. Fir the same period ending J une :31, 1S95, 720 licenses were taken out. Of this number 157 were taken out in the city of Charleston, showing a decrease of 425 in the State and an increase of '33 in the city of harleston. For the year ending June 20, 1897, there have been issued so far to illicit dealers 173 licenses, of which 125 were taken out for Ctarle3 Lon, among them four wholesUe li :enses to djealers in that city. F,)r the sarne period the previous year there ire 239 licenses to illicit dealers, 157 )f which were taken out in the city of jharleston. It will thus be seen that For the revenue year ending June 30, L896, the State at large: sho ved a de :rease of over 56 per cent, while the :ity of Charleston showed an increase >f over 20 per cent. Since the 1st of June, 1S98, the 'ate at large sho ps a lecrease of over -2 per cent., while he city cf Charleston for the samr pe iod, under the metropolitan police, hows a decrease of over 2) per cent. [t is another significant fact that in the ounties of the State where public sen iment has always upheld the law, as or instance the county of Abbeville. Jhe sales of the dispensary have fallen ff. Thus show'ng a decrease in the onsumption of whiskey and a promo ion of the cause of temperance. Dur ng the holidays only one instance of he commission of crime of which whiskey was the direct cause was re Dorted in the State, and the Carist nas holidays were marked for their sobriety, peace and quietude. During, the recent State fair held in the city of Dolumbia 20,000 people were reported o have been upon the grounds Thuars iay and not an arrest for drunkenness' was made in the city. The same re :ord has been made in every county [a the State. The number of convic ions for the violations of the dispen ary law has increased from year to ear, as the following table by the at :orney general shows: No Bills & discon- Not Mis To tinued. Guilty trial Guilty tal. [nyear1893.24 7 1 16 48 [nyear1S94107 3 2 112 [nyearlS95.65 21 55 141 [n year 1896 441 21 159 627 For the past year of the 627 cases re yorted 231 were from the city of Iharleston. 31ETRoPOLITAN POLICE. The greatest problem that I have 2ad to meet since my connection with he dispensary law has been its pro ~er enforcement in the city of Charles on. There are more friends in this ity to the law than an outside: who as had no dealings with them would magine, but it has come to be a polit cal and a social question in that com nunity and a great number of its riends have not the timerity to pub icly uphold it. I realize that to be olitic in dealing with this question neant to be false to the great majority > the people of South Carolina and ntrue .o those who had elected me mnd I determined upon an aggressive >olicy towards this city. Tac ques ion narro wed itself do wn simply to :his: Whether the illicit traffic and ontempt of law and order should pre ail in Charleston and be restrained n tbe rest of the State or whether I hould support and enforce the law sith a strong hand giving equality to ll men. Seeing the increased amount >f illicit sales of whiskey in this city Lnd the contempt with which the ofiR :ers of the law were treated and hay ng warned the mayor and city coun il repeatedly of my intention to no vail, the State commission consisting )f the governor, the secretary of state mnd the comptroller general, was :alled together and thoroughly re riewed the situation. They unani nou sly agreed that the only course eft was to use every power for the mforcement of the law placed io our 1ands by the general assem-ly, or to bandon the city to the barkeeper and he rumseller. We decided on:j tie 'ormer cmurse. I ex pected and s> did he other members of the board to re eive the econdemnation of this city and f the enemies of the dispensary law' hrougnout the State, but I determined o do my duty, and, failing in that, o recommend to you such legislation s I deemed necessary to meet the ase. The metropolitan police has >roved a success in every sense or the ord and I am satisded. if lef t to a rote of the honest, Christian, lawabid ng citizens of Charleston. freed of >litical malice, they would sustain t. In the first place it is admitted by ts enemies that the chief of the force Ld the police are more etlizieut and 1ave given better service than any in he history of the city. The police nan as a political ward wheeler has een destrored and even Mr. Btrn el, chairman of the opposition and tbitter opponent cf the law and the >licC, in an interview in a city paper fter the last election stated that Mar hat Martin and his entire fore a had tcted with absolute impartiality and 1ad performed their duty faithfuliy. raise from Sir Hubert is praise in eed. The only objection seems to be hat the city has been deprived of one' eature of home ruleand this has been he slogan in the absence of any mer tous objection. What is home rule:? )oes it mean the absolute power of a1 nunicipality to abrogate and nullify he statute laws of a sovereiazn State: )es it mean the submission of the ies and homes of honest citizens to a overment of ruimsellers and ii cit ealers in whiskey: Does it mean the1 ree parade. through the avenues~ of awless Italians with whiskey barrel rapped in toe ilag of the L'n:von: i a, then let this cone~2ption of Ja. on perish in South Carolina.L Uder are State ers. nicipalities ar formed for the purp-s! o' ading thl State government in. enforcing thi laws of the Stae. "et- are it:ncieeL assubordinat limbs cf the govern ment. and when they fa:l to perfcru their functiocas they suould. be pu underState control, of or have thei1 charters repealed. It has been con tended that the police have b-en tak en from the control of the citizens. This is untrue. They are in the hand, of a commission of native bort Charlestonians, whose interests are linked with those of the city. Tney are under the control of a caief whc has enj )yed the confidence and respect of the city and they cannot be other vise under the law. It will be seen that the total driaks and druaks and disorde'lies have gradaaliy d-creased fron S3 in 189: to 277 in 183G under metropolitaa po lice-a dtcrease of nearly 75 per cent. Diring the year 1SJ there were bou)d over by the magiszrates for viola.ions of the dispensary law 2.31 cases. Their names and residences are duly given in Cae report. 0: this number :32 have beea triel and con victed and have paid into the county treasury $5,253 in dnes. A better showing than this would have been mad but for the fact that at the last term'of the eourt every e ise was con tinued.upon the affilavitseoF attorneys who claimed to be sick and were seen upon the streets the next day. Tae grand jary found 21 additiona true bills. In 1t95 n: a conviction was had, the grand jury refusing in many cases to tiad true bills. It is a nota ble fact that two of the city council who were sworn to enforce this law were among the number indic:ed and agaiast whom true bills were found. Possibly the best evidence of the work of the fo:ce would b? a comparisoa of thesales from the dispensairies. rae gains under the rnstropolitia system during the drst second and third quir ters of the year 189i. Under metropolitan svsaem to city and c:unty reach $7,427 02, neirly 103 per cent. Tue police made during the year 1895 .532 raids and recoverel 4LS bot tles of waiskey partly filled, 39 bottles of wine pirtly filled, 70 demejohns of whiskey partly filled, 6 kegs of whis key partly filled, 5 half barrels of whiskey partly filled, 42 full barrels of whiskey, 5110 gallon kegs of whis key, 16 cases of wiskey, SS kegs of beer and 10,34 b~ttles of beer. Tae raids where no seizures were made have not been entered. Tairty-one ex barkeepers and illiet dealers have been made to discontinue their business and most of them have left the city. The police department consists of three commmissinners, who exercise all the powers conferred by law upon the department. The strength of the force is as follc ws: One marshal and chief of police, three lieutenants, two orderly sergeants, eight line sergeants, one chief detective, three detectives, seventy-three privates, four gatemen, two draymen, five drivers, ten special T, 3-eers. In the enforcement of the dispensa ry law the police force have not ne glected their duty in the detection of other offenders against the peace and good order of the city, and no com plaints have been made on this score. Capt. J. Elmore Martin has enforc ed the laws in an aggressive and vigo rous manner. Notwithstanding the hundr-Is nf arrests made and the in 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 amicably adjust the issues involved. He and his efficient force and the po lice commissioners deserve the thanks of all good citizens in placing Charles ton upon as high a plane as the other 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 op erate with .tbe State administration in enforcing this la w, and while we do not claim to have entirely stamped out the illicit traie. all gaol citize must admit that in Oolua:ba, Green vilia, Spartanburg and the smaller to wns a better feeling exists and earn est efforts are being made to enforce the law. I desire to call your attention to a feature of the law which I think could be dispensed with. The county boards of control in most instances do not control. They could be abolished and their duties imuposted upon the State board of cnmtrol 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. Taere have been several shortages in the accounts of county dispensers and they have been invariably the re sult of negligence on the part of the county boards of control. These de linquent dispensers have been prompt ly reported by mue to the attorney gen eral with instructions to prosecute, and lie has performed his duty in a manner deemed best by him. It is no argument against this law because fors2oth an olicer occasionaily errs a"ud becomes unworthy of his position. We might as well argue that the ban ing system should be destroyed because a cashier o casionally goes astray. There are good and honest men,and they can be had to iill all these positions. It is vour duty. not only to the dispensary law, but to the Rie form movement and to those having its interest at ileart to investigate this business fro'nit orgasnintion to the pr-esent time. If anything wrong is disco3vered let it be ventilated and punieh the guilty parties an rebuke the slanderers. Tneis should ba done Dot Oaiy with the dispensary, but wit every department of the State government where thsightes wrong doiag is suspected. In this way aione can your government be kep honest and perpetuated. CLEMSoN CULLEGE 1 amnunabie to giveyoua~ full ia sighLt into the workings of tis~ intiu tion. The governor is not a memrber of the board of trustres a2nd isdee dent entirely 'v- th reorits of the lieers of the u si i m and para inspection for what iafom1. :nay possess. The reprt curs hlave not b en f -ar -- - l- 1 audlifinge uitt tofr m the taAe frmaase report and m-y a e--rom visitation, pre d. n his repeorts. giv .hliures: En:ro:1 eh 1b0 were inth precuay e 11ing school. leaving ecollege proper. It will t n tat there hais been a large :,uincg oif in the attendance upon the P' WUE AND FAINE, .- CV N JTONS EX:STN3 A32U T BOM3AY,.INoA. The Corp c j1)arietl-nirds of Prey Ca not Con uam Them -Th3uwands of Rafa goes Camped on the PLa!Os. Boxc:,Y. Jan. 14.-Eyery day the plague situition has become worse, and it is estimated that nearly half of the population of the city have fled to escape death. The situation is greatly aggravated by the prevalence of the famine,tho-is ands of natives who leave the &ty navim absolu'.ely nothing on which to sap.ort themselves in the country and thus fall victim; to the sloxer death of s:arvation. Tae streets and ban tars that a few weeks ago 'yere teeming with life are now virtaally deserted, and many bups and offi~es closed. Oae resuit of the plagae has been a great diminition in all kinds of crimes except burglaries and petty thefts, and these in many instances are due to p ;erty-stricken wretches taking advantage of the fact that arge quantities of property h ave been eft without protectioa by refugees trom the plague-infested citv. So great has bzen the falling off in criminal and other cases that the high court of jutstice des no: tiad ousiness enough to ozcpy more thaa hif its time, while tne courts in which smallcases are tried have abandoned their sitti altogether and the offioials have taken a holiday. Eighty thousand fugitives are cam : ingbut in Andheri, where every con dition is favorable to an outbreak of cholera. There is a scarcity of water in and about the to-na and the sanitary arrangements are of the crudest char acter. The refuzees, however, are more afraid of the bubonic plague than of cholera, and they will un doubtedly remain where they are rather than return to B.mbay. Th: government is doing everything Dos sib'e to assist the people, but its ef forts thus far have been productive of little real result in the directioa of cleanliness. In Poona and Banadra, the plague is raging with great virulence. Tne ef forts of physicians to stay the progress of the disease in the slighest degree have b'aen fruitless and the death rate is extremely high. Hundreds of per sons attacked by the disease have died in t wo or three hours, after suffering dreadful agony. The customs of the natives add to the hideousness of the plague. The Mohammedan cemeteries are over crowded and it is impossible to find men enough to dig graves and bury the dead. The sound of dirges is in cessant in and about the places where the Hindoos burn their -dead in ac cordance with their time-honored cus tom, and the funeral music haa a most depressing influence on all who heaZ. it, natives and foreigners alike. It is stated that numbers of dead bodies of Parasees, the religious sect who expose their. dead bodies to be eaten by the vultures, are slowly decomposing in the open air in the places'in which they are left. Tney have not been eaten by the vultures, tne birds hav ing been overgorged by the great abundance of corpses furnishe to them. E verywhere the greatest di.iculty is found in obtaining men to carry the dead to the cemeteries, burning places and the dokhamas. Even relations shun their last service to their dead, fearing that they will contract the disease by touching or approaching the corpses. In many cases, bodies have been found abandoned in the streets, their . bearer- having been overcome by fear while taking them to their last resting pla,:e. Up to today the number of cases of the plague is placed offiial-ly at 3,394 and the deaths at 2,356. The Eurasias, those of half-natives and half-foreign parentage, enjoy corm arative immlzu nity from disease, they apparently not being suo;ect to its attack. A feature of the disease that was noticed at Hong-K~ong and Southern China while it was prevalent there is also noticed here. S wine, poultry and ro dents appear to be very susceptible to the plague and great numbers of them have died. Hicks Trying to Expila. The S:. Louis Repablican says .Weather Prophet Irl R. Hicks is be igiept in a cold state of perspiration trying to explain how it was that his predictions of one of the most severe Decembers ever known fell so riterly short of the mark. The pubhec was promised all the old fashioned blizzards it wanted and more, between the 12:h and 30th of the month. The evil influen~ces of MIars was to be added to other influ ences producing a commotion in the atmosphere that would be felt to a trear mdous extent. But the bliz zards did not come. Old Mars' evil influence did not commote the earth worth a cent, instead there came a season of mild temperature and citi zens who laia in arctic shoes, over coats and other healthy apparel have been pouring maledictions upon Mr. Hiicks' cranium, while they wiped the perspira::on from their brows. Prof. Hitks explains his bad shot by inti mating that the forces he relied upon ito produce a good old style Christmas got waylaid. When they ran across Mlars they not only failed to material ize into the blizzards down in the pro gramme, but went oif celebrating on an entirely ditferent plan, actually re solving themselves intoseismaic shocks or earthquakes. It is true these seis :nics were not felt anywhere except in Great Brain and in a few villages on the eastern coast of America, but fectiy valid one. Then, too, he calls attenu.on to the fact that the high ba romte o he G~ulf Coast was alone Iapo-:i fac:or in heading off his tlcus. o tie'kled is he with this !aa eiery that he distinctly con aratulte himself on his f.-resight. p redi'cted a month of frosts and sintry storms, instead of which there came a spring temperature hcre and a se~ismic shock about 7.777 miles away. An~md he thiuks that was near enough. '. iend Con'fewee. F - N *nr. Ky., Jan. 1:3.- -Charles Ta: or, :ie negro in jail here charged yih inppng 1:3-year-old Nellie Sepi r o iveeserday on con dition tha be b removed to Lexington for safe.ee pa. that robbed her outraged her. mur~dered her andI then buried her. U:lleers were leaving town with nin when Circait Court Judge Can trill ordered him back, and command ed the Sieritf to summon a posse and pro'tect the prisoner.