The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 23, 1907, Image 3
AN INVESTIGATION NEEDED.
CHRISTENSEN RESOLUTION GOES
TO THIRD READING.
I
?
State Senate Thinks the Alleged
.. Overstocking of the Dispensary
Should be Inquired Lato-Motion
to Kill Resolution Overwhelmingly
Defeated.
Columbia, Jan. 15.-The senate
met this morning at ll o'clock, and,
with the exception of a presentation
of e. loving cup to Lieutenant Gov?
ernor John T. Sloan, the senate con?
sumed the cay in the discussion of the
concurrent resolution introduced last
night by Senator Christensen, which
provides for the formation of a com?
mittee to investigate the overstock
now on hand at the State dispensary.
A motion to strike out the enacting
words was lost by a vote of 29 to 3,
and the Christensen resolution was
passed.
The resolution was first cons! .ered
before the senate went to the house
to take part in the inaugural ceremo?
nies, and was taken up again immedi?
ately upon the senate reconvening. A
motion was made by Senator Blease
to adjourn, which was lost.
The senate then took up the consid?
eration of the resolution and at times
the discussion grew acrid. Senator
Blease opposed the resolution in vig?
orous terms, stating that it was noth?
ing more than a slap at the present
"investigating committee, and that it
was a bid for cheap notoriety on the
part of some. During the first hour
of the discussion Senator Blease re?
ferred to the Tatum letter as his
platform for re-election, and Senator
Appelt took exception to the charac?
terization of the senator from Newber"
ry. There was ?. tilt between t! .e men.
during which Senator Blease stated
that he characterized things as he j
saw fit, and that he would continue
to dd so in the future.
Senator Appelt thought that there
ought to be some propriety observed,
and that the senate was not a polit?
ical convention.
Senator Blease and others were of
. the opinion that there "was no use for
the committee. He stated that the
resolution was nothing more than a
subterfuge to have a test vote on the
dispensary question, and that he Was
opposed to such methods. If the
Ayer resolution had come into the
senate Mr. Blease said he would have
opposed it.
Senator Toole favored the resolu?
tion, saying that further investigation
was to be desired. Senator Weston
also favored the resolution, taking an
opportunity to express himself in fa?
vor of the dispensary.
Mr. Christensen stated in defence of
his resolution that he did not think
that the Old committee had at present
any status and that other members of
.the committee were of the same opin?
ion.
Senator Raysor favored the inves?
tigation, saying that it was due the
public. He took occasion to praise
the work of the investigating commit?
tee, and stated that in his opinion
the resolution did not in any way re?
flect upon its members. From the
letter of the commissioner there is a
large overstock on hand, which is
prohibited by the law, and bankruptcy
stares the institution in the face.
The resolution was discussed by
Senators Black, of Bamberg, Appelt,
of Clarendon, Laney of Chesterfield,
Hogers of Marlboro, Crouch of Sa?
luda, Wells, of Florence, and Sinkler,
of Charleston, all of the senators be?
ing in favor of the resolution. Sena?
tors McGowan and Blease spoke sev?
eral times in opposition to the resolu?
tion, Senator McGowan making the
motion to strike out the resolving i
words, which was lost
There was a colloquy between Sen?
ator Blease and Senator Crouch, dur?
ing which Senator Crouch asked a
ator ic:j. x iat2 .atu pFf.tDf rictze
number of pertinet questions of the
senator from Newberry. Mr. Crouch
wanted to know if Senator L'^ase
thought that if the statements made
in the letter of Commissioner Tatum
were true the men responsible for the
overstock would not be liable lor
criminal prosecution. Senator Blease
stated that they would be. An amend?
ment was then introduced by Senator
Crouch, which called for criminal
prosecution by the attorney general
if the conditions were found by the
committee to be as was stated in the
commissioner's letter. This amend?
ment w.-?s lost by a vote of 16 to 15,
there being a tie, and President Mc?
Leod voting against the amendment.
The letter of Commissioner Tatum,
to which reference was made, is given
below in full. This letter, which was
laid before the senate by Mr. Chris?
tensen when he introduced his reso
lutiop, states facts that show conclu?
sively that an investigation is urgently
needed.
Commissioner Tatum's Letter.
January ll, 1907.
Hon. Niels Christensen, Senator and j
Member Dispensary Investigating ;
Committee, City.
Dear Sir: Persuant to request and j
{retractions from you, along with j
other data requested of me by you. j
In making this statement, I wish to \
say that there has been no friction be- '
tween myself and the present St
board of directors during their tei
It has simply been a difference
policy, and I am ready to leave it
the public to say whether their pil
or mine was for the' best interest
the people of the State and the d
pensay system.
With this explanation, I beg to. si
mit the enclosed statement.. as i
1 your request. ?ours very truly,
W. O. Tatum,
Commission
P. S.-The list requested of me,
furnished by the clerk of the boai
showing case goods Ordered to b*
shipped after Dec. 1, 1906, I do r.
enclose for the reason that it will ta
a considerable length of time to co
same. This will be furnished y
subsequently, which, I hope, will
satisfactory.
Ever since I have held the positi'
of commissioner, I have tried to co
duct the dispensary business on
hear a cash basis as possible, and
this end have endeavored to avo
overstocking either the county dispe:
saries or warehouses at the headqua
ters here in Columbia. It has also be<
my policy to meet the demands of tl
people of the State and supply tl
kinds of liquor they demand. To th
end I have furnished the board of d
rectors statements showing the uni
lied orders from county dispenser
and have protested against shipping 1
not order.
During the first of last August
found that the board of directors ha
laid in a stock of new goods which
was instructed to send out either ?
introductory or to substitute for th
brands ordered by the county disper
sers which we did not to have in stoc
at the time. This substitution cause
great dissatisfaction throughout th
State. To determine just what the pee
pie thought of these *gcods, -I ad
dressed to the county dispensers th
fellowing letter, dated Aug. 10, 1906
"To dispensers: I propose to make
desperate effort next week to getjth
State board of directors to discontinu
the practico of buying new goods an
sen "ling them to the dispensary as in
trodt:<tory. I have always been op
posed-to hvr-'llirij' so n.any case groods
and these introductory go^ds have no
been shippea out by my orders but b;
orders of the board of directors. I wis]
an expression from you as to whethe
these goods, after reaching you, ar
going out or whether there is dange:
of some of them being left on you:
hands as hard stock. I wish to us<
your answer next week, about Tues
day or Wendesday, before the Stat<
board of directors in order to get then
to change this policy. Please b<
prompt in answering this so that I
may reach me by Tuesday of nex
week. Tours truly, W. O. Tatum
Commissioner."
In response to this communicatior
I received letters from nearly everj
dispenser in the State protesting vig?
orously against these new goods, anc
charging that they Rarere not satisfac?
tory and the cause of general com?
plaint These expressions were verj
positive, some of them as follows: "3
find it very hard to work them off,"
"is practically dead stock," "regrel
they were ever sent us and am satis?
fied it will be a spell before the State
gets all of her money out of them,"
"wilii you advise me whether I can
ship the goods back," "the moment 1
show them (my customers) the in?
troductory goods, they begin to kick."
The?3 are but a few samples of a
protest that was practically unani?
mous. I have the letters on file, and
have attached the copy of one from
the dispenser at Sumter, together
with my reply.
At this time there were in the coun?
ty dispensaries and at headquarters
$47.000 wdrth of these goods.
With these facts I went before thc
board at a regular meeting in August
and asked that they discontinue or?
dering these goods. They acquiesced.
During the session of the November
meeting of the board a list of the
purchases proposed at that meeting
was furnished me by the clerk of the
board. On that I found about 5,500
cases of these objectionable goods. I
wrote memorandum on said list call
g attention to these goods, and ask
*ed that they be cut out, and sent said
memorandum back to the board. The
hoare, instructed the clerk verbally
not to order anything to which I ob?
jected. A few days later I learned
that an additional batch of orders had
been made up covering other objec?
tionable brands of case goods. There?
upon, I frote a letter dated Nov. IT, a
copy of which is attached. Each
member wrote authorizing the cancel?
lation as per my request.
On Dec. 12 I submitted to the board
a statement showing the goods needed
to supply the unfilled orders of the
county dispensers, and one showing
the amount and kinds of goods on
hand.
About the first of January, the rep?
resentative of the Southeastern Car
Service Association came into my
office and complained about the num?
ber of cars standing on the sid?' tracks
of t*?? Atlantic Coast Line in this city
waiting to be delivered to the State
dispensary. He stated that on the day
before when he made his count there
were 36 cars on his tracks, most of ?
which were loaded with whiskey en I
route from the liquor dealers to the 1
headquarters here.
I immediately called thc matter to
the attention of the board and asked
them to stop further shipments. They
agreed to do this, and by wire held up
shipments of the outstanding goods
contracted for.
Then I secured from the board a
statement showing ail goods ordered
to be shipped in since Dec. 1 last. This
I found to include about 9,000 cases
of the objectionable goods to the val?
ue of about $100,000. A copy of said
statement is attached. I then wrote
the board a protest against receiving
these objectionable case goods and in?
dicated that I would not receive them
unless compelled. A number of cars
of these goods are now standing in
the freight yards of this city, and I
do not propose to receive them unless
forced to do so. There are also li?
quors on hand that, in my judgment,
should be returned. While I have no
legal authority to refuse to accept
ithese goods, I have taken this drastic
action because I feel that it is neces?
sary to the safeguarding of the finan?
cial int?r?ts of the dispensary. It is
my hope that, as my repeated pro?
tests have had no effect on the board,
some action will be taken by the con?
stituted authorities to relieve.the con?
dition.
Some time ago it was decided to cut
out practically all case goods and to
rectify all of the better grades here,
and to handle bonded warehouse
goods. A recifying plant has been
put up in here at a cost of-and
an' expert rectifier was employed at a
sab ry of $200 a month. In view of
this policy it would seem decidedly
unbusinesslike to stock up with case
goods. In the meantime a sufficient
quantity of bulk goods has been re?
ceived to supply the rectifying plant.
We are short on some barrel goods
that have been needed a year; at the
same time we are very much over?
stocked on some of the other barrel
goods. Respectfully submitted.
W. O. Tatum,
Commissioner.
TATUM'S CHARGES
To Be Investigated-Dispensary Lead?
ers Did Not Oppose Resolution.
Columbia, Jan. 16.-Without d'"vis
ion,'today the house passed Senator
Preston's resolution to provide for an
investigation into Commissioner Tat?
um's charges as to overstock at the
State dispensary. The dispensary
leaders in the house did not oppose
the investigation, but tried to limit its
scope.
Reuben Fax-Yonder^ a farmer
that raised ? pumpkin so big that
when it was cut in two his twins .each
used half for a cradle.
Cityleigh-That's nothing. In our
town we often have three or four po?
lice asleep on a single beat.
Why His Marriage Failed.
He regarded children as a nuisance.
He did all his courting before "mar?
riage.
He never had time to go anywhere
with his wife.
He doled out money to his wife
as if to a beggar.
He looked down upon his wife as
an inferior being.
He never took time to get acquaint?
ed with his family.
He thought of his wife only for
what she could bring to him.
He never dreamed that there Were
two sides to marriage.
He never dreamed that a wife needs
praise or compliments.
He had one set of manners for
home and another for society.
He paid no attention to his person?
al appearance after marriage.
He thought his wife should spend
all her time doing housework.
He married an ideal and was dis?
appointed to find it had flaws.
He treated his wife as he would
not have dared to treat another wom?
an.
Spain and Rome in History.
Spain and Rome are sufficiently es?
tranged at present to make their past
history redouble its interest, particu?
larly where it affects ourselves. It is
somewhat strange that Major Hume,
in his new book, makes so much of
Mary Tudor as Queen of Spain. She
never saw that country. Her husband
was only heir of it at their marriage,
and he left her in August, 1555, aft?
er their first union of 13 months. He
received the kingdom in January,
1556, and rejoined his wife for two
months in 1557, after which she saw
him no more. In the two last years
of her life, however, the British royal
title was 'Philip and Mary, King
and Queen of England, Spain, France,
both Sicilies. Jerusalem, and Ireland,
Defenders of the Faith," which j
sounds very quaint. Mary was ll j
years older than her husband, as was j
the lau- Queen Draga, and both la- j
dies had the same disappointment in j
matter of an heir.-Pall Mall Ga- J
zette.
J. Pierpont Morgan's cigars are said
to be made especially for him at a
cost of about $2.50 each. Evidently
some of the captains ?pf industry are
rather choice in the matter of smok?
ing, in this world, anyway.
DR. JAMES WOODROW DEAD.
A Brief Ske tch of His Long an? Busy
Life-Dcm in England and Came
to Canada When 8 Years Old.
Columbia, Jan. 17.-Dr. James
Woodrow, scientist, college president,
theologian, publicist, banker and busi?
ness man, died today. He was 79
years old.
Dr. Woodrow was born in the his?
toric city of Carlisle, England, with?
in six miles of the Scottish border,
May 20, 1S2S. When eight years old
he came with his parents to America,
first settling in Canada, but later re?
moving to the United States. He was
taught by his father, who was a Pres?
byterian minister. He entered Jef?
ferson college, at Canesburg, Pa., in
1846, graduating with honors. In
January, 1853, he was elected pro?
fessor of natural science at Oglethorp,
Ga. In 1855 and 1856 he-studied in
Germany, receiving the Ph. D. de?
gree at Heidelberg. From 1861 to
1862 he taught chemistry and geology
at the South Carolina college. Was
editor of the Southern Presbyterian.
In 1891 was elected president of the
South Carolina college. His views
on evolution caused a great stir in the
Presbyterian churches several years
ago.
DISPENSARY DIRECTORS BROKE
THE LAW, SAYS ATTORNEY.
Mr. J. E. McDonald's Report, After
Being Suppressed for Weeks, is at
Last Secured-He Finds That the
. Former Directors Made Largely
Excessive Purchases and That the
Purchases Were Illegal.
Columbia, Jan. 17.-The annual re?
port of the State board of directors
of the State dispensary . was made
public today. That report is dated
January 9 and is addressed to Gov.
Heyward. Accompanying it in the re?
port of Mr. J. E. McDonald, who was
employed as special attorney by the
present board to report on the legal?
ity of certain purchases made by the
fermer board, consisting of Chairman
H. H. Evans, John Bell Towill and
L. W. Boykin. The report of Mr.
McDonald was submitted, as will be
seen, on November 12, but it has nev?
er been secured for publication before
today.
Mr. McDonald's report shows that
$200,000 worth of liquor was bought
in excess of the institution's needs by
the former board, and the report of
the directors states that of this
amount $110,249.74 was returned, the
rest being used. Most of these pur?
chases, Mr. McDonald declares, were
illegally made, and, as was brought
out by the investigating committee,
orders were frequently given by the
clerk of the board over the telephone,
or without order from the board, a
resolution of the board empowering
the clerk to do this whenever it was
deemed necessary.
The board of directors have had
this report of Mr. McDonald before
them* since November 12. The com?
missioner has stated in a letter to a
senator that the present board has
only recently made purchases largely
in excess of th? dispensary's needs,
and the present board is now to be
investigated.
In Line With the Pure Food Law.
?Our popular druggist, J. F. W. De
Lorme, has recently placed an order
for that remarkably meritorious med?
icine known as Chamberlain's Cough
Remedy. This remedy complies with
the Pure Food Law, and is free from
opiates of every character, thus mak?
ing it a safe cough remedy for moth?
ers to use with children. It is good
for severe, stubborn coughs as well as
for croup with children. The remedy
is absolutely guaranteed and our
when found to be unsatisfactory. Call
druggist will refund full retail price
for it just once. 12&1
WORSE EVERY YEAR.
_ .
Plenty of Sumter Readers
Have the Same Experience.
DoD't neglect an aching back.
It Mill eet ^orse every year.
Backache is really kidney ache.
To cure the back you must care the kid?
neys.
If you don't, other kidney i'.lb follow
Urinary troubles, diabete-, Bright's dis?
ease.
A Sumter citizen tells you how-the
cure is easy.
George W. Ilancock. jailer. ^7 Canal street,
says: "Dean's Kidney Pills will always have
my endorsement. I have used Hiern for my
kidneys and back. I have been down in bed
on account of my hack several times and suf?
fered the most intense pain right across the
loins. I could not turn over without using
my hands, and then it seemed as if my back
would break. My urine was very dark, full of
sediment and caused nu- to risc several times
during the night. I used everything I could
gel hold of. but nothing seemed to dome any
??ood. and 1 have beer: confined to my ned
weeks at a time and just hobbled around the
rest. 1 heard of Doan's Kidney Pilis and got
a box at Dr. A. J. ('luna's drug store. I have
used three boxes of them, and the pain in my
back has left, my urine has QOsediment, and
I can go around without a cane and feel like
a new man. Doan's Kidney Pills are the best
kidney remedy.''
For sale by all dealers. Price 50 cents.
Foster-Mill.nm Co.. Buffalo. N.Y.. sole agents
for the Dni?cu Si ates.
Remember the name-Doan's-and take no
ot) ter. 3S
iiiimiiiiiiMimiiiiiMiiiiiiiinimiiHiiM'iinHiimhiiuwuiiHuS?
900 DROPS
j?^cgetablePrcpara?ioalbr?^
sifl?lating ?eToodandRegtiVi*
ting tbeS toiaadis aDdJ3oweki ?
Etocwtesl^csuDaCiiccifiih
OKSsaadBteLConlains ndito
Oipaum>[orpuin0 norUteiaL
HOT NARC OTIC.
Jb?Smnm*
Arin Smt ?
MB1 .
Apedect Rem&ly f orCo?siba
ticrti,SourStoms?fi,Diarf]S9ca,
\V?3n3^^onyu1sibns,F2vwis&
0?ss and Loss OF SLET.E
Yac Simile Signature of
NEW YORK.
ATO rnoxvlhs old
DOSES-J} C rv
EXACT C?P3T WWRAEEEa,
For Infants and CMMren.
" 1 Hill i I I I I -^?-?r-???-??-' -'"T I I ?? I ?II11J,? .TM
The Kind You Have
Always Bough!
Thirty Years
nk*ftT'- ^^mrnmw THE CENTAUR COMPANY, new YORK env.
JUST RECEIVED
Another Car Load of
AND
Booth Live Stock Co.
W. A. BOWMAN, Pres. ABE RYTTENBERG, V. Pres
P. G. BOWMAN, Sec. & Treas.
The Sumter Banking
& Mercantile Company,
oommm?apltal Stock $50,000*****?^
Wholesale Grocers, Fertiliz?
ers and Farmers' Supplies.
Sole agents for the celebrated brand of Wil?
cox & Gibbs Fertilizers.
We a,re prepared to quote the very closest
cash or time prices on all lines of
Groceries, Fertilizers and Farmers'
Supplies,
And invite your investigation before makix^
your arrangements for another year.
Come to see us. We will save you money,
and give you a hearty, courteous welcome.
Sumter Banking I
Mercaniiie Company,
Masonic Building, 2a\door from the Postoffice.
Sumter, S. C.
Pension Notice.
The undersigned will be in Audi?
tor's office every Saturday during
January next to receive and make ap?
plications for new applicants as re?
quired by lav,-.
v7. D. SCARBOROUGH,
Commissioner.
1-9-2t
FOR SALE.
A limited quantity "blight proof*
Cotton Seed. Price $2 per bushel.
It has been proven by repeated tests
that this variety cotton will grow and
make good crops on land where the
ordinary seed is a complete failure
E. C. LEE,
l-9-4t Catchall, S. a