The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-12-02

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the bonds put upon the market, until the
road was completed and put in running
order, after which it was believed that a
lease for term of years might be given,
by which the payment of its first mort.
gage debt and interest could certainly be
guaranteed, thereby leaving the State
without possible risk of ever having to
pay one dollar of her endorsed bonds of
this road. Having hitherto taken strong
grounds against any assistance to rail-
roads, and against any increase of our
State debt, that would be liable to burden
the people of the State with heavy taxes,
/ do not feel at liberty to make any direct
recommendations in regard to the. Blue
Ridge Railroad, much as / appreciate its
Importance to the State, and feeling con-
fident that it is the on y railroad enter
prise that will develop our resources and
make other roads leading to cur seaboard
valuable. I leave the question with you
to consider whether the credit of the
State at the present time admits of the
prosecution of work on this enterprise. l
have grave doubts whether the further
endorsement of bonds at this time would
not injuriously affect the value of our Sc
curities in the market, as many will not
fully understand that the assistance to the
Blue Ridge Railroad would be a contiD-
gent liability, that the State would only
be compelled to meet on failure of the
Company to pay their bonds at maturity.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Secretary of State,
herewith appended, exhibits the trans
action of that office for the year end
ing October Slst, lse9 Their multiplied
ty will give some idea ofthe entire amount
Of work performed by the various Execu-
tive Departments during the past year.
EDUCATION.
The Report of the Superintendent of
Education is necessarily incomplete, rs
the returns from several Counties have
not reached him, but he hopes to be able
in q very short time to present for your
consideration full and complete report.
1t is very desirable that an efficient and
comprehensive law On this important SUBJ
ject should be passed at as early period
as practicable.
TIE LAND COMMISSION.
Up to the present time thcrc have been
purchased in the several counties, for the
purpose of the Land Commission, forty
five thousand acres of land, which is now
in process of survey and division into
tracts of eligible size for purchasers and
occupants. l recommend an additional
appropriation to this benefcent object, Of
securing homes for the worthy and indus
trious mechanic and laborer, which will
establish many small farmers in the place
of the comparatively few heretofore hold
ing that relation, and consequently will
insure the better cultivation of the soil
and the expenditure of greater por-
portion of thoir earnings at home, instead
of being dissipated in luxury and extrava-
gance in distant cities Tho bonds issued
for the purposes of the Land Commission
must become a first class security, as
they will not only have the credit of the
State, but the money arising from the
sales Of the lands, with their improve
ments, as an additional guarantee. The
annual instalmehts of payments for these
lands will be ample to meet the interest
on them. as we'll as to provide sinking
fund for their redemption at maturity,
without the possibility of having to resort
to taxation for that purpose. Their issue,
therefore, can havo no possible injurious
influence on the credit of the State, bat
should rather enhance it. as the subdivis-
ions of large bodies of land, much of it
uncultivated, into small and productive
farms, would ut once treble it's value, and
afford an increased basis of taxation to
the same extent.
HOMESTEAD RELIEF.
The law securing a homestead worth
one thousand dollars, with the products
thereof, and five hundred dollars worth
of other personal property to each head
of family whose property may be levied
upon for debt, continues to fulfil its be-
nefcent design, but there is no sufficient
reason why its benefits should be restrict
ed to the land-holder. The professional
man, the mechanic, the farmer, and the
laborcr, are equally entitled to its advan-
tages. At present the proprietor OF the
homestead may rent out portions of 1t
to tho farmer, the mechanic and the la
borer; and if by sickness or misfortune
they should get behind hand, their little
property is liable to seizure. Even the
food provided for his family may be taken
from them, and they expelled from their
humble shelter and exposed to the sever
tiles of winter, and all this while their
landlord is enjoying in comfort the mu-
nifcent bounty of the State. This IS
neither right nor just, nor in accordance
with sound public policy. The poor, tho
unfortunate and the helpless, should ever
be the special objects of public regard. l
therefore recommend to your favorable
consideration the propriety of so amend
ing the Homestead Law, that it's princi-
ples should bo applied TO the laboring
u. Al ri