The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-21
THE FINANCIAL RING.
Operations of the Shaving Machine
How Appropriations are Exhausted
A Nice Little Game.
rpRoy OFF OWN coRRRspoNpENT.l !

I do not think am at all out of the way
ir asserting that the entire financial management
OF the State, from county treasurer up to state
treasurer, Is systematic and barefaeed swindle.
Without any extended comment desire to pre-.
sent to you few facts in point.
There are so many cases thst hardly know
where to begin. It might 90 20 give the excep-
tions; but, II the truth must be known, there ore
none In the first place let US look at
TEACHERS CLAIMS.
Jf any money is paid out OF the State treasury
for honest labor 1t must be to the teachers OF the
public schools. For, leaving out Of the question
few incompetent teachers, all Of them have per-
formed their duty arduously II not well. AS all
badly managed governments, there is In the State
Of South Carolina an almost endless system OF
red.tapeism to be gone through with before any
claim can be presented in proper shape to the
State treasurer for payment The teachers, being
in the main ignorant Of the details Of the so-caed
system, labor under great difficulties IN prosecut-
ing their claims. These difficulties are increased
IN great measure by the inability, as well as the
dIsnclination, of majority OF the school commits
sioners to furnish information. When, after much
palms, and perhaps expense, the teacher receives
from the superintendent Of education his warrant
on the treasurer, he Imagines that he has arrived
at the height Of pecuniary felicity. The stereo-
typed answer OF the u-bane clerks OF Mr.. Parker's
department, that 'the appropriation is exhaust
eds however, invariably brings them realizing
sense OF their impecuniosity.
THE SHAVE BUSINESS.
This, Of course, doesn't refer TO BARRIERS, though
It is O barbarous joke on the victims. By the
s.shaye business" we mean a practice which
prevails among the wogld-be heavy fnancierlng
misds OF The capital. a practice tolerated and,
perhaps, admired by some In the vicinity OF Chat.
ham street, but not calculated to merit the com.
mendation Of the simpler people raised here
abouts.
To 20 into particulars. The teacher, when he
casts about to discover when, If ever, and where,
If at any place. he shall receive pay for his hard
work, generally runs across some dlslnterested C)
Individual who makes mention OF some friend OF
his lust around the corner, who will, at great
sacrifice OF his personal interests, accommodate
him By advancing about one-half the amount of
the claim, taking the very great risk Of getting
repaid by the State.
THE BANE AND TRUST COMPANY.
The South Carolina Bank and Trust Company, it
is hardly necessary to add, represents the party
round the corner. Under the charter granted
them by the State, this company we're enabled TO
do almost anything under the sun, and license
for sheer gougns seems not to have been LETT out.
Every one seems to understand that claim OF
any kind can be shaved at this institution, and
seems TO know as we'll that some special provis-
ion l. made against loss on the part OF the Sank
MANAGERS OF ELECTIONS.
Every one knows that not one out OF five man.
ayers OF elections appointed ever presents an &C.
count for pay for services. If those who did pre-
sent accounts only knew how near to impossible
It was to have them paid, they would withhold
them altogether, and save themselves and their
friends much troublef
On the t.Gtute book OF the State We find that
an appropriation was made last year OF fifteen
tnousan1 dollars, 'for the expenses OF the gene
raj election of 187o accounts TO be audited by the
Stote auditor, and paid on the warrant Of the
comptroller general" Now, fifteen thousand dol
,ars is not such large sum, but 1t Is just about
three thousand dollars over and above what could
be paid II every manager and commissioner took
the largest amount the law would allow him.
There were niDety-three commissioners of elec-
t,ous. whose services at full time won come TO
1890; services Of $50 manag rs, allowing ten polls
TO each county, $3.50; clerks to commissioners
would cost s1s6; clerks to managers, s1sGO; mile
age OF commissioners twenty miles each,) s1S6;
mileage for managers (twentS miles each,) 1880;
amounting in all to S1l, 1852. This wouli leave
over six hundred dollars for printing &C., and
then laaye a balance o. three thousand dollars. I
am giving yol these figures only to show that
thre could be no possibility by which the appEo-
priation could honestly be expended. And yet it
Is notorious that the poor creatures who are fool
ish enough 10 apply to the treaaury to have their
accounts paid are always anticipated and inform.
ed tina.
.ITEE APPROPRIATION Is EXHAUSTED"
If 90. how is it "exhausted 2'' 1t seems that
the great legal minds at the capital decided, pre-
vous 10 the election, that the canvass. especially
that portion OF 1t conducted by the Radical party,
was the general election referred to In tie law.
As opinions can be readily obtained to account
for deficits and tricks Of all kinds this affair will,
doubtless, be elucidated to US at some time, and
we will be as muddled as ever, perhaps more go.
'IF so, HOW hucH ~
Now, fifteen thousand dollars Is but little
amongst one. We cannot venture to calculate
how much It would be divided amongst the many
sharks following our old ship Of State. barnacled
with the corruption OF the past few years. oo'
serve, the infnltlssimal meanness used to shave
these creditors out Of paltry i've per cent. on
claims OF TWO dollars or so each, the percentage
! amounting at the most to not more than $3.50