Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-12-15
Extracts from Gov. scott's Message.

enls connection, to the prOprlety OF reducing
the salaries of the Clerks of the Senate and
House. Taking the number of days on which
these officers are presumed to be employed,
their compensation, per diem, respectively,
Is more than five times greater than that re-
ceived by member of the body in which
they are subordinates, while the annual salary
Gift< each equals the highest received by any
of6coEln the State, except the Chief ustice.
This is an anomaly without precedent in any
other State, and unwarrantcd by tho present.
condition of the State Treasury.
recommend that the present system for
the public printing DC changed without delay,
and the great drain upon the Treasury, caus-
ed thereby, checked at once The authority
vested in the Clerks of tho Senate and House,
in regard to the printing, should be rescind-
ed, and proper safeguard, and rigid system
of accountability instituted, to insure the
strictest economy in this very considerable
branch of the public expenditures 1t
should not be left to the discretion of subor-
dnate officers of the General Assembly, how
ever honest and judicious they may be 10 the
discharge of suoh trust. The existing sys-
tenn has involved an expenditure for printing
as to be real calamity to the State 1t has
cvcntuatcd in contract for the public print
ing which is flugrant fraud upon the Treas
ury, and should be instantly annullcd.
have ascertaiucd that the company with
which the printing contract has been made,
to wit: the Republican Printing Company
neither owns nor controls any journal or prin.
ting establishment, and is even without legal
existence, but has the work executed in this
city Mt the regular market rates, and thus de-
rivcs an immense profit from the Treasury of
the State, without any outlay on their part
Under existing laws for the assessment aud
collection of taxes, real estate is made to bear
an undue proportion of the burdens of taxa.
ton. For the purpose, therefore, of raising
a sufficient revenue to deiray the current cx-
penscs Of an economical administration CT the
State, and meet its obligations to its creditors,
while at the same time lcsscning its tax on
realty, / make the following recommends.
tlons. These recommendations, if judicious.
ly carricd out, will secure the payment or tag
cs on classes Of property hitherto practically
exempt from taxation, and tend to utilize all
legitimate sources Of State revenue. The
bulk OF the cotton and ricc-:s shipped from
the State or sent to market, in the intcrrcg.
nun between the annual assessment of taxes,
and is thus practically exempted from taxa,
tion, contributing but small share to the
amount OF revenue derived from the tax on
personal property. A tax on these important
aud valuable products, such us they may rea.
sonably bear without checking production,
and, according to value, should be especially
provided for, and the necessary measures eu>
acted to insure its collection with certainty
This vast natural source of revenue has
not yet been utilized, but comparatively
hox,t th,,pf ln,,,>
from it by the State. | recommend that
some proper officer be designated by law,
whose duty it shall be, by actual inspection
and measurement, to ascertain the number of
tons of phosphate belonging to the State,
that arc excavated by the several chartered
companies, and to certify and to collect the
royalty due upon the same
recommend that ull persons engaged in
the sale of liquors, and all merchants, factors,
lawyers and physicians, be required to take
out State license
A tax should be levied on all premiums re.
ceivcd by insurance companies.
All the most important railroad companies
in this State pay no taxes on their property.
earnestly recommend that tax be levied on
every railroad company in the State, for ev.
cry passenger and every ton of freight trans
ported.
TO enforce the more prompt payment of
the taxes, and to check the growth Of the
present enormous arrear list, recommend
that the law be so amended that real and per.
sonal property, subject to taxation, shall be
sold at public sale, by the County Treasurers,
within thirty days after the same shall have
become Delinquent under tho tax lcvy-the
personal property to be first exhausted, if no.
cessary, to satisfy the tax, before sale is made
of the reaity--and that bonds of tho State
be taken in payment at par for all real estate
purchased at delinquent land sales. [ fur.
thor recommend that the several County
Treasurers shall be authorized and required
to give absolute titles to all real estate and
personal property go sold, within sixty days
after the date of such sale; that the State
shall! warrant and defend such titles, and they
shall be hold and taken by all Courts in tho
State as titles in fee simple; and that, in all
legal proceedings, the said Courts shall be
concluded by said titles as to all matters
touching any irregularity that may have been
had in connection with such sales, and which
may be alleged against the validity of the
said titles. This provision, as to time of sale
and redemption, not to apply to the property
of minors and persons who arc non con,pos
mentis. or confined in public prisons.
/ would also urge that tho provision of law
requiring County Auditors to purchase lands
for the State, at delinquent land sales, be ro.
pealed, and that all such lands, heretofore
purchased by tho State, be sold without do
Law, subject to tho claims of those who may
hold any of such lands under the State lease,