The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-07-19
Parker's Apology.


Miles G. Parker, the notorious Trea-
surer of reconstructed South Carolina,
is out with lengthy pamphlet Sin de-
fence of his official acts" There is no.
thing new or startling in the pamphlet,
except, perhaps, the closing paragraphs,
in which this self-saorifcing citizen,
while edisclaiming any undignifed anxiety
for the place, expresses his willingness
to subject himself again for another
term of four years to the arduous duties
of his responsible Office. This good
man is willing to do anything to serve
the great Republican party which has
done 80 much for the country at large.
and especially for the poor people of
South Caroline. This is very dis
iRterested offer Of the perseouted Trea-
surer, OF course, and we hope the Re-
publican party will. in appreciation for
Shis past 3abors, release him from any ad-
ditional services in its behalf. The
Treasurer makes beautiful record for
himself, showing, by the highest au-
; thority in the land, the reports Of COM
< m;ttees of our present able and incor.
rupible General Assembly, that his
: books are ali right; that he has honest
g vouchers for every dollar paid out of the
treasury, land that the entire business of
his department has been conducted in q
manner alike ereditable to himself and
worthy of the great party which he
represents. There has been, he is
.gssned to acknowledge, slight increase
of SO, 600, 600 in the bonded debt of the
State; but this. Mr. Parker very tri-
.nmphantly shows. is owing entirely to
the Democrats of the State, the awful
Ku Klu&, who, though not in power,
and having no control over the finances,
did, ia some hocus-poous manner, frown
down the new bonds, frightened capi-
talists off, and, what is most wonderful
still. forced the worthy Financial Board
TO sell their bonds at the greatest sacri-
fee. .-,-s.-eEs .>s
For long period of time, up to about
year ago, when it was discovered by
the wicked Democracy that $40, 900. 900
and upwards Of conversion bonds were
being struck of in New York. the State
ebonds were ranging away up to 70 and
$50 cents on the dollar. The Financial
Board might have sold then, but we pre-
sume thst the Democracy would not
allow them, and they were thus COM
spc!led to cling to their securities until
they we're reduced to the pitiable price
Of So cents, 80 that for the $4,000, 600
of bonds only So, 450. 900 was realized.
Some people might ask, why were the
bonds issued at all? To this, Mr.. Parker
sgives very luoid and satisfactory an
sswer. The expenses of the government
were so muoh greater than the amount
collected by taxation, that there was an
absolute necessity to issue bonds. Why
&hese expenses should be 80 many hun
~dred fold greater than when the pro-
.perty holders had voice in the public
disbursements, Mr.. Parker does not
deem it worth while to explain. OF
COURSE. it requires considerable amount
more of money to sustain great, noble
and benefcent government, like the one
We now enjoy, than the .one.horse con-
Germ which ruled while the close.fsted
Democracy held sway. It requires
money surely to build great railroads,
erect magnificent public edi6ces, keep
lin successful operation all the year round
thousands of public schools for the poor,
support properly lunatic asylums, peni-
tentiaries, &c., aud keep up proper
system Of quarantine.
The condition of all these public en- i.
terprises and institutions at the present
time, compared to the style in which
they were encouraged and sustained be-
:fore the war, accounts at once. to any
rational man, why $400. 900 per annum
was amply sufficient to defray all ex.
penses then, while $1,175, ,00C, which
Mr. Parker says has been all that has
been collected annually since his term of
Office. has been totally inadequate to
meet the public needs. Thus it is that
the 99, ,OO0, 600 OF bonds have been added