The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-04-25
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Thursday Morning April 25. 1872.
The state Finances.

promising conoluon, ana reHect great
credit on the powers that be. The pub
lie schools in several Counties have been
suspended, for want OF money. in spite
OF the solemn protestations of the car
pet.baggers to their colored constituents
that the masses shall be educated. The
different charitable institutions OF the
State are also much embarrassed, and
the Lunatio Asylum, always an object Of
solioitude to the Government, will short
ly be closed, if assistance be not imme-
diately forthcoming. What has become
Of all the money? The taxes which
have been paid in during the past few
months, 1T the rate OF ten mills on the
dollar, for State and County purposes,
should have realized about the amount
of 81, 800. 600; and yet we hive the
cheering information that the State aud
the County Treasures are empty! At
this announcement our rulers are raising
y howl OF rage and disappointment.
Not once did the possibility occur to
them. that the goose which has laid SO
many golden eggs might at last become
exhausted. And now that they have dis
covered this fact, they are mutually up
braiding each other for results for which,
it appears, they are all responsible.
Legislators, clerks and attaches assail
Scott and Parker, and these, in their
turn, seek to free their skirts by crimi-
mating Kimpton. They claim (such is
the rumor) that the latter seizes every
dollar wrenched from the people to satis-
fy his commissions; that Parker's orders
are all protested, and that none OF the
public servants can obtain cent of pay
for their Ualuable services.
Often, in our peregrinations in the
country. have we seen a fresh carcass
lying by the wayside. On nil the neigh
boring trees and fences. are perched
filthy buzzards and carrion crows, eager
to glut themselves on the tempting
morsel. But just upon the carcass itself,
orouches NANCY, gluttonous cur, gorg-
ing himself upon the dainty feast. In
vain, the greedy birds hover around
him; Of no avail are their efforts to drive
him away. He suffers not. ane to ap-
proach and partake Of the least share;
but by growls and snarls, keeps them
at bay, until nothing is left to pick but
the bare bones. The inference is plain.
It seems now to be inevitable that the
State. under carpet-bag rule. will be
plunged into financial ruin. II it must
come. then, the sooner the better; for,
after the complete collapse Of the pre-
sent regime, there is some hope that
better, more honest, wise and economi-
cal counsels may prevail, and the State
Government be conducted, to some OK
tent. at least, in the interest. of the peo-
pie, and not solely, as is now the case,
for the enrichment Of greedy Office
holders. The only cause of regret in the
present condition Of the Treasury, by
euphemism termed financial embarrass-
ment, is the suffering which must ensue
to the pauper inmates of the Lunatic
Asylum and other charitable institutions
OF the State, and the injury done to the
cause OF public education, by tho sus-
pension of the State schools for proba-
bly, year.
The Superintendent of the Peniter-
tiary. we see, has commenced proceed
ings in the Supreme Court to compel the
State Treasurer-Niles G. Parker-to
show cause why he does not pay over
the appropriation made by the Legisla-
ture to the penitentiary. What reply
this formidable legal action will elicit
from the Grand Cyclops of the Financial
Klan, is-a matter, of course, of simple
conjecture. We presume the stereo-
typed answer, "No money in the Trea-
sury," will be given. If the mnmdamus
can go further than this, and compel
the Treasurer to show why there is no
money, we may have some interesting
facts disclosed. It cannot be true that
all, or even the greater portion, of the
moneys lately received from taxeu cor,d