The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-12-04
THE NEW LEGISLATURE :
bin WORK OF REFORM. :

.!,iss WORK Of REFORM. T."
L. ....a.i.':a -
The new Legislature has now been
q week in session, and has given cheer
ing indications of its disposition te
redeem the pledges of reform which
were ,aaade in behalf Of the Nose:
ADMINISTRATION during the recent can
vass. It has begun where all reform
must begin and end, in reduction O
tie public expenditures. These ex
penditures were beyond all precedent
and all reason, and if continued would
soon bankrupt the State. The Leg
istature begins the good work by re-
dteing its ATTACHES from over hive
hundred to thirty-nine- fifteen in the
Senate and twenty-four in the House
-ihGt abolishing the salried office OF
Ciaplain-in reducing the unneces'
sairyl expenditures Of its various com
mittees-and in the Introduction al
ready Of measures looking to other
and inpertant reforms.
sIhe.6r& movement which seemed
tedpdicate the policy of the new ad
ministration, and to give an earnest
of what, was to come, were the vari
GUS, iinjunctions granted by Judge
Melton, and which were designed to
restrain an improper application Of
the public funds. The first was in
s;ituted at the suit of the new Treas
uJorf Cardozo, and was granted by the
preseatqAttorhey-General of the new
Government, and stayed most eeflec'
tuanynshe payment of all fraudulent
claims, and among them those bogus
pa5 certificates, in connection which
the, most serious charges were made
against the new Executive. The
second injunction laid q new .embar
60 npon the collection of all taxes
uutil 1.-The. new administration could
direct their proper application TO tho
Legitimate expenditures of the pres
elfftt year, and could adjust the inter
est upon the public debt, by separa
ting the trne from the fraudulent.
The very first business of.tho Leg
islature will,beto, raise, funds for cur
lent expenditures, audit seems TO: b
the design now to make no provision
forahe payment Of interest until th'
validity or invallidity of tie variou:
issues Of bonds is definitely. settled
Over twenty millions of bonds ant
stocks are outstanding against tn
State, when the true debt iof tb
State cannot. exceed ten millions
This has been brought about BY tn
issue. Of conversion bonds, hotas idl
rested by the Act, for the redemp
tion of the debt, but for its ;inereas
and'for other and foreign purposes
This whole subject will form one o
III, most important of the presen
Session, and will doubtless receive
early attention at the hands Of ,h
Legislature. -
.".As3weh have sale, the beginning ant
sHd of reform iss'in a, reduction o
expenditqres-in the diminution o
Offices audi the reduction of salaries
Ths2Legislature in cutting down TIT
lnni5er. of its attaches, bas only be
gun q good work. We have to-
many salaried offices, drawing. higl
rates of compensation. The pay o
5000 to each Legislator. is itself ex
ersitant, and forms contrast to th'
good old times. when $500 per day
Was ample pay to a legislator and I
session Of three weeks, ample for the
&ork ofLegislation. Let our mod
:srh law-makers propose to the,nselT e
4ihe economy Of those days, and in
penditure of s2,OO0,ooo the annua
stead of q wastefnl and fraudufent;ex
nnnropriation will not exceed $500,