The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-12-05
A Hove in the Right Dlreetion-The Dan
.: . gers Ahead.

We we're so much gratified at the action OF
the General Assembly yesterday in the limita-
ton of the number of attaches, that we are in
clined to administer to the members modicum
of what the Union is pleased to term "insidious
Democratic fattery."
AS will be seen in our report of the proceed
ings of the Legislature, the attaches of the
Senate have been fixed at fifteen, and those OF
the House at twenty-four. This is large
number compared to former times, but 1t IS
great reduction from last year. 1t was author
itatively stated during the canvass OF the last
State election, that there were 567 attaches
during the session of 1912. at any rate,
pay certificates were issued to that number
The difference between SO and 567 is quite ap-.
parent. IF the expenses in all departments OF
the Government are reduced in the same ratlo
or in anything like the same ratio, the work OF
reformation will have been no less satisfactory
than surprisingly accomplished. There is evil
IDENTIFY an excellent temper in the Legislature,
to begin with. The Conservative element is
not only greatly improved, but the Republican
members also seem of better disposition than
in any of our preceding Assemblies. The ma
iority of the colored members are new men.
| They are illiterate in great measure, 1t Is
true, but not more so than those whose places
they fill. Moreover, they have not yet felt the
tempting power of greenbacks. They are fresh
from their constituency and are impressed with
the Importance of retrenchment and economy
in the management of the affairs of State. Ii
the corrupting influence of the lobby can be
kept down, we are encouraged to believe that
the new Assembly will do honor to itself, please
good men of all parties and render valuable
service to the State There is not great deal
left to steal now, and the integrity OF the new
members will probably not be put to such Sc
we're tests as was that of our two preceding
Legislatures. The bonds of the State being
worthless, there is no reason to apprehend any
corrupt schemes in reference to them, the credit
of the State being so low, too, there will proba-
bly be no more fraudulent attempt to secure
State aid for railroads or other apparently laud-
able enterprises.
The Senatorial election and the tax bill are
the only two trying ordeals 80 far as now ap-
pears, through which the Assembly will be
called upon to pass Two of the candidates
for the United States Senate professed to base
their hopes of election upon the use, or per-
haps we might more correctly say, the promise
of money. Such men in any we'll ordered
community would be damned at once. They
ought to be damned here, and we shall do all
in our power to effect that desirable end. The
candidates we refer to are j. J. Patterson and
Robert X. Scott. The one is the tool OF cam
eron. of Pennsylvania, and could not in any
sense represent South Carolina in the Senate;
the other, though perhaps not the tool of any
particular person or clique, would be ii ne
could. and is not one whit better, that we can
see, than his illustrious competitor. But it is
not against the character or capacity OF the
men that we care to inveigle. Neither one OF
them would effect any good certainly, nor could
they do much harm perhaps to South Carolina
as members of the Senate of the United States
1t is the corrupt means they propose to employ
in their eudeavor to secure their seats which
causes us to cry aloud against them. If the
perncious effects of that bribery which it is
currently reported they are ready to resort to
would extend no further than the mere Sena-
torial election, though no less immoral, it
would not be a matte! of such grave concern
az it is. Once the fingers of the now innocent
colored legislator has felt the tingling touch of
gold once he is beguiled from the path of rec
titude; once he allows his desire for private
gain to blunt his sense of public duty, he is
lost. The present Assembly, which now does
really seem to promise much OF good, will in
that event become but a counterpart of those
of the last four years, and there will be no
hone left for the extrication of our State from
the tolls which now surround her. AS it was
last winter so it will be this, that no measure,
however praiseworthy, can pass the General
Assembly unless it be paid for, nor will any
fail however noxious, if there be money to
back it. The corruptionists ought to be frowned
down at the beginning.-South Cdrolinian.