The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-01-09
The State Finances.

InlS is very DEodu SupJoov, 'uu oao
interests every true citizen OF the state. IL is
hobby of ours, for, in our Judgment, the
whole secret of our mis-goyernment can be
found in the slip.shod way in which our finan-
ces are managed. We know that shrewd
Yankees would not come here and undergo the
odium which everywhere attaches to thief
unless they are well paid for it. The fact that
they have been we'll paid is also quite evident.
With scarcely an exception, the men who have
been connected with the State Government in
any influential way, have accumulated large
possessions. Save one or two, they were, at
the time of their advent into power, the most
poyerty-stricken set of men in the community.
Those who did have little money have quin-
tupled their original capital upon salary not
half sufficient to defray their princely expen-
ditures, and many who were known paopers or
men of very INDECENT means, now faunt their
vulgar thousands in the faces of honest men,
from whom they have stolen them.
Steal is rough word to use, but we cannot
see that man who plumbers the public treas
ury is any less thief than ne ne who purioi!ns
the nurse of an individual. The injury in
Aicted. or the Inconvenience caused, may not
be so great, but the moral and legal guilt is
the same. =,
But it is not only from the unaccountahle
evidences of wealth displayed by the State
officials that we presume them dishonest; or,
in other aud plaifer words, to have stolen the
public moneys. This is q strong point against
them-it is almost tible-but it is
not all the evidence that we have. There Is
another link in the chain, and quite an impor-
tant onep The burden upon the people in the
way of. taxes has been increased more than
six hundred fold. In 1867 it cost less than
SS4O0, 900 to support the State government. we
have not the figures before us, but we have
heard the statement made by Judge Orr, for
one, who was the Governor, and it has never
been denied Last year the estimated expen-
+ ses of the Government as made by the state
Treasurer, aggregated within a traction OF
So 100000. This is for the simple current ex-
penses the same as in 1867. 80.
1t is a mere matter of time as to the utter
bankruptcy of the State; if such loose, extrav-
agant and Ihievish financial management is
continued. It is the imperative duty of the
Substantial citizens of the State to look into
the subject, and to administer a remedy, if it
be possible. We do all in our power, as public
Journalists, to expose swindles and to guard
The public interests. Our power, however, is
limited. We can apprise the public of facts
which come to our knowledge, and we can
comment upon them and disseminate our
views views among our readers. We can form and
direct public opinion to some extent; There
our mission ends. 1t is for the people to say
what shall be done. There ought to be COM
bipation and consultation among them.
The Tax Payers Convention proved unsatis-
factory, but there certainly should be an or
ganization of that kind in active and cont!nn-
Gus operation. The mistake made before might
be avoided now.
At all events we should be doing something
to relieve ourselves of the frightful burdens OF
debt and taxation which are being heaped upon
us from year to year, and which will continue
unless we remove them, as legacy to our pos
terity It's shame that we should @ sit quietly M M
Yenturers to Cypress us and deaden all hopes
of the future prosperity of our State. We can
perhaps take the sae and Tans. 1sns sh9G
them them though certainly merited, is not abso-
iutely ie; In necessary, There is force in virtue
and intelligence power in t truth Sfseass which n
be exercised. Let us at least try TO exercise SC IL
and save ourselves and our State.-SouM Car
OHnian