The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-10
COLUMBIA, s. C.
Tuesday Morning. February 10, 1874.
The Bili Payable Imbroglio.


The Bill Payable Imbroglio.
The General Assembly took no def.
mite action, yesterday, on the anomalous
state of things brought to it's view in the
letter OF Trea, urer Oardozo. last Satur-
day. The committee appointed by the
Senate asked for further time to make a
report. and it was granted. Meanwhile,
the war RACES. President Solomon re-
turned Treasurer Cardozo's FIRE. yester-
day. in communication to bo found in
our report of the legislative proceed
ings. he repels with warmth the impu-
tation OF irregularity made by the Trea-
surer againas his $25. coo "bill payable. +"
He says that the items of his claim, when
before the General Assembly, were ex
amined carefully by committees of the
awo houses, and by individuals of differ.
ant shades of political opinion. and by
Oardozo himself. aud that all parties
had been Satisfied. Under these circum-
stances and after such scrutiny, he says,
the bill was passed, and the claims now
presented for payment are the claims
which were 80 examined.
The facts thus stated by AIR. Solo
mon, if conceded to be true, and We
have not heard them denied, aud have
no motive to doubt them. do not estab-
lish the validity of the claim, by any
means. Mr.. Solomon may hnve come
by it in, the properest way in the world.
and yet it may be only bogus as against
the State of South Carolina. The fact
HAT it eluded the careful srrutiny of 81
many people, while it may raiee pre-
sumption in it's favor, does not and eau
not establish it's validity. Things that
depend upon record must be judged by
record AT the same timp, We thiuk
that Mr.. Solomon has good GROUND of
complains, that any auw in the bill pay.
able should not have been found before
the Act authorizing it's paym was
passed. On the other hand, it may be
said for the State, "better late than
never"
Mr.. Solomon denies the statement of
the Treasurer that he has attached the
moneys OF the State in his bunk. He is
only seeking to comply with the instruc.
tions is,ued to him by the Comptroller,
as to the mode of payment of checks
and keeping his accounts. In Section
9of the bill to raise supplies for the
present fiscal year, it il provided that
the proceeds from the taxes levied in
she several sections Of the Act shall be
kept by the State Treasurer separate
md apart from each other and from
other public funds. and shall be applied
TO the purposes for which they are re-
speotively levied and none other. The
Act hardly contemplhtes tho separation
OF funds In the bank. but in the ao.
sounts OF the Treasurer. The money is
to be kept altogether. but the Treasurer
must strictly keep the account OF each
fund, what is collected of it, what paid
on it, &c: This. We shonld think, he
could ssdo himself; but Comptroller
Hoge thinks sit necessary that the
monthly account current of the bank
must show it as we'll as Mr.. Cardozo's
books, and perhaps he is right. Dis.
trust lies at the bottom of this imbro.
Clio. Confidence in each other, among
the State officials. seems among the lost
girtues.' II there 10 so much sqnabbling
over funds whose paym out is strictly
regulated. how will it be with the one
mill tax which has been levied to pay
the half yearly interest upon the public
debt of the State as lately adjusted, sup.
posing that it is not called for, in con-
sequence of the refusal Of the terms Of
scaling by the holders of the bonds?
Will that money lie idle. or will it be
pnt where it will do most good to those
who manipulate
We are requested by Mr.. J. T. Moore
10 say. that he usod the word nmwise,
and not unnecessary, in his remarks be-
3Oro the taxpayers of Greenyille Countv