The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1874-12-09
THE IA 1AFxE n:ME RAJ u.

tax laws. has existed during the past
six years. Tho most general and
urgent complaint has been that the
valuations placed upon the property
OF the State have been, to large
degree, oaprioious and excessive. 1t
has also been believed that excessive
Valuation B have been made in order
to conceal the roul extent Of the
burden of taxation. Uudoubtodly,
the machinery for making vAlu .tions
Is somewhat complicated, if not in.
trioate but thosystem will be seen
think, ui''n far examination, to
oe adopted, in all it's features, to
guarding tho rights Of the taxpayer,
IN respect TO assessments, VIII never
it Is admini tered by those who re-.
gard the lnter">ts uf tho taxpayers.
The people demand, and they have
rish: to dcmand, that property
shall DO valued fur t.xution ut its
uuo money value, rs nearly as tho
i"pcrfeotiou Of tho human judgmen ut
VII permit.
The appointment Of county sudi-
tors aud county treasurer, now rests
with the governor, subject to the
confirmation of the Senate. COM
mend to your cal eful consideration
the question Of making th, 80 ,tlictr,
elective by tho pcvp!e Of the several
countless"
Regarding trial justices aud con
s;abl,s, he says:
"The election by the people Of
justices OF tho peavo and constahlcs
is, without question, Constitution.
al right Of the people.
"The whole number of trial JUS.
tices allowed by law is BAT. Tue
iucunbents Of these Offices arc to A
great exteat deficient in the au.li.
ties which mikes uscfAl magis
tratc-"
Rega riding the pardoDirg power of
the executive, he says:
81 think it is proper that I should
state On tLis occasion, that in the
exercise of the power conferred on
tho governor by the Constitution sto
grant rcprie"es ahi purIons after
convictiop,' [ shall endcavor to keep
IN view the end for which our cria,i
nal laws are framed, for the repression
Of crime and the pro;cotiou of socic.
ty. The OCCASIONS will br rare ard
attended by peculiar circumstances cs
in which | shall feel justified iu set.
tilg aside the judgment Of ou mr,s
and tho verdicts Of our juries."
In relation to tho Sutject~of regis.
tration of voters, we quote: =. =.
"The constitution of the St;.te, in
section 8. article VIII, declares that
it shall BE- the duty Of the general
assembly to provide, FROM time to
time, for the registration Of electors. ,
No registration Of electors has been
&, made or provided for since the
! adoption Of the constitution. re
commeLv that this Requirement Of
the constitution DO no longcr disrc>
gardod. The obvious justice of a
registration Of electors, aside from
the positive mandate of the, cons,itu
tlon, renders any argument in its
favor needless' ."..
The contingent fund ia noticed .as
follows
'l do uot hesitate to chara ct, riz,
the whole system of contingent fund.
with has GENTLY sprung up, as
wrong in principle and mischi. YOU
and dcmoraliSing il effect. Daring
the past six years there has been ap
propriated and pad fer continl e.,
funds the astounding sum OF $37G.
S32 "a venture the Opinion tha,
tie Stale would have received euua.
benefit from oDe-iifth of that sun,
expended with economy upon prope.
objcc.s."
Regarding rctrcnchment and econo
my in the State ad admiulstratiJn, Gov.
Chamberlain says:
"Another subject demanding our
most prompt and energetic .clon j.
the reduction Of the ,xrer ses Of the
! general assembly. cannot believe
that any difference If li,ioh will
exist upon this subject. Th. public
within aud without the State have
united i'll pronouucing the ,xpcndi-
lures heretofore male for legisia i've
expenses an intolerable abuse.
! The second measure OF rctrcnch.
ment in legislative expenses which
urge Is "A reduction uf the number of
subo' dinate ofive,s and attacLss Of
the general assembly,"
"Fhe first aud most obvious meas.
uro OF reform is tho shortening Of
the length Of the sessions. find
the average leng,h Of the reguia,
scssicns since 1868, Las b,el los
days."
81 cannot sec at pre- cit eny rea
son OF public nature which can re
qnire Il session of Moro than lhirt,
days. If this general \ssembly
could set the example Of re- 4rn to
the former rule in this Sute Of Il
final adjournmeht before the Christ.
mas holidays. am confident that