The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-29
COLUMBIAl,1 IS. G.
Thursaay Morning. january %, 1874,
Cartail Expenses,

xH0 Q0Wmttsee OF ways ana Means
is now engaged in considering the ap.
propriations they will recommend. II
it does its duty. it will find MANY leaks
that ought to be stopped. There are
legions OF abuses, large and small, in
the way of expenditures. that demand
correction. Look at the enormous
printing and Legislative expenses. Not
single dollar Of the peoples money
should be thrown away on unworthy
and useless objects. The Legislature,
as the disburser. through its votes, OF
the public funds. should be more strin-
gent and exacting of service for COM
pensation than man would be in his
private hnsiness. II they measure the
compensation OF officials by the service
@k:eh sAey do the State, the appropria-
tions will be cut down largely. and some
now contemplated will not be voted at
oil. Fpr instance. how can men with
any conscience, or any regard for tho
country, appropriate $4,000 for the
South Carolina University? How can
they engage in the Job OF going out
into the highways and byways to gather
up reluctant students, and bring them
here professedly for instruction, but
really for'no other reason than to fur
nish an excuse for drawing heavily on
the public treasury. for the benefit of
men who laye not particle Of claim on
the score'of merit or charity? The In
stitute for the Deaf and Dumb and tho
Blind has been killed stone dead by the
same blind and reckless theory, sought
to be put into practice. which has made
the. University g waste and desert.
Will intelligent men, whether Republi-
cans or Conservatives, white or oolored,
throw away the hard earnings of the
people. under the pretence OF sustain
ing Institutions which have given up the
ghost? In this time of universal strin-
ssaeT. =hen :sen have to cempromise
and be.eatisfed with n bare living, when
education for their children is luxury
beyond the reach Of their means, would
it not be we'll to reduce salaries gene
rally. from the highest official position
in the State to the lowest?
We notice in the bill for the pay OF
members. that mileage is put down at
twenty cents mile each way. Has any
one taken the pains to count the sum
thatis thus annually lost to the State,
in the excess over the amount necessary
to bring our Solons and Dracos to the
capitol and take them back to their
homes? We have not, but do not doubt
that it would suffice to pay tho just ex
penses of the University as now consti-
tuted. The mileage of the members of
the Legislature OF Georgia has just
been reduced to ten cents milo, and
$4,000 saved to.that State by the re-
duotion. This may be considered a
small matter, but the people who have
to foot the bills. call for every reduction
that can be made consistently with a
proper discharge of the public service.
II any one has the taste for spending,
he can do go without let or hindrance,
if he confines himself to his own ho-
nestly acquired means. But when in q
public position, that of the fduoiary
or steward of the funds of the people,
he must remember that he has not the
right to exercise the same latitude. We
want cheap and economical govern.
ment. The people are tired of waste
and spoliation. Unless some check is
speedily applied. we will soon be bereft
of homes, means and comforts. Re-
publicans, outside OF the office holding
circle, and the rings which form round
it, are Interested as well as others, in
securing economy, responsibility and
fairness in the administration of affairs
Let them set their face against the bar.
baric spiendor in which officials live,
and regard the demands Of the whole
people for retrenchment of expenses.
Down with the aristocracy of plunder.
away with the sheen ef falsehood.
----s-o\S-
Our Marion exchanges inform us thai
Mr.. Fillebrowne, Of the Comptroller
Generals Office, gave close examination
to.k N6o-Jox, lo lo,J..