The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-02-11
The Deficiencies.

The Legislature at the last session levied
tax of one and feur-ffths mills to pay the de-
fciencies or the balance of unpaid appropria-
tions of the fiscal year ending October ST.
1874
That tax is now being collected, and the de-
fciencies are being paid. The tax wilt produce
about s200,000, while the deficiencies to be paid
from it amount to about $500, 600. 1t is natu-
raj to ask how it happens that there is so wide
discrepancy between the amount collected
and the amount which will be presented for
payment? This question is one of those things
(which no fellow can find out" The fact re-
mains, however, that cit is ever thus" For
the six years in which We have had "recon-
structed" legislature the pecularity noted has
prevailed monotonously, and to all appearance
it will prevail in the future-at least until we
can reconstruct our legislatures.
There are three conditions absolutely essen
tial to the payment of money from the treasury:
First, the claim must be acknowledged by the
State as valid claim second, there must be
an appropriation made to pay the claim 80 ac-
knowledged third, there must be a levy and
collection of tax to pay the appropriation.
Que or the other Of these essential conditions
arc often wanting in the character of The drafts
or orders presented at the treasury for payment
For instance; person will present a CAIN at
the treasury for payment, and the treasury will
politely inform him that no appropriation has
been made for the payment of the claim. The
holder of the paper will probably stare at the
treasurer with amazement and incredullty, and,
when this feeling is overcome, will Indignantly
against the State, which the legislature has
acknowledged to be valid, and hold this GER
tifcate; issued by the clerk, as an evidence of
that fact" Thatmay be, the treasurer answers;
the legislature has simply acknowledged the
validity of your claim, but has not authorized
me to pay it by making an appropriation for
that purpose. The holder of the certificate
will naturally, and perhaps wrathfnlly inform
the treasurer that he will Immediately obtain
mandamus to compel him to pay his claim,
and will, in nine cases out of ten, retire feeling
that the treasurer is defrauding him Of his
money. .,, .... q
But the cases that are most numerous and
troublesome are where the Legislature has ac--
knowledged the validity Of the claims, and
made an appropriation to pay them, thus COM.
plying with the first two essential conditions,
but leaving out the third and, if any one be
more important than another, the most impor-
tant condition of the three, viz: the levy OF a
tax to obtain the money to pay with. The
holders of such papers are the most mportu-
nate and Justly indignans, when their claims
are not paid, of all the applicants at the treas
ury. Unfortunately for the treasurer, they
blame him. when he is not at all responsible
for such condition of things; he neither
makes appropriations nor levies taxes. o-r
1t seems strange that this simple require,
ment is not complied with, but it is neverthe-
less fact that appropriations seem to be made
generally in utter disregard of the levy by
which they are to be paid, and the treasurer is
held responsible if he does not make one dollar
pay three The legislature yesterday passed a
resolution asking him if he would be able to
pay the appropriation of Sl50, ,0o0afor legisla:,
tive expenses from the proceeds Of the one mill
tax levied for that purpose, which will realize
about $4,000.
/ We will never reach sound financial condi-
;tion, and the credit of the State will never be
restored, and honest and competent officers will
never be obtained to perform the services re-,
quired by the State, until the appropriations
are kept within the tax levy. ="
|, We do not purpose to say anything here In
regard to a class of orders on the treasury
claiming to be deficiencies, but which really
are not7 Deficiencies, in the legal and consti-
tuticnal sense of the term, are the balances OF
unpaid appropriations but the papers we here
refer to, claiming to be Deficiencies, are drafts
or orders issued in excess ofthe appropriations.
What solemn farce it does seem for the leg
islature to assemble and carefully deliberate
for two or three weeks, fixing the amount for.
the support of PUBLIC institution at $50, 900,
and then for the Superintendent of that insti-
tuition to spend the $50, 900 and contract a debt
against the State of $50, ,O0Omore. The legis'
lature is thus treated with. supreme contempt:
They had better say that the appropriation
shall he whatever the sllperintendent pleaSeS to
spend, and had better give him. the power to
lew tax to suit his wants and conveniences.
The same remarks will apply as well to execu-.
tive and legislative officers Jhion- Herald.