Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-01-21


in our receipts than to cripple our merchants
and ruin our public credit by contracting
debts which cannot be paid, except, possibly
at some indefinite future time.
I cannot give my consent to appropriations
in excess of probable receipts, nor to expen;
ditures in excess of appropriations. l shall
approve of the most generous treatment OF
the lunatic asylum consistent with our abili'
ty to pay our obligations when they mature
but nothing more.
I shall speak further Of the action proper
to be taken, in my judgement, in reference to
the past Indebtedness of the lunatic asylum, as
we'll as that of the state penitentlary, at q
later point in this message.
STATE PENITENTIARY.-The comptroller,
generals report covers also the report OF the
superintendent of the penitentiary. Here,
again, the feature of the report which will
arrest most attention is the statement OF the
Indebtedness of this institution. The super
intendent states that the aggregate indebted
ness of the institution on the 31st day of Oc'
tober, 1873, was s102,238.40. He further
states that the indebtedness is So7 ,9lo.-
80, of which sl2,3S0 has arisen during that
fiscal year. Another statement is, that there
is due to the guards and employees of the in
stitution sl5,85O,31. The appropriation for
the penitentiary for the last fiscal year was
S51 800.
These facts present problem not easy to
solve. The remarks alread y made concerning
the financial condition of the lunatic asylum
are applicable here. The levy of taxes for
the present year will not permit an increased
appropriation. One thing is evident, namely,
that the expenditures of this institution must
hereafter be kept within the appropriations.
1t is difficult to see how, without direct viola.
tion of the law of March II, 1874, already
referred to, an indebtedness of s12,3SO, in
excess of the appropriation, could have been
contracted during the last fiscal year.
strongly urge that the immediate atten-
ton of the general assembly be directed to the
question of making the labor of the peniten'
tiary available for the support in part of the
institution. 1 call attention to the remarks
of the superintendent on this point. If the
labor of the convicts can be utilized within
the walls of the penitentiary, this would be
the wisest plan. Mechanical pursuits are con-
Quoted in similar institutions elsewhere, with
profit to the State. Such labor is advanta-
geous in many ways-as means Of discipline
during the Imprisonment of the convicts; as
means of encouraging habits of industry
and the ability to earn an honest living when
they return to freedom and as means of
reducing the public burden Of their support
while in confinement. If there are no oppor-
tunities for the utilization of this labor at
present, I think the plan of letting out the
convicts for hire, which is adopted in many
other States is worthy of Immediate conside-
ration. I am informed that such labor in
other States can be leased at net daily profit
of at least twenty cents per day for each la-
borer. Out Of an average number of two
hundred convicts at least one hundred able
bodied laborers could be constantly furnished,
and from these laborers an income of several
thousand dollars. above all expense for their
maintenance, might be realized. Motives of
economy, as we'll as the good Of the convicts
themselves, in my judgment, require that an
effort be made to obtain employment of some
kind for this class of laborers, and | earnestly
recommend that the attention Of the general
assembly be directed to this subject without
delay.
The Governor next recommends the appro-
priation of $1,000 for the purpose of securing
the publications of the National Prison Asso-
ciation," which publications, if properly dis
tributed, he thinks would "arouse an interest
among our people in one of the most humane
and successful efforts to reduce the number of
our criminal classes, and to restore them to
the walks of useful industry"
The State orphan asylum is next alluded
to, which institution, he says, is entitled to ad-
equate support
EDUCATION OF THE DEAF, DUMB AND
BLIND.-The institution for the education of
the deaf, dumb and blind, formerly located at
Cedar Springs near Spartanburg court house,
was closed in September, 1873. [ regard the
closing of this institution as misfortune and
reproach to our State. 1t was an act of edu-
cational retrogression, and a.wrong to class
of our fellow-b beings and fellow.citizens which
has peculiar claims upon our aid and sympa-
thy. If the re6pening and rehabilitation OF
this institution can be effected by any means
within the control of the general assembly,
consistently with the present condition Of our
financial affairs, unhestatingly recommend
that it be done without delay. If this cannot
be done at once, trust that such arrange.
ments will be made as will secure that result
during the next fiscal year.
The Governor next refers to reports of the
health officer of Charleston, the Secretary Of
State, the Adjutant and Inspector General,
and the State Librarian, and calls the atten-
ton of the general assembly to sundry recon-
mendations made by these officials.
REPORT OF THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT
OF EDUcATIoN.-T report of the State su-
perintendent of education is herewith trans
mitted to the general assembly. l commend
the entire report to the earnest attention, not
only Of the general assembly, but of all our
fellow-ctizens, who look to the welfare of the
State. 1t presents the actual condition, at
this time, Of our common school system, its
progress during the past year, the causes that
diminish the efficiency Of the system, and also
points out some remedies for present evils.
1t may be said, in general, that the report
shows a fair measure of progress during the
last year. The school population of the State
is 23O,1O2; the total school attendance is
1O4,73S, an increase of 19, IA over the school
attendance of the preceding year. The num-
Der of free common schools in the State is
now 1858, an increase Of 272 since the pre-
ceding report of the superintendent. The
total number of teachers employed is 2627,
an increase of 253 since the preceding report.
The average number of months during which
the schools were actually open was only FIVE.
The number of school-houses in the State is
1928; an increase of 211 since the preceding
report The total amount of funds applica-
Bile TO the common schools during the past