The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-27
GOV. CHAMBERLAIN'S RECORD.

GOV. CHAMBERLAINS RECORD.
Following the articles of the Neaes
and Courier upon this subject, we come
next to the consideration of Gov. Cham
berlain's use of the veto power, and do
not hesitate to admit that he has used
this power of the Chief Magistrate of
the State in some instances with a judi
;cious regard for the public welfare. We
do not call to mind any instance in which
he has vetoed a measure calculated to
advance the prosperity or public inter
ests of the State In considering this
subject, we intend to be fair and shall
not hesitate to commend or condemn as
our Judgment dictates. The Governor
has done few good things since his
election, and we do not desire to attempt
to hide them by his shortcomings.
Upon the subject of the Solomon bank
failure, and the loss to the State by it,
y we are not satisfied that the Governor
has explained fully his connection, so as
to relieve himself of part of the re-
sponsibiGty., It is true, he vetoed bill
to make, it and the Carolina National
Bank the sole repositories of the State
funds, but it is also true that he consent
ed to deposit 100000 of State money in
that bank, after Treasurer Cardozo had
declared it to be insolvent. The failure
came at the. time of the Governors pro-
tracted absence at the North last sum-
.mer, and was fit companion to the farce
of the Parker trial. The Governor can
not be justified in favoring so large a
deposit in bank charged publicly with
insolvency, unless he had made some
close examination of its books, and was
satisfied that the public money was. safe
in its keeping. This bank was doubt
full institution, of mushroom growth, for
political purposes, and was known to be
such from its beginning to the Governor,
and many others in the State of South
Carolina. 1t has been reported, without
denial, that money was borrowed from
this bank in tho last canvass to assist the
Republican cause, and that State secu-
rites were put up as collateral to secure
the loan. IF this be so, the solution to
the matter is easy. Mr.. Solomon at
tributes its failure to an inability to
realize on State securities, and claims that
if the States obligations to the bank
were paid, it would make it solvent
again. 1t may be that this deposit of
the States money was due to the fact
that the administration could not afford
a break with Mr.. Solomon. However
this may be, Mr.. Chamberlain was dere-
ict in not ascertaining the status of the
bank before consenting to increase its
deposits only three months before the
failure, and after it had been charged
with insolvency by member of the
board of deposit.
The Governors course in regard to the
big bonanza bill was beneficial to the
financial interests of the State, and
showed that he had sufficient control over
the Legislature to enable him to secure
such legislation as he desired, and goes
to prove that had he been equally Jealous
in attempting to procure a registration
law, or law giving the election of JUS
.tices of the peace. to the people, he could
have had them enacted. We do not
know that his action in this matter was
sufficiently disinterested, however, to
entitle him to any gratitude from our
citizens.
Next we come to the tax laws, and find
the abuses of former years were greatly
corrected in the year 1874, which was
Gov. Moses last year. The assessment
of property that year was slSl, ,738,375
for the State, and in 1875, Governor
Chamberlain's first year, it was sl34,-
96S,224, which shows that in Moses last
year it was lower than ia Chamberlain's
first, and therefore Chamberlain is not
due as much credit upon this score as
Moses. The fact is the corruption of the
first six years of Republican rule had be-
come so notorious throughout the nation
that even Governor Moses was compelled
to establish many reforms, and any man
that had succeeded him would have been
driven to some few measures of relief to
the people by the sentiment of both
political parties. 1t was necessary to the
very existence Of the Republican party,
and any governor would have corrected
some of the abuses. Mr.. Chamberlain
cannot claim any great credit for our tax
laws.
Under the head of contingent funds