Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-03-18
The Appropriation Bill.


|'whcthcr it smacks of reform, or Il
wanton an willful extravaganza on
the part of the powers that be. 1t
was the impression with the most Of
us that the members Of the present
Legislature would almost go out Of
their way to benefit the taxpayers, so
binding were the pledges upon which
they were elected. But alas, for
human expectations Alas, for for
the elements which go to make up
our Columbia lawmakers Our inn
pressions, our expectations of reform
ut their hands, have been knocked
into a cooked hat by the appropria-
ton bill, which is not only cnormo ously
outrageous in the character Of its ap.
preparations, but conspicuously mis-
chicvous and wicked in the amount
Of money it requires to satisfy its de-
mands. 1t is said that after all the
present taxes shall have been cx-
haus!cd upon it, that there will bea
deficiency Of two hundred thousand
dollars to be provided for next year.
This is TOO bad-this practice Of max
ing the appropriations larger than the
tax-lcvy. And yet by it Il great
many Republicans have been making
money for several years. Each year
there isa deficiency, and the fraudulent
claims are Tor the most part the frs;
ones paid. Many who hold h"nu .f'ie
claims Tor services arc modcstly told
that there is no money in the rcasury
out Of which the Treasurer can pay tho
claims, rs there is 4 deficiency. Then,
when ihcrc is Il prospect that the
Gains will never bc paid, and ccr
tuinty that they will not be paid under
year, some politician or agent Of the
thieves whois generally OH speaking
terms with Mr.. Treasurer Cardoza-
attempts 20 purchase them at an
amount much below their value. If a
majority Of the deficiency claims fall
into the bands Of The bosses Of the
Columhia shaving shops, Of course
The next Legislature lcvics n tax and
pays them of. The deficiency system
is necessary to cnaLlc some of The
leaders 10 continue their swindling Of
honest claimants. But the chief oh
lection TO the continuance ofthe plan
Of having deficiencies every year is
That il keeps taxation high, and is an
iniqutous fraud and burden upon the
nxpaycrs ofour ): { .tc. Coy. Cham
bcrlain has frequently demonstrated
the iniquity Of this procedure, and in
some Of his reform messages and
speeches has demanded that the prac-
lice be Immediately stopped. The
did rot pledge himself in SO many
words to veto any appropriation bill
which would create deficiency, he
certainly conveyed the impression
that hc intended to do so, and his
enthusiastic coalition friends have
pointed ut these observations Of The
Governor with great dissatisfaction
us an evidence Of tEcir wisdom in
recognizing and supporting Kim.
AS we have said, the appropriation
bill, under which the tax just collcc-
ted is TO be disburscd, will create n
deficiency Of near 100000. The bill
disrcgards all recommendations for Il
reduction Of expenditures, and again
foists upon the State another deficicn-
cy which will be collected by the next
Legislature, thereby insuring con
tinuancc Of high taxation. 1t appro-
PIRATES $4,000 to the South Carolina
University instead Of $50, 900; $4,000
to the pcni!cntinry instead Of 10000;
$4,000 instead Of $4,000 10 the
Orphan Asylum; $4,000 instead of
$4,000 10 llc Normal School, and
$4,000 TO the Agricultural College
instead Of 1000 rs recommended by
the Governor. There is $4,000 ap-
prcpriatcd for beneficiary scholarships
in the State University, and $4,000
in the Normal School This is the
manner in which they propose keep.
ing up these institutions. They pay
| thr nrnirSsnrs and thcn tax thn nnnnln