The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-05-03

should be in fthe treasury to meet th'
past-due coupons of these bonds, as sooi
las issued. L have no reason, however, Il
Ibelieye that there is any such unexpend
led, balance available for this purpose
and if the conversion Of the debt into con
sofidated bonds continues as provided By
the existingI act, it will be necessary tx
provide by legislation for these arrears o.
interest. j suggest for your considers
ton the,propriety of funding these arrean
up to the. time of conversion, in new
bonds, payable at such time, land undel
such conditions as in your judgment shall
be equitable to the State and to its cred.
itors. -'' = - - '.......,
r cannot too earnestly urge upon you
the necessity Of reducing the expenses OF
every department of the government to
the most economical scale consistent with
thes.dignity and security of theT State.
You will fnd.many Offices which are not
only expensive but. useless; and Others,
which, while necessary, can be we'll filled
for compensation much less than is now
paid. It is, I am sure, only necessary. to
invite your attention to this subject to
secure your wise and cordial cooperation
in Tightening the burthen which have 80
greatly oppressed the energy and indus
try of our people. But after the most
rigid reduction, the expenses of govern:
ment, funds for the common schools, and
to- meet the interest on the public debt,
must be provided, and this can only be
done. Iby; g. tax ION the real and personal
property of the citizens. 1t is one of our
graYest difficulties that We have come
into control of the government after the
period at which taxes can most easily be
paid Ours is essentially an. agricultural
community; our products are harvested
in the latter part Of the year and sold in
the earlier;. and; the rule which has al
ways obtained of calling for the taxes in
January and February had its origin not
in the arbitrary will of the Legislature,
but was the natural outgrowth of an in
dustrial system, The late political strug-
gle has been pretracted until the proceeds
Of the past years crop have been ex-
haustd, and the present crop is not, suAi-
GENTLY advanced to enable the farmer to
realize anything upon it., Every availa-
ble dollar of cash or Of credit, in the con-
trel of, the farmer, is already applied to
the growing crop, d,the levy of a tax
payablefat1an early day would seriously
embarrass not only the agricultural but
every other interest of the State. The
money is not in the country. it could
only be. raised from loans, to the farmers
By bankers or merchants; and it is ques-
'tionable if it could be raised even in this
way Itis, therefore, incumbent on you,
while reducing the tag to its minimum,
to!arrange for its collection at such times
and in ssnch manner as will Tighten the
burthens of the people as much as possi-
bic. A portion of the tax absolutely
necessary could be called for in June,
and the residue, which should be the
larger portion, in October, when the pro-
ceeds Of g part at least of the crop will be
available for the payment Of taxes.
By the resolutions of the House of
Representatives, adopted at the last ses'
sion, I was authorized to call for a con-
tribution not exceeding twenty-five per
cent of the amount of the taxes levied
last year. Under this authority a call
for voluntary contribution of one-tenth
of the amount of the last tax was issued,
and was responded to with an alacrity
and d patriotic zeal most honorable to
our people,
AS an evidence of their confidence in
my administration, this response: was as
gratifying as it was unprecedented.
With view to the proper care and dis
ibursement of this fund, I directed that
all amounts collected should be placed
in the hands of Gen. johnson Hagood,
requesting him to serve as Acting Comp
troller General and Treasurer; and no
appropriation has been made except
upon his check, countersigned by myself.
His devotion to this work, his activity
and his great financial ability, have
proved of 1ncalculable assistance to me.
: The net receipts from this contribution
and from Office fees amounted to $780,
839.4S; and the, disbursements, as will
appear by the books of Gen. Hagood's
office, on account of the educational,
penal and charitable institutions of the
State, and for the legislative, executive
and Judicial departments of the govern
ment, amount to $76,661. .09-leaving a
cash balance on hand of S59, 1889. 0
9 By the report of the late Treasurer,
dated October 31st, 1876, there were in
the treasury at that time $258,020.37 /;
but what portion of this amount is now on
hand am not aware: The use of these
funds has been enjoined by the courts,
and the officials in whose charge they
are win doubtless account to the Legis-
lature for them. .r 49,.
= In addition to the funds named, the
phosphate royalty should yield from thir-
ty to forty thousand dollars; and there
will then be quite a large amount at the
command of the Legislature I; sufficient,
Ihope, to meet the demands of the State
until portion of the taxes is collected.
While on the subject of the finances, I
beg to call your notice to the bills of the
Bank of the State; for this question pre-
sents difficult problem There is a
widespread belief that a considerable
amount of those bills will be found miss.
ing from the treasury, having been re:
issued in place of being cancelled or de-
stroyed. 1t is well, therefore, at this
juncture, to consider whether or not these
bills should be receivable in payment of
taxes. Before receiving them for the
taxes, the most rigid investigation should
be had, with O view of ascertaining the
amount for, which. the State lis clearly
liable, and what portion is tainted with
fraud, in order that suitable provision
may be made at the next session of the
Legislature for the redemption of the
former and for the protection of the State
against the latter.
u The penal, charitable and educational
institutions of the State demand, and
doubtless will receive, your careful con-
sideration and your fostering care. Every
dictate of enlightened humanity, every
precept Of sound policy, require that these
institutions should be well regulated,
properly supported and ably managed ;
but this should be done with strict re-
gard to economy. They should be made
self-supporting as far as possible; and I
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