Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-05-31
THE APPROPRIATION BILL.

During the discussion of the appropriation
bill, in the Senate on Saturday last, the ques'
ton being upon the motion of Senator Gary
to strike out the enacting clause of the BILL
Mr.. Witherspoon, Democrat from York, OBJ
tanned the floor and spoke as follows in oppo'
sition to the payment of the interest on the
public consolidated debt. Mr. Witherspoon
said:
Pending the consideration of this section, de.
sire to have something tos say upon the passage OF
this bill, and approach the subject impressed
with the knowledge that l have no substantial
information regarding the real financial condition
ofthe State shall, however, take the response.
bility to enter my remonstrance against the pas
sage of some of the provisions of this bill. take
it that it is true regards the individual so Tar as
his credit is concerned as it is ofthe State, that 1t
is important to know whether you can pay before
you make contracts to discharge certain respon-
sbilities. may be permitted to state that it has
been my pride to preserve my own integrity and
credit, and feel the same pride in upholding the
credit and integrity of my State. This discussion
in the other branch of the Legislature as brought
forward has injected into it the prejudice OF re-
pudiation, which 1 regard as entirely foreign to
the issues before us. Holding up the horrors OF
reputation, fear, has led many of us to impose
burdens which we cannot reasonably discharge
ourselves Of Whilst would not tolerate any
act which savored Of repudiation, yet am COM
PEELED to say that, so far as my views are con-
cerned, we should pause and reflect; so that
whilst we are trying to maintain the integrity and
character and credit of the State the one side,
we should not unnecessarily oppress those whom
we represent here. We are not here to crush out
the very existence of the State in order that we
may carry out this idea of State pride and State
credit. am willing to preserve her credit, but
at the same time we must put this State in order.
We must give the people of the State breathing
spell. We must let them recover from the sad
effects of over taxation and misgovernment for
the past ten years. If you give them time they
will eyery man of them, meet their honest obll-
cations; but if you impose the burden upon them
now you dishearten them-you drive them from
your borders-you do that which, instead of build
ing up your State crushes out her very existence.
When an individual becomes embarrassed, when
he finds himself in circumstances beyond his
control, when be is unable to meet obligations
which he admits to be honest, what does he do :?
WHY he gues to his creditors, makes an exhibit OF
his assets and liabilities, and says to them: "Do
YOU propose now, with this record before you, to
drive me to the wall, or do you propose to put me
in a position, by indulgence and forbearance, in
which can in time meet my honest obligations
ask for the State of South Carolina no more and
no less indulgence than that which any creditor,
who has his own interest at heart, would readily
grant. What does this bill propose to do? 1t
proposes to require the State to pay, besides its
ievies for the expenses of the government and Tor
the penal and charitable institutions, $500, 900 for
public schools iaaclmsiuc of the poll tax. Let us
sustain our home credit before we talk SO much
about our foreign credit. We are bound by SOL
emn pledges not to diminish, but to increase this
school fund, and yet we appropriate only $20O O,OOO
i,acltsive of the poll tax, making the actual appro-
priation about Sl25,OOO Let US show our faith oy
our works.
This 5th section provides $27O,OOo for the pay
ment of the interest on the bonds of the State.
That is the specially Questionable feature to me.
Now here we have 1924 400, (without increasing
the school tax one dolar,) for the people OF this
State to pay. One of the smallest States in the
Union and one of the most impoverished Upon
what basis do you propose to raise this enormous
tax to which you must add from five to eight
mills in the counties? You cannot raise it upon
the false and over assessed valuation created by
the Republican party, whose sole objective point
was to run the government at any cost to the peo-
ple This valuation is Sl33, ,OOO, ,O0O but suppose
we find that the true value is only Sloo, ,oO9,ooo'
Is it either reasonable or possible that the people
can stand this burden and live? 1 take the
ground that the people cannot pay it, and with
all due Difference to the Senate and the House OF
Representatives, do not propose to stultity my
self by imposing burden winch we cannon meet
and discharge. Now, mind you, there is no re-
pudiation in this When you talk reputation L
oppose it as much as any member In the Senate.
But consider that would be recreant to my
trust and to the public interest If failed to raise
my remonstrance against the passage OF tnls Dill
as it now stands.
As you see, we will be called upon to pay two
taxes ont of ono crop. Think of paying twenty.
six mills out of one crop. Why it is in excess of
any Radical tax ever levied If you impose this
Of them, of homes. You may ask how we pro-
pose to get out of paying this debt. We don't
propose getting out of paying it at all, but we
propose building up the State first and then pay
ing our debts by degrees. But we can never re-
alze these hopes if we, at this stage, infict this
crushing blow upon nearly ruined people.
1t will be said, how are we to meet the interest
on these bonds if they are found to be valid. The
very fact that commission has been appointed
vests the whole matter with suspicion. If we are
to have an investigation of these bonds, why is 1t
necessary for US to advance the money? do not
ask our debtors to forgive US of the interest at all