Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-10-25
The Legislature.

In recent article we spoke of the Importance
Of such legislation as would promote economy in
every department Of government. It has been
one Of tho great mistakes of the Radical party
to pay tho citizen for every little service rem
dered in the name Of the State. If land
owner should be required to pay his renter for
every nail he found it necessary to drive, or for
every rift he moved from gully, or for evory
rail he laid upon the fcnoe, tho rent would bo
consumed in services which the renter should
render gratuitously, Us costing him virtually no
thing and bene6ting him rs much as tho land
lord. So, too, in government; there are num-
berless littlo services which cost nothing to the
citizen but littlo trouble, and which, if paid
for by taxation, amount to q burden. These
little services were in the past rendered by the
Citizen without hope or expectation Of remune-
ration, and as they were distributed among tho
great body of the people no ono felt oppressed
by them or experienced any feeling Of injustice
by tho State in requiring them gratuitously.
Take the matter Of States Witnesses and por-
haps in life time person will hardly be
called on to testify in moro than one or two
cases, and generally he either desires to come
to court, or being compelled 10 come, he can
attend to some needed business, losing nothing
by his attendance. In giving pay to witnesses
of this kind q large amount of money Is annu-
ally levied upon the taxpayers. amounting in
eome counties TO several thousand dollars. An.
other evil has flowed from the pay system, in the
formation Of q new employment among men,
known as professional tcstifying. This evil has
become common in cities with idle negroes who
hang around the law shops and profess 10 know
very much about cases under trial TO got their
fee as witnesses. Cities, too, know very much
about professional jurors who are ever ready to
be summoned and to serve in trial Justices
courts. We think oil good citizens are inter
csted in the suppression Of crime and in the
conviction Of criminals, and that any citizen can
afford to testify in State cases without pay. and
especially in petty cases before trial justice,
where he can go and return in the day.
But above oil things legislation is needed in
the matter of county government. The const-
tuition should be 80 changed as 10 permit the
abolition Of tho Office Of county commissioners
and Che duties now performed by them should
be devolved on number of boards as before
the war. We then had commissioners of the
poor who were elected by the people, and COM
missioncrs of roads, of public buildings and of
FREQ schools appointed by the Legislature.
These four boards performed gratuitously all
<the dutios now pertaining to tho Office Of county
commissioners and far moro satisfactorily.
Persons were compelled TO serve one term or pay
anc, and very often tho service was so light
and even pleasant that many persons continued
to fill these positions for number Of years
without pay and withoat complaint. The result
of this Bystcm of all work and no pay was to
secure mon most abie to give their time, and
these werc generally most competent to discharge
tho duties Of the office. rs IL now is the little
pay produces contest for tho office in which the
best fitted persons will not engage.
Another result of the old system was to give
to each board specific duties and these they
could attend to with little trouble and exnense,
all taking pride in keeping every thing in good
order.
Another result Of the system in the case of
roads waa the selection of commissioner from
every part of tho county, who being acquainted
with the topography of his section, knew what
roads were needed and when and where bridges
should be built as well as tho reasonable cost of
them. If we now had q commissioner of roads
In every township we would not henr of COM
plants against the opening of roads, or because
needed roads are not opened, nor at tho high
prices at which bridges are let out. The local
commissioner would know tho probable cost and
-,..swould contract accordingly, saving the public
money. We would have better roads and more
durable bridges The public buildings and
poor would be properly seen to at all times, for
their care would fall to two separate boards Of
our bert citizens, aud knowing they had to servo
but ono term, they would strive to see how we'll
hey could manage for tho public Many would
erye over and over again, for wc we'll remember
Nat Robert Craig served as commissioner Of tho
poor for twenty or more years without pay.
In the matter Of free schools, the pay of the
commissioner would 60 to the teachers and
swell the educational fund.
The only man defeated on tho Republican Le
islative ticket in Cleveland, Chic, was the CO..
red nominee. The colored man oan no longer
pend upon his friends.
The Beaufort Tribune and Commercial recon-
.nends Judge P. L. Wiggin for Collector Of the
port Of Charleston. Yes, and then q hungry
man could be made Judge in his place.
Fl. G. Corwin, the Radical Senator from New
berry, has resigned. The "self.denal' of these
!. old Radical officials is truly wonderful!
writer from Western Texas estimates the
Y loss from boil worms in Texas this season at