Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-08-29


ditlon OF things tend also 20 create population
aud capital. Money expended 10 fees and
.seiartes 70 officers produce no actual wealth
iot tangible produtt, but expended properly
and Economically It becomes fraitful and
essential 6tinulant to wealth. Per contra an
Expensive and extravag CANT government drives
away both population and wealth at the came
time that 1t retards their production. All
men realizing the necessity Of government
willingly pay necessary taxes, but object
properly 70 oil unnecessary expenses.
Apart from these considerations the neoesr
stiles of the people at this time demand a
rigid economy in every branch Of the govern.
ment. Money ie scarce, produce low and
taxation real burden. 80 that the popular
mind ell over tho State is demanding the
lowest possible taxes. The levy last year was
nine and half mills, divided as follows.
Two mills for educational purposes, two mills
for Interest on the public debt, two and half
mills for the State, and throe mills for tho
county government. In our county one.half
mill, was levied to pay arrears Of county debt,
making ten mills. Can this be reduced? The
four mills for schools and interest are Ak
ture, and tho three mills for county purposes
in the past have hardly been sufficient. If
any, very little can be cut off from the small
levy for tho State government. In faot.
without radical change in tho government.
which oan only be made by change Of tho
constitution, We have little hopo of reducing
taxation much, If any, below tho present levy,
1t ie expected the Legislature will reduce
the pay of members to three dollars per day,
and this with session Of thirty or forty days
would save half mill or about it. BY oon-
solidating the Offices Of Auditor and Treasurer
and further reducing salaries another small
fraction could be saved. The only road,
howevor, to the simplest and most economical
form Of government 10 to 80 amend the Con.
stitueion as to permit conformation as nearly
as possible to our system as it existed before
the war. We could then abolish the Offices of
County Commissioners, Auditor and School
Commissioner, and by reducing other ex-
penses, such as the pay of States witnesses,
greatly eoonomize necessary expenses. The
present government is too complicated and
expensive and adapted only to large and
populous States from which it was copied.
In these changes the number of members to
tho House of Representatives might be re-
duced to sixty-two and tho number Of SenaY
tore twenty. giving ono Senator to two email
counties. In the same way the sessions of
the Legislature might be made biennial, res
ducing Legislative expenses to one fourth
what they must be with tho present mem ber-
ship and annual sessions. The present Legis
iature is larger than necessary for all proper
Legislation, tending to produce confusion and
long sessions from tho number of its members.
If the number was reduced tho honor of being
elected would be increased, and our best men
would strive for the position. A smaller body
also would be large enough for wise legiela-
ton and be easier handled. Whether those
changes should be made by convention or
through the Legislature, they certainly should
be made.
In the meantime, the only possible reduo.
ton of taxes must proceed from reducing the
legislative pay, abolishing the pay of witnesses
IN States cases and cutting down few of tho
exciting salaries. This cannot amount to
much, SO that our people may expect very
little further reduction of taxes until thero is
change of tho Constitution.