The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-04
"curLrY or ROE nurEfY .

Mn. EDrToR: TO criticize .he actions Ss
public men may seem very imr.oper for u
conntrymnn farmer to undertake; bu. when
wesee men in high places" placed there
by the vote of their constituents, wasting
their tiinc in doing nothing, or worse than
nothing. to che tune Of five dollars per day.
as some Of our honored Representatives
have done, seems to "cry aloud" for con-
demnstion from their constituents, who put
them there expecting them to 90 their
whole duty, and nothing more.
If we mistake not, during the campaign
OF 1876, the nominees for the various Offices
pledged themselves 20 the Democratic party
to the people throughout the country-to
make tho most strenuous efforts TO bring
about reform and economy in State end
County government. We believed them.
And now at the close OF tho ant regular
session Of tho Legislature we ask, how does
their legislative record compare with the
pledges given during that eventful cam
paign?
Their first act of economy (if we reIuem-
Der arighO was to reduce the salaries Of
various county officials to what we consider
| approximating economy. But, alas just
| here their love Gf economy and sympathy
for poor. tax.ridden people succumbed to
| love Of self, as much as TO say that IL is "on-
bonnden duty to curtaii county expenses
| by this reduction, but we M Legislators
cannot work that cheap. County officers
can stay at home and attend to theirseyeral
offices, bot We, the lawmakers, must leave
| home for the Capitol. We are expected to
clothe ourselves in purple and fare sump-
| tuously every day." therefore mus. have
| five dollars per day.
Now, went to ask somebody, and mono
but The guilty need answer: Is there any
genuine Democracy in such doings? Does
| 1t take five dollars per day to pey the actual
expenses OF o modern Legislator in South
Carolina? Why cannot it be as IL was in
| the good old onte-war times, when men
| sought Office for the honors Of The office,
and from desire to benefit their country,
| and not to speculate Off her. II it does re-
quire five dollars per day to pay MEM
bers expenses, with good board at ST. so per
day, somebody makes money. IL not, some
body else makes money, at whose expense
I'll leave my readers TO guess
Now, there Is another thing that some of
US country people can't understand, and
want more light" on the subject. If we
are in error, we are ready to ask pardon.
We are told that our legislators receive
mileage ten cents per mile, while the rail-
| road companies charge only five cents. SO
We sec there il five cents clear cash made
every mile travelled. But suppose thoy have
free passes over the roads, which learn is
true in nearly every cnse2 1t may be none
of our business as to them accepting FREQ
passe over the roads, vet we can't see how
true Representative can consciantiously
accept free pass from a railroad company,
| and also accept ten cents mileage out of the
States funds Or the same ride We do not
| ask what the railroad companies receive or
expect to receive for and in consideration of
such favors granted. We do not accuse any
one of buying or selling, only we just can't
see through it. When we country people
| hire person to labor, or hire ourselves TO
labor for somo one else, we endeavor to give
value received. If we acted otherwise the
employer or employee would be loser. If
we engage ourselves to some one Mt one
dollar or five dollars per day. We would not
we could not, as honest nlen--cherge for
twenty or twenty-five days moro than We
| actually labored. We do not accuse any
one of doing such thing, only we thought
| some person might try it. We think any
body that would act thus, ought to be ad-
vised to 60 North for his health, or stay ct
| home and "mind the base"
| NJ
| many things done at the Capita, that we
country people can't see into or understand.
But perhaps we need to whet our under
standing .gninst the pride of the State-the
South Carolina University.
Of the passage of the University bill, and
thosaswho supported it, we will say nothing.
Perhaps 1t is right for the laboring class Of
white people to pay taxes to support IN in
stitution which canno. possibly ever be OF
any heI fit to na. OF cneelirs re aFs ces-
| tain: If it had been left to the peoples vote
to reopen it, methinks Gabriels trump
| would blow first, Thanks to two of our
| Representatives who 30 ably and firmly op-
posed the bill.
We are considerably puzzled and anxious
TO know how and why our Senate and House
did not shut down OH those fraudulent bonds
themselves instead of shifting the response
biiity off on Court of Claims" composed
of three Judges. IF we mistake not an ap-
preparation was made during the extra ses-
sion Last year to pay the interest ON these
doubtful bonds, before anything positive
was known about them. How does that
look
The Senate and House created the .'Iu-
vestigating Committee" empowering them
to send for persons and papers," as was
necessary during that investigation, making
1t the duty of said Committee to report their
findings to the next regular session of the
Legislature, which was done, and after O
prolonged discussion on the matter it wss
| finally loft to three fallible men to decide.
There is great deal at stake. Who will be
the winner, is what puzzles
A FARMER.