Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-12-16

Paia IN Columbia from State taxes. Before tho
war We had four boards Of commissioners, TO
wit: OF roads and bridges Of free schools, Of
public buildings and Of tho poor, ali serving
gratuitously. The poor farm being good one
was almost self-sus,ainipgi tho money for free
schools was paid out OF tho State treasury; o
fow dollars annually covered the expense of
public buildings, and the only money Of oonse-
quenoe levied and paid ont by the counties was
for roads and bridges. AT that timc State wit
nesses received no pay, and many other items Of
expense now, were then unknown. Tho law
then was that oil accounts Of magistrates and
oonstables for servicesin criminal causes should
be audited in Columbia and paid from the State
treasury. The State accounts Of clerks of
court and of sheriffs. including tho cost Of diet
Ing prisoners, jury tickets, as also Of physicians
FOR attending sick prisoners making post mortem
examinations and tcstifyins as experts took the
samo course and were paid in the Same way,
Let any ono aggregate these sources of expense
in our county during the past year, including
the pay of witnesses In State oases, not allowed
before the war, and they will see |. falls little
short Of $4,000, or two.thirds Of the county
expenditures. Tho legitimate county expendi-
lures, for services charged 10 It before tho war,
would then be but lttle over $4,000, and really
little, If any, in excess of the old time expenses
These court aBd other expenses cannot be
eliminated, nor do VIC sec how any great re-
trenohment can DO made in tho legitimate
county expenses. We believe in every officer
being fairly and fully paid for his services and
are satisfied such is tho wish of our people.
We believe further that county commissioners
are too poorly paid, considering tho extent and
responsibility and complication Of thcir duties.
1t would perhaps be bcttor to return to tho old
system than to seek the services Of these officers
for 80 little remuneration.
so much has been said in our columns and by
the press of the Slate on tho subject Of county
expenses that we would not again allude to il
but to call attention to tile unfairness of any
comparison being drawn between the expenses
OF tho State and counties now and before tho
war. Tho State has shifted many expenses
from its shoulders to that Of the counties, and
now lays claim to great economy and retrencl-
mcnt which counties cannot show. Let tho State
re assume these expenses and county taxes will
not exceed ono and o quarter mills. II may be
true that in tho increase of State taxation re.
sulting, our general taxes would not be reduced
still it would remove the appearance of extraya-
gance from counties.
In tho interest of economy wo think that
every improper item Of expense, if any there
BE- both in the State and in the counties, should
DO cut Oft, or it proper and too high, should bo
reduced. But in tho interest of true economy
VIC cannot forget the divine maxim, there is that
withholdcth and yet scattcreth, and under it
claim that the pruning knife should bo used
judioiously and with an cyo to tho public into :.
rest.