The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-02

of the vexed question OF what was ner
debt. 1t was very important that the
matter should be settled definitely and
certainly, and rs one Legislature might
undo the acts of previous one, the ques'
ton has been submitted to the same
tribunal that settles and decides matters
of dispute and debt between citizens.
The following is
A STATEMENT OF THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Total cousols, s5,21O,799.s2; total de
iciencics, 64.S55.98; State scrip lAgrl..
cultural College) s191, 800; total funded
debt, $5, ,967, ,449.SO. To be funded for
ante.bellum principal and interest, say
1896, ,570.91; to be funded for. post. bellum
principal and interest, say S306, ,3l6; to
be funded for fundable interests, say
s146, ,6S9.O7; to be funded for bills of
the Bank of the State, say $22, 40 total
bonded debt, Sc, ,639, ,17073. After all the
expenses and appropriations OF the last
fiscal year are paid off there will remain
as a surplus to be carried to the fiscal
wear 1SS0-8l the amount of $4,000.
It appears from the Comptroller's esti-
mate that levy of A mills will raise a
sum sufficient to pay the current ex'
penses of the government and the In
terest.
If the Legislature continues the mode
of collecting taxes at two periods of the
wear there will be of course great un-
Certainty as to the amount in the treasury
on the lst of July. It is important that
the interest of the debt be met punctual;:
ly, and in order to sustain the credit OF
the State, I therefore recommend, If the
present mode Of collecting taxes is to
continue, that you authorize the Govern
or, Comptroller. General and Treasurer to
borrow on temporary loan, if there be
not sufficient funds in the treasury, so
much as may be necessary to pay the In
terest falling due.
/ ask your attention to the remarks of
the Comptroller on the subject of
THE POLL TAX,
and suggest the Importance of devising
some law by which the tax may be more
generally collected.
I will have occasion to speak of for
feited lands and phosphate mining, in
bringing to your attention the report of
the Commissioner of Agriculture. The
questions, however, of the taxation of
phosphate mines, which were brought to
the attention of the Legislature at its last
session by the Comptroller General, have
not all been settled, but remain for your
decision.
The report of the Superintendent of
Education gives much valuable informa-
tion as to the condition of
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The school fund, the school attendance,
number of schools and the number of
teachers employed were greater during
the last year than at any previous time
in the history of this State. In proper
ton to her wealth South Carolina is
making as liberal provision for education
as any other Southern State.
During the political canvass Of 1876 it
was repeatedly charged that if the Dem
ocratic party obtained control of the
government educational facilities in gen.
eral, aud especially those of the colored
race, would be diminished. The follow
ing tabular statement of the work of the
last four years furnishes the best answer
to those charges: Number of schools
ls76-77, 2,4S3 1S77-7S, 1922; 1879,
2,90I; 1880. 1913. Increase in num-
bef of.schools since 1867, 400; teach
ers employed 1851, white LIPS,
colored 949-total 1874; 1877-78, white
2,O91, colored 1,026-total 3,117; 1878
79, white 1880, colored 1,076-total
3,l66; 1880, whites 2,04S, colored
l,123-total 3,l71. Increase in number
of teachers since 1876-77 497.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
1851, white 46, 44444 ,444444, colored 55, ,952-
total 102,396; 1S77-7S, white 54,llS,
colored 62,121-total 1929, increase
13.S4S; 1S7S-79, white 5S,36S, colored
64,O95-total 122,463, increase 1924 !;
lS79-SO, white 81, ,21S, colored 1855
total 1902, increase 1l,609. Total
increase since 1S76-77, 3l,67S.
SCHOOL FUND.
1857, slS9,352.SO; 1S77-7S, $780,
1910; 1S7s-79, 1881 ,049.90; 1890
(estimated), 1851 1850.
The year lS77-7S was the year in
which the constitutional amendment
relative to the school tax went into
operation. Full reports have not yet
been received from all the counties in
regard to the school fund for the last
year, but the estimate given above is
derived from figures carefully compiled
in the office of the Comptroller-General,
and is believed to be very nearly accu
rate.
The report of the President of Claflin
University, which is contained in the
report of the Superintendent of Educa-
ton, shows that that institution is in a
flourishing condition, and is afordiug
each year increased facilities for the
higher education of the colored race.
The average of the school sessions for
the last year was three and one-half
months, slight increase over the sessions
of the three preceding years: In Ander-
son County the sessions lasted six months,
and in nine other counties the average
length of the sessions was from four 10
five months. The shortness of the ses-
sions in the remaining counties was due
in large measure to the fact that con-
siderable portion of the current scboo!
fund had been diverted by authority of
the Legislature to pay claims incurred
before the Democratic party came into
power. The whole amount of these
claims, which have been reported to the
Superintendent of Education, is $780,
94066.
The report of the Superintendent of
education gives interesting information,
showing the many improvements in the
public school system which have been
made in the last four years. l would
commend to your favorable consideration
the recommendation in the report for the
further improvement and development
of the public schools. The success of
the Normal Institute, held at Spartan
burg during the month of August, was
very gratifying. The ClaAin University
has we'll organized normal department
for the colored teachers, but the Normal