The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1880-12-16

receiving their dues. This can be corrected
by providing an earlier day for the payment
OF taxes; or the Governor and Treasurer might
oe authorized TO anticipate their collection, so
iar as necessary for this purpose, by tenn
porary loan.
The consol bonds bear tpon their face the
contract OF the State to receive the coupons
from the same in payment of taxes. During
inc period OF adjustment Of 1.-THE debt It was
.niPra0tioapie to do so; but now there is no
te"son why the coupons Of the brown consols
should not be thus received II is also od-
Vlsaoie as to this class Of consols that the on.
eralon OF the law requiring interest In be nnid
III MeW AorK as we'll as at the State Treasury
snouio oe resumedl but as it is not practicable
TO pay interest to the holders of green CO..,
soils elsewhere than at the State Troos,,r,, 80
I'll after the conversion Of their securities Tho
suggestions made would promote the con,,n
nience OF the tax payer, and no doubt basten
the reduction of the consol bonds and stocLs
70 UNIFORM character. Ii is also Desirable
as TO both consol and deficiency stocks ~
adopt the plan of the United States GovernO
ment with regard to its registered bonds and
STOCKS: upon the holder furnishing the treos
ury with his postoffice address, the interest
due IS forwarded by check upon each Janu.
ary and July. The punctual payment of in
| terest and every accommodation and facility
given in its collection enhances the valuo of
the security. Already under ;he management
of the State finances for the last four years its
bonds have risen in the market from twenty
cents on the dollar to par. The fcal status of
our State was once its proudest boast. If we
place it upon the high plane it occupied be.
fore the late civil war and keep il there our
securities will rank with any governmental Sc
ourities upon the market; and when the debt
| natures, as 1t soon will do, it can he refunded
| at q much lower rate of interest wise and
prudent policy will keep this end steadily in
view, and then with the increased taxable val-
ues, which improved credit and returning
prosperity will bring, what is now o burden
my become an fnappreciable weight to be
borne or discharged with equal facility.
| ELECTION LAWS.
The third Section of the eighth Article Of
the Constitution of this State, adopted twelve
years ago, declares that 'it shall be the duty
of the General Assembly to provide, from time
to time, for the registration Of electors" This
positive mandate of the Constitution has not
yet been obeyed. 1t is one of the most obvi-
Gus means of securing the purity Of the ballot
| ooX; and the failure to provide it was Justly
| urged In complaint against those who con.
trolled the State government for the eight
years following the adoption of the Constitu-
| tlon. Amid the numerous matters claiming
the attention of the General Assembly, and
with tho shortened sessions since that time
no registration law has been enacted In nv
Judgment the discharge of this imperative
duty should no longer be delayed. Indeed. in
many particulars our election laws, as thew
now stand, are defective, and their revision is
one OF the most important subjects which de
mands your attention.
EDUCATION.
Our public school system demands and
should receive the most careful attention. in
order that its development may meet the me-
cesslties OF our condition. The States Of this
Union which to day stand first in population.
ipHn
which, through efficient public school systems.
knowledge Is most widely ditfused among the
people The social anu political restoration
of our State and the development to the full-
est extent OF our natural cesvurces will surel Y
follow upon tho establishment Of All educa-
tlonal sy stem which will reach down to the
enid OF the humblest man without regard &c
race or color, and quality him for the duties
Of future citizenship.
The property in Charleston known as the
Citadel IS still in possession of the United
States government. 1t is Of great Importance
TO our educational ntest that it be restored
and devoted, as formerly, to the purpose Of b
State Military Academy.
Kart OF the interest OF the fund donated by
Congress tor the maintenance of institutions
for instruction in agriculture and the meclan
lc arts has been applied for some years to the
higher edt .tlCn Of the colored youth of the
State i'll connection with Ciatlin University
lhe South Carolina College Of Agriculture and
Mechanics, Tor the special education of tho
white youth OF this STATE, in this connection.
was opened In October last, and it is also sun
ported by The interest of this fund These
institutions Deserve, as l am sure they will
receive, The fostering care OF the General AS,
sembly.
The Constitution of The State makes it the
duty OF the General Assembly to provide for
the maintenance OF the South Carolina Uni>
Verslty 1t IS not, perhaps, perhaps in our
power TO renew its sphere of usefulness at this
time, but the direction Of the Constitution
should be obeyed at as early day as practi-
caoie. university of high grade, working
in harmony with the excellent COLLEGES now i6
operation IN the State, would have the effect
of stimulating education in the public schools
and would complete our educational system
MATERIAL PROGRESS
During the two months Of the recent no.
lltlcal canvass, 1t was my fortune to pass
through every county in the State except one.
Devoted for the greater part of my life to ag-
rlcultural pursuits, and familiar with most
parts Of the State, was surprised and graft
fed at the diversified and abundant haryests
that were everywhere Witnessed Much of
TINS was due to propitious seasons buG it was
evident that more was due to improved meth
ods OF culture and the hopeful energy and in.
creased thrift OF all classes Of our people. To
one cognizant only of the recent past in the
agriculture Of the State, some of the results
attained are scarcely credible. l saw one field
OF 30O acres, which haze since learned yield
ed this year, as it had done last year, $50
Dales OF cotton, weighing 500 pounds each
over large area Of the same County the