The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-15
The County Scales Bill Taken up
Sparring ovc the Salary Question
---How the House Appropriated
$4,000 for the Lunatic Asylum.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr.. Pa.ker-Bi;l to regulate costs Of Trial Justices
and C0nstablrs.
-FavorNbly on the following;
Message WAS received from tho Governor tr.hsm't.
ting the annual report Of the Railroad Commissioner
and recommending that his office be made a State
Office.
CALENDAR.
Bill to require County Commissioners to kcepEcaIrs
TO weigh cotton, which WAS rrj, cited the night before
WAS taken up agnin, amended 81 rs To Apply u the
c~ouutirs of Orangeburg, Aiken, sl"rlanbnrs and
Union, and passed.
7uruwIS,; AWAY THE PUBLIC MONEY IN IDLE DEBATE.
The appropriu, ton bill was then taken up.
Mr.. Murray said that This bill was based on the ap'
prnpriutInIl Act of last year rs TO salary u the 10Y
ernnr's Private. ), crrtaIy. He moved I" amend 50 MS
to .,rikc out 81 300 aud insert sl,.I1 us provided by
that Act. .
n ruucI, estimate immediately after the Democratic
larry came into power. Since then The sutlrct Eas
been fully discussed. md three succeeding Legislatures
have disrcr.rIcl that Act and given these officers
more, beraus 1t was found that they ought to nave
more. The Ullic rs OF the government ought not %
be made to appear in IL ~nisgardly condition they
ouyllt to be generously but not lavishly paid. He
moved to lay the amendment on the table.
On this Mr.. Massey demanded the ayes ana noes,
which were taken aud resulted ayes 10. noes 6L.
The calling Of the roll und announcing the vote &C.
, cuplcd just five minutes by the clock.
The amendment WAS then adopted.
MIR. Haskell claimed that he called the attention OF
the Chair before the vote was decided On the amend
mcnt, and moved to reconsider, anu spoke on MS
motion. lie took the SAME ground as Mr.: tombstone;
and said that In any city none VI the booEhcelers ana
tcIlrrs in the banks received less salaries than this
bil! gives to those State officers clerks.
Mr.. Murray again spoke in favor of his amendment
and said thut II great many men who woTk Just as
hard MS these gentlemen In the state offices Ito, aud
who do just rs nice work, get much less money. IL
these officers salaries are reduced they will not resign,
and if they do THEN places can easily be supplied.
", N,E;, s ut rntJ hn fully n rri In " lint had
been said hy Mr.. Murray.
Mr.. Ward said Our country is pour. We are
chnting under II tax that generations yet unborn VIII
rroau under, and sincerely hope that the amendment
to reduce sulmirs will be supported. and that similar
red uctions will occur all through this bil! and be
ma inIuinrd by the vote Of this House. Tho salaries
arr al too high.
Mr.. Darsan said If the State could afford to pay
81 .9T5 in loI7 she could well afford to pay $l,NO
NOW.
Mr.. Devcreaux said he wished to add his effort TO
those Of the gentlemen VIII" were endcavOrihs To
preserve a respectable anu decent amount Oi com PEN
sation Tor our public officers.
MIR. Allen said The salary of the State officers other
clerks was but u drop in the bucket Of public burdens
and he had never heard tho people complain Of them.
lie was in favor OF pay Ing them honorable and rcas'
olnblr salaries.
Mr.. Hutson opposed the amendment, and asked
what was the use uf having Ways AMI MANS Com
mitt.c to investigate matters IL their opinion WAS to
be utterly disrrgnrdcd. He thnn.ht the amendment
was. Il most mUbncrGric proposition. II salaries are
to be cut down let us begin with the Governor ana
Chief Justice and cut THEM all down and employ men
who can be got at the price Of lnh"rrrs.
Mr.. Werner snih that the Legislature could save
more money for the State By adopting measurcs which
would raise the public credit
MI. Crawford said 1t WIS = sad sight to stand IN
this drlilrralive assembly looking upon one Of It's
brightest lights one who had experience nnd learning,
and SEE this attempt made to deprive these "llicrrs"l
the privilege Of iuuking other men in the fac" at the
end Of the year. and feeling that they had paid their
honest debts. II looked Ike the trick of Il hcmnS"sur.
There had been dcmagogucs who rose to high posi-
tons, but they had CRASHED at crowns aud Kingdoms.