The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-01
The Governors Message

uC OOFV1 HUI - VuCOOuSV
A REVIEW OF THE SITUATION /.
SOUTH CAROLINA.
The Economical Advantages Of Demo
cratic Rule Importance Of Sustain
ing the Credit Of the State Pros
porous Condition Of the Publ
Schools - The Lunatic Asylum an
Other Institutions Other Matters.
[.Sews md Oourier.l
CoLrxnrI, November 23.-Tho message Of Govern
or Je,-r, rc.d IN the General ASS mtly to-day, Is b
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
CoLuxHiA, 5 e.. November 70, los0.
Gentlemen Of me General Asiernbiy: Al III
last rryuiI scssiun Of the General Assembly OF thi
Stat, ". u. Simpson wns elected Chief Justice OF to
Supreme Court OF Sonth Carolina, and on the LIST q
September last he resigned tbs office Of Governor Z
VI tho state having thus, under the provisions Of th
Constitution, devvlved upon me- - Prrs,urht pr
lsrnpore of the Senate, l Immediately assumed the du
ties by taking the oath of Office.
It now btcomcs my duty, under me ConsusItos
to give you Information y! the condition OF the STATE
and recommend for your consideration such measure
- Seem n the necessary Or eSpediene
lhave not had time Or opportunity TO Dechme sum
or the wants and necessities Of the people to DO adj
u give such full and satisfactory recommendation o
| 40, sure my distinguished predecessor woald hsv
made had be continued In Office.
cUngrn' ul,to you, Us the representative OF N
peopls, upon the great improvement which has bee
effected Ia the affairs Of south Carolina 10y the admin
istra,ions which have had charge IL the Stats Govern
nrpt for the last four yrsrA. The cloud Of despond
eney and gloom which came Of p~rotieste, reckless an
corrupt Legislation 10 bring gradually cleared away
and the hope VI Q prosperous future invites US to re
newell efforts. livery Int rest, material and education
ii, 10 being surely and constantly improved. Agricul
Iurr, tho principal occupation Of our people and tn
chief snurce OF all wealth, 10 remuneratiye, whilst LAM
ID being gradually enhanced not only In price, but II
real value. Commerce 10 extending and adding be
storrs u The wealth Of the country. Cotton manufac
tories have been increased In power and number, III,
whilst In many PORTIONS Of the verdi such enterprise
have been run on short time Or closed temporarily, u
south Carolina they have been probably run On ial
time.
The sessions Of the Legislature have been reduced
from a duration Of several months ~ about one month
Tho credit Of the State Is fast rising " the high posi
uun II had before the war. The railroads have beer
improved In condition and are doing IN increased Lus-
iness which Indicates, as surely - any thing. th,
growing prosperity of the country. The success y
the j~stttss In deepening
THE BAR OF CHARLESTON
harbor, which 10 now regarded certain, will develop
prosperous future for the city, and yet verify the wis
dom u those whu In former days selected Charleston
- the Southern terminus VI the rOad from the North
west to the ocean. Already the increased number o
vessel, seeking that port; andthe much larger receipts
Of cotton than at the same time last year, indicate thu
3pproaehirs'w wave Of prosperity. Before many year
Atlantic most accessible tn the trade u the West In
dies and South America, and none will b found cum
bining the advantages Of Chusle,ton, /. {. We Law
just pass.d through one Of orr
xxol7Ixa QuApEssxIAL 1LEcrloxs,
In which % much 10 done to dsange the business o
the country, disorgsnizo labor and excite the wors
p,ssious Of the people, especially the most ignorant
/ believe it would be better for Ill tho interests VI th
State II W. had State elections but once In four years
and then At q limo diderentfrOm that On which Unitet
slater elections are held. II persons held office ~
four y-srs they would become better qualified for thsi
duties, snd tho STATE 10 more Interested In having n
ottics we'll Oiled than In Ending berths for untried sspi
rsnts. To sh0w what proIrsls hH been made In th
way VI
hsToEx ASp ECONOMY
under tho Democratic administration Of the Stat
Government which went into power four years ago,
ssk your attention to the Expenses of the etate for Las
year 80 compared with similar expenditures 70, th
State while tho Legislature was In the entiIe control u
the Hsdic.! party. Taking the average annual expen
diturss Of the State Government for the six succ-ssiv
yeas beginning Decrmb.r LIST, 1855: For these Oh
ye.ro there we're paid and appropriated for eon,ingen
funds 33TS, S32. 4, or an annual amount Of SCI, Sn5.4s
Contineent fund for last year e6,s20.l7. Dinerene
35S.sss3l.
Ths eost Of the session and expenses Of the Geneu
Assembly fur tue sxme period we're S3,l47, 1907, an
besides this amount there were outstanding bills pay
abls Issued on account Of legislative expenses for th
Same period &lS2, 215.1a, the average Gust of each reEu
lar session being about $50, 405l6. Legislative ex
psnsss last year >A.1o+S2 Difference e9Is,soos4
The average expenditures for each regular session 10
six yesrs for attaches aud contingent expenses bav
been shout s9ss.494.Ss. Let It be bornc in mind tina
this sum represents only the actual payments made
There was : large amount Of unpaid claims In the form
Of legislative pay certtfcates, estimated At not les
than e3O0,0N0. The corresponding amount Of las
S.sin ,se y. va: si$ sasss. BBiss.r.Ses Us sssso.
During three yests ending No'emoer l. lsst: ID
ssd Il printing the laws 10 the newspapers, WAS sSls,
6saJ8i. Deducting from this amount all such items o
.u.y be called extraordinary, amounting to 1850
there remains - the eost VI printing for three year
ths S1n Of 5<3,62S.S 6, Or al average annual Gust q
eta1 :9ea. %. Public printing last year el2.2tl.40; dill
fereaee 1l6s,99SS. There was collected from the PEG
pic In the years 1873, 1874 and 1915 the sum Of 8+,a9,
46l. OF this amount treasnrers were paid commits
sioas Lr o~dlection Sl5l. 90; county t~reasursrs default
I'd Tor fl0S-sss; total S26i,oSs; leaving paid Ia to tn,
treasury Sl0SSt&S. Amount collected from the peopl
In: 1SsS. 1877 and ISIS, 81 ,sos,S7a. or this anoun
treasures we're paid commissions for collection t85,
600. Amount unpaid but secured ty judgment o
thoroughly solvent ~sureties &5o5; total &sat5O5 leHvin,
paid into the treasury 4l,S13e67. The saving In money
taken from the people e2,44o.ssS: In money Fsit
lently " n-giigently lost S1os,ssa. Total Vi, 666, 944
Poll tax-s Tor the common school collected In 1913
1874, lSs3. Sl773l6; collected In 1876, 1871, 1875, $Sll,
az.
the FINANCIAL ISrERxsrs OF TIE STATE
viii, Of course, elsim your special attention, and In tn
consideration u this matter | would call your atten
tiaa to . careful rerusal OF tho able and lucid repOr
q Comptroll.r.Gen General H.go.,d. Ia connection will
this mater I thiak the State adopted the wisest cours.
IN submitting u tho courts, instead Of the uncertain
ssen- u politics, the decision OF the vexed question o
matter shoald u settled definitely and certainly, ant
ss one Legislature might undo the acts Of . previous
one, the question has been eutmitted to the same tri
bunal that settles and decides matters Of dispute Ant
DEBT between citizens. The following 10
4 STATEMENT OF THE PUBLIC DEBT.
Is.al eoa,o., sa,9ie7ss.sa; total deneiepeis. go,
ssass; State scrip agricultural College, Slsl $40
total funded debt 1886, 1880. To be funded for a..
te.beilum principal and inter est, say SISS,51O.9 81; to be
funded for post.belIum principal and interest say
18D63lS; to be funded for fundable interest, say SIG,
6s9.07; TO BE- funded for bills Of the Bank Of the state
NY Se3, l4o total bonded debt, s6,es9, l70.la After aI
the expsnses and appropriations Of the last focal yeai
are paid ID there will remain % 9 surplus TO Do Cur
ried to the fiscal year isS0.sl the amount Of ali0,OOO
1t appears from tho coinptrOller's estimate that
levy Of n mills will raise . sum sufficient to 10y The
current expenses OF the government and tho interest
II the Legislature continues the mode Of collecting
taxes At two periods Of tho 7ear There will be of courst
great uncertainty a. to the amount In tho treasury %
the LIST OF July. 1t 10 important that the interest oil
tho debt be mot punctualy, and 10 order to sustain thu
credit of the State. l therefore recommend, II the pres
ent mode Of collecting taxes 10 to continue, that you
authorize the Governor, conptruller.g general and tcess
urer " borrow on temporary loan, II there b. not saf
6cient funds IN the treasury, 90 much - may he nee
essary TO pay the interest ialHne due.
ask your attention 70 the remarks Of the comptrol
Ter on the subject OF
THE POLL TAX
and suggest the importance Of devising some law By
which the tax may be more generally collected.
will have occasion to speak Of forfeited lands an(
phosphate mining, In bringing to your attention thu
report Of the commissioner of agriculture. The qles
lions, however, of the taxation u phosphate mine.
which were brought W tho atten: Ion Of the Legisla
luro ut is last session by the comptroller. general
have not all been settled, but remain tor your do
cision.
The report Of the superintendent Of education give
much valuable IS to the condition Vi
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The school fund, tho school attendance, number q
schools and the number VI teachers employed wer,
10 the history of this State. In proportion to he
wealth South Carolins 10 making as liberal provision
for education - any other southern state.
During the political eanvass Of ls7Sit was repeated
ly charged that Il the Democratic party obtained Gun
troll Of the government educational facilities 10 genera
and especially those Of the Solered racs would be di
minishsd. The following tabular statement of th'
work Of the last four years furnishes the best answe
ls77.7s~ 2,s22. 1873 -. 1901 1880. 29l8. increas
In number If schools since 1861, 40; teachers EN-
ployed 1857, white LIS, eolored sls-total 4,6I4
white 2,099, eolored l,O76-total S.l6G; lS79.s0, white
2,O4s, eolored l,l23-total 3.l7l. Increase In numbe
OF teachers since 1876 II 497.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE.
1851, white 4G,4a4, colored ~oSss2-total lo2, sss