The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1880-12-16
The inaugural Address Of Gov, Hagooa

SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,: II is with
profound sense of the responsibility Impoa.
ed that appear before you to day to assume.
in obedience 10 the behests of the people, tho
executive office. You have been called by
the same sovereign voice to the discharge OF
an equally important trust; and in our hands
Is placed for the next two years much that AT
fects the welfare of the State. Relying upon
your patriotism, and your wise co-op operation,
and with heart single in its devotion to my
State and people, l approach the duties as
signed me, and shall faithfully discharge
them 80 far as in me lies.
STATE EXPENDITURES.
The honest, economic, and efficient admin.
stration Of the State government, which the
party revolution Of 1875 promised, has been
realized. The ordinary current expenses Of
the State government have been reduced to
one-fourth Of what it was under the manage
ment of the Republican party, and have
nearly reached the minimum expenditure of
the period before the war. Every obligation
Of the State is met from the income Of the
fiscal year, and no deficiencies are incurred
The accounts of the State are cleared from all
confusion or uncertainty, and there is laid
before the representatives of the people once
more, as is required by law. "a true and ac-
curate account of the actual state of the
Treasury" There is yet room for retreuch-
ment; and as from time to time, without i'm
pairing the efficiency Of the government, re-
trenchment can be made in the Executive.
Legislative and Judicial Departments. as we'll
as in the miscellaneous expenditures, each
small in itself but aggregating considerable
amount, it should be done. In my observa-
! tion however, the path OF further reduction
| of the burthens Of the taxpayer lies now rath>
| er in the county levies, Of which shall here
| after speak, than in those which reach the
State Treasury. While the State levy is four
a.. A.
administration, the ordinary county levy is
the same now as it was then.
| You have, no doubt, observed IN the esti-
mate of supplies required for the support Of
the State government, submitted TO you at the
| beginning of your session, the large propor~
| ton of the whole needed for the penal and
! charitable institutions of the State. Where
labor is as valuable as it is with US, do not
see why the Penitentiary should not only be
self-sustaining, but source of revenue. Con-
siderable progress has been made in this di-
rectien under the present able management
Of that institution, but the object sh ould be
kept steadily in view and attained a: tic ear-
liest possible day.
In connection with that noble charity the
Lunatic Asylum, l hesitate to speak of re
trenchment; the circumstances of our people
require, however, that ii should be restricted
to it's purpose and remain q charity. The
pauper alone should receive the bounty of the
State; those who are able TO pay in whole or
in part for the benefits Of the institution
should be required to do so. 1 am not pre-
pared TO assert that the bounty Of the State
is now abused in this particular; but it occurs
10 me that an efficient safeguard against such
abuse is TO return TO the plan prevailing be
fore the war, and, instead of supporting the
pauper inmates of that institution by a gener.
al State appropriation, to require each county
to support its own paupers in the LunatiC
Asylum as well as ut home. This is entirely
cOnsisten with the scheme of our poor laws
The county levies the fund for the mainten,
ance Of its same paupers, and it is expended
under local supervision. 1t should also levy
and retain supervision Of the fund apphca BILE
to the support of these more unfortunate per,
sons among its indigent population. The
part of the State should be limited TO appro
priations for such general purposes Of build
ing and repairs rs are necessary to make tho
institution available for its humane purposes.
The revenues Of tho State nre collected
with honesty aud fidelity. The mode of nc.
counting with the subordinate tax officers
provided by law is rigid, and it is impossible
to cover up fraud or negligence on the part
of those officers if the accounting is properly
enforced in the Comptroller's Office. When
the money has reached the State Treasury,
its Gust ody and disbursement ore jcalously Y
hedged with stringent provisions Of the law
: | know Of no practical safeguard that is omit
ted.
COUNTY EXPENDITURES.
But with regard to the expenditure Of the
county revenues, it seems TO me that the law
| is seriously defective. There is now levied
and expended in each county for county pur.
poses larger sum than it pays into the
general fund which reaches the State Treas
ury, and is there surrounded with such care
tul provisions of the law. The County Treas.
urer retains the county funds in his hands
, and is, in regard to their disbursement, merely
the cashier of the County Commissioners. In
his annual accounting in this matter before
the County Auditor, an order Of the County
Commissioners, drawn in accordance with the
forms of luw, is his sufficient voucher. Upon
the County Commissioners rests the respon-
sibiity Of the faithful and judcious expen
diture of The fund, and they are practically
ubiected to little or no supervision. 1t il
true they are required to forward, through
: the Comptroller General, q detailed account
Of their transactions, 20 be laid before the
Legislature, and iris the theory of the law
that these accounts ore by you examined
For the present year but four of the counties
have forwarded their accounts in time to be
printed with the Comptroller's report. Others
will perhaps be laid before you in manuscript
during your session, and some will not reach
you at ALL The General Assembly does not
and necessarily cannot, efficiently discharge
the duty imposed; and thus the loose super.
vision of the county expenditures is in sing
ular contract with the riOid sorutinv on forcn1l