The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-12-01

revision of the lunscy laws His sus.
.estions are entitled to the weight Of
:oming from one who has made the
subject study, and has excited
much ability in the discharge of his
-pecial duties.
The Asylum under its present
arrangement, in securing all that per-
talns to its hene6cent objects, / am
happy 10 believe, compares favorably
wltt similar intitutions elsewhere.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRIcULTURE.
The lately instituted Department of
agriculture has during the past year
Andertakeo very fully the duties in
trusted to it, and gives promise of
taking place iu the development of
ne State beyond what was anticl-
pated when it was established. The
report Of the Commissioner, to be
submitted tc you, exhibits the extent
of the duties imposed BY him, and the
zeal With which they have been dis
charged. have myself had occasion
10 observe the intelligent and earnest
fort given by the Board to their
work. No part of the work of this
Department is more worthy of notice
5"an that devoted to the promotion of
immigration. In the short time since
this effort was inaugurated 534 immi-
grants have been Introduced into and
settled in the State; but more than
This, the fact has been established
that with a continuance of the same
fort the amount of this desirable ad-
dition to cur population is limited on
y by the capacity of the State to alb
svrb it. So far the Immigrants have
been chiefly of the peasant class;
hardy, intelligent and thrifty laborers
tut the class with more or less capi-
tai may soon be expected to follow;
and, if our people desire it, We can
soon witness the diversion into our
midst of a part of that stream of im-
migration which has, SO rapidly and
wonderfully enriched other portions of
the Union. I most cordially com
mead this Department to your foster
ing care.
RAILROADS.
The Railroad Commissioner reports
an increase of the net income Of the
railroads of the State during tie past
year, and an improvement of. their
general condition. All of those which
were in the hands of receivers, except
the South Carolina Road, have been
sold, aud the purchasing companies
permanently organized. There is CON-
plant of excessive freight charges on
some of the leading roads. The At
torney General holding that he is not
rs such counsel for the Railroad Cou-
missioner, and there being no fund
provided for the employment of coun-
sci, the Commissioner has been unable
70 test BY suit 10 the Courts alleged
violations of the law and Of their
charters by the roads. To secure
reasonable charters be recommends q
Board of three Commissioners with
power to regulate freight and passen-
ger tariff and that it either be made
the duty of the Attorney General and
Solicitors to represent the Board, or
that an adequate fund be provided for
the employment Of counsel. The
Cou missioner has discharged the du-
ties of inspection required of him.
He also states the gratifying fact that
in the last three years 10 passenger
has lost his life through the fault of
any railroad in the State. There is,
he thinks, much room for improve
ment of depots at the importsot. sta
tions along the roads, and at the city
of Columbia, where it is recommended
that the Legislature require a Union
Passenger Depot to be constructed.
Many of the railroads of the State
have passed under the coatrol of the
Richmond and Danville Combination.
The Commissioner thinks that in some
respects such consultations of inter
est are beneficial; but 10 this case the
controlling power being in another
State, it is highly important that the
Legislature shall provide through
Board or otherwise for regulation of
freight and passenger tariffs which
will protect the local patrons of the
roads in this State. e..
EDUCATION.
The report of the Superintendent of
Education shows the condition of the
public school system and the progress
made during the last year in pro-
vid;ug educational facilities for the
masses. There were 10 attendance Cd
the public schools 1889 white, and
72,ll9 colored pupils; making total
of 1873, ,45S. There we're 3,057 schools
iu operation and 3,249 teachers cm-
ployed. The average length of the
session was 81 months. Full reports
of the school fund have not been re-
ceived; but it is thought, from
careful estimates, that it will be
about $4,000. The increased ia
cilities for education arc shown in the
fact that the number Of schools estab-
lished during the gear was create: by
81 than at the time Of the last report,
and the number Of teachers by
7S. The average length of the ses-
sion shows slight increase over that
;; of former years. The educational
facilities of this State are not yet CON-
pete; but a comparison with other
States shows that, in this respect,
South Carolina is not behind most of
her sister States of the South.
The renort of the State. .Sunerin-