Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-09-28
The Promise to Curtail Public Ex-
pense-Tho Proposition
to Double it.
From the AJbeyilIo Press and Banner. /

We desire to ask tho Chairman, or any
other member of tho State Democratic Elk.
ecutive Committee, what will bc dono in
reference to voting for tho constitutional
amendments Will tickets be furnished TO
those wishing to voto "No," or will tho Com~
mittee act as heretofore and furnish tickets
only for those wishing to vote 'Ysw Wo
would like to have information on this ques-
tion. Questions of vital importance to tho
welfare of tho neoplo aro to bo voted upon
and We thiuk 1t is nothing but fair to give
both sides of these questions u hearihg. Tho
matter of new onuntics is ono Of tho questions
to be settled. Various propositions arc be.
ing made to divide tho counties in much
smaller territory with tho nrowed hopo of
enhancing tho value Of certain property, and
also for The greater convenience of tho people
generally. With tho area reduced to I25
square miles some fifty new counties may
and will be organized. Wo now buvo only
~ counties. In each county thoro aro =
| Sheriff,
Clerk Of Court,
! Auditor.
Treasurer.
Probate Judge,
School Commissioner.
County Commissioners,
Clerk tur County Commissioners,
| Supervisor of Registration.
Twelve county officers in each county, or
in fifty counties six hundred additional
county Offices to be supported by taxing the
po"ple. In addition to the support of these
officers each county would require
Cont lIousc,
l Jail,
Poor Farm.
Tho court house at Abbcvillc cost about
900, the Jail about $4,000 and tho poor
farm say $4,000, in all S33 900. The safes,
desks, pigeon holes, books aud other furni-
lurc III tho court house is estimated at T2, 500.
Can wc afford to build new court houses and
Jails. purchase poor farms for fifty new
counties and then pay tho army of officers
who will thcnccforth live off tho public?
Will anybody say that these officers will live
without expense to the public?
1t IS claimed that property will be cn.
hanccd by tho establishment OF conrt houscs
Is this true? If .he property Of one
town is mndo moro valuable because of the
transfer OF business from another town, is
not one town in jurcu in the exact ploportion
that the other is benettcd2 All these are
important matters and deserve serious con
slderation, and wo think the Democratic
managers should give the people chance to
vote either way.
As the Democratic party in the past has
faithfully kept its pledges in reference to the
management of the public funds, We prc<umn
that It Is the intention Of the party to fulfill
its promises in the future. The proposition
to erect one hund.ed aud fifty public build
lngs by taxation and to add six hundred
officers to 10 paid by the people, deserves
careful consideration by the citizen. The
great majority of our people will be bur-
t!cncd by increased fees and higher taxes to
support an army OF six hundred officers, moro
thu" are now maintained II, public expense
W hero the officer is not paid out Of The
treasury by direct taxation, the fees, under
'hc proposed scheme, must necessarily be
greatly increased.
In addition to the six hundred new county
officers the numbcr of our Senators would
be Increased from thirty five to eighty tive.
The number of Circuit Judges and Solicitors
would be more than doubled.
10 view the matter in IL practical light,
may we ask il it would not be cheaper to
the public if gentlemen having much busi,
ness in court, would move to the court house?
When Muhammed had business on The
mountain, he went to it.