Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-21

task.
But pleasantly aside, as a business man,
l shall address you in d business way on the
practical issues before you, and shall discuss
some subjects not usually introduced in the
hustings.
In the present condition of affairs there
can be but two parties in South Carolina-the
Democratic and the infamous Radical. 1t is
a simple question which Of these her chosen
sons shall decide may hold the reins of their
State government Lido not propose to in
flame the people by denouncing Radicalism,
and bringing before their minds the dark
days of misrule and corruption with which
our State was oppressed from 1868 to 1876,
but l cannot refrain from contrasting the
present era Of peace and prosperity under hon
est home rule with that dark period in our
history when our government was controlled
by strangers and adventures
When Governor Orr, in 1868, turned over
our government to. the Western adventurer,
R. X. Scott, the State debt was about five mil
lion dollars. At the end of three years, under
Scott's administration, he reported the debt to
be twelve million-ap increase, according to
his report, of seven h1if1ion.z This seemed in
credible, even to the Radical rulers, and the
Legislature ordered an investigation, when
10 ! and behold careful investigation dis
|
but twenty-nine million-an increase of near
ly twenty-four million in three years! Or, in
other words, the debt was increased from five
and half million to twenty-nine million.
These were the figures made by all investiga-
ting committee Of their own creation, and if
the showing was not correct, and it has not
been successfully contradicted, it is showing
by themselves Of their own conduct of public
affairs This Indebtedness was not less than
twenty-nine dollars to each man, woman and
child in the State. Even they clearly saw that
no English-speaking people would peaceably
consent to be taxed to pay such burden of
Indebtedness, and they repudiated one-half of
| it, leaving US fifteen million to pay and it is
now reduced to six and half million, or about
six dollars and a half to each man, woman and
child in the State. Again, to illustrate the
extravaganza and corruption of that party
while in power, it can be shown that during
the five years of Democratic rule there has
been saving of three hundred and fifty dol
lars to each voter in the State. Each voter
to-day owes three hundred and fifty dollars less
of the public debt than he would have owed,
if Radical rule had continued, and they have
the satisfaction of knowing that now every
dollar of the public taxes isfaithfully and hon
estly expended for State purposes.
Col. Thompson then alluded to Greenback-
ism, which in some parts of the State is loom
ing up it's head, and has even assumed such pro-
portions as to inspire it's leaders with the idea of
running State ticket in this canvass. lie ar
gued that in the reality there is no such par
ty-scratch the back of one of them and you
scratch a Radical. When you vote for Green
backer you vote for a restoration of Radical
rule. The Greenbackers have the sympathy of
the National administration in their efforts
to divide the people of South Carolina fully as
much as has the regular Republican party.
Greenbacksm and Republicanism both point to
the same thing; they have the same ends to
accomplish, and we must not permit repiti-
tion of Republican rule, which would certainly
ensue, even if under adifferent name, were they
to obtain the State government. We know
what Radicalism in South Carolina means ; we
know what it was in this State, and our past
bitter experience should admOnish us to permit
none buthonest South Carolinians to rule South
Carolina. Let us bury it as the dying Irish
be buried in a JEWISH burying ground, and
when asked his reason for making so singular
a request, he replied: "Faith, and wish to be
buried in a Jewish burying ground because
that's the last place the devil would ever ex-
pect to find an Irishnlan." So let us, in imita-
tion of the witty Hibernian, bury Greenback-
ism where even the devil would not expect to
find it. Its pedigree is like that given by the
boy of his dog. "What breed is your dog ?"
he was asked. "Part cur" was the reply.
"And what is the other part p was the next
question, to which lie replied "Why dog, of
course" So it may be said of Greenbackism
that part of it which is not cur is dog.
When the Democrats secured control of the
State the public school system was in disorder
and confusion. Debts had been piled up,
the teachers were unpaid, the school houses
were open only three months of the year,
and when the teachers could realize but
fraction of their certificates they were fortu-
nate. The plan adopted by the Republicans
was to require all the school tax collected in
the different counties to be sent to the State
treasury ItneverW was returned to the schools.
The books of the State treasurer show that
the unpaid balances of the State appropria-
tions for the support of the schools in 1877
were S184, 704. The whole debt reported then
was S209,940. Subsequent investigation has
shown that this amount is below the truth,
and as to their indebtedness, so far as you are
specially concerned, ask what they now owe
in York. According to their own showing,
the hopeless Indebtedness of the Radical ad-
ministration in York county, on account of
the free public school fund, is for the year
1872, S4,02S.0S for 1874, 81 $3.50; for 1875,
ST $40; making a total of S7,421.5S, wrung
from the people of York comfy for education
al purposes, and squandered by these harpies
in riOtous living.
In 1877, the school attendance in the State
was 4G, 600 whites and 50, 900 colored. In 1881
the attendance of white children was 6l,OOO
and that of colored 720O0. In York, While
the length of the school session has increased
under Democratic rule, so has the attendance
of pupils, both white and colored, increased,
and as to the efficiency of the system in your
county during the last five years, you know
without my telling you.
The whole expense of State government last
year, not including the interest on the public
debt, was S2S3,576. The sum set apart for
the support of the schools was S354 ,OOO In
the light Of these facts, it must be con-
ceded that the Democratic party is the only
party that can preserve peace and good gov
ernment in South Carolina and the pure ad-
ministratiOn of the laws.
But the public school system is not even
now perfect system, though we have been
laying it's foundations broad and deep upon
which finished structure may be built. The
inscription over the entrance at the Paris Ex-
hibitiOn was Washington's profound utter
ance: "Promote as an object of primary i'm
portance, institutions for the general diffusion
of knowledge" If my nomination for the high
office of Governor of South Carolina meant any
thing, it meant the endorsement of my theory
Of popular education land Isay with the famous
Montesquieu: sit is in d Republican govern
ment that the whole power of education is need
ed" We want school system that is good
enough for the rich and cheap enough for the
poor. Nothing less than this will satisfy the de-
mands of the times and meet the necessities
of the State a liberal education of the mass
es represSeS crime, prevents pauperlsm, and ele-
Yates the plane of government. An ignorant