The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-12-07
The Governors Message in Brief.

In his message to the Legislature, Governor
Thompson states that last year the debt of the
State was S6,57l, 1926 during the year few
bonds wero issued under special acts and the
sinking fund commission cancelled Sal, ,OO0Htf
bonds, leaving the debt at this time So, 53l 800
ga net reduction of about $4,000. The Stale
securities are all aboveipar; all paying q per
cent. there is no floating debt and all claims
ore met promptly.
S348, 900 will be needed TO run the government
during the coming year, and che interest on the
public debt will be S39l 900. With the phos-
phate royalty and surplus, mill tax will be
sufficient.
lie suggests additional tax levy for one
year or a smaller addition for several years to
give the State surplus from each semi annual
collection to meet the ensuing interest pay
ments. At present each payment has to be met
fl ON collections made after it is due and the
banks have to be depended on to carry the
treasury over the interval.
The tax returns for 1882 show S145. .442, ,292
in property $S7 900 900 Of which is real estate,
S4S,OOO, 900 personal property and Sl5.OOO,OOO
railroad property, the increase over the pre-
cedng year being over five millions. lie esti
mates that two million acres OF land in the State
escape taxation altogether, 10000 acres being
in Richland alone.
The Governor recommends that the system of
assessment and taxation be simpli6ed and im-
proved, and suggests o commission to consider
the subject.
74.l57 white and 9S, ,938 colored pupils were
enrolled in the public schools during the year,
73 per cent of the white and So per cent. of the
| colored children being in attendance on those
schools. The average length of the session was
4 months; the teachers employed, 3, ,494 e., l65
white and ,329 colored) and the schools in
operation 3 .260 and increase of S6.
| The school debt, which was S2l0,OO0 in 1877,
| is all paid; and the message recommends local
taxation for the support of the schools to help
out the present poll tax and two mill levy.
| 80 students have graduated from the colored
| University at Orangeburg siuce 1879, besides
many who took partial course. There were
| 424 enrolled students last year.
| los cadets, is Of whom were State cadets
were enrolled in the Citadel Academy last year.
| The State College has lSO students. The
Governor recommends an appropriation for
| each
500 is asked for the support of the insti
tuition for the deaf, dumb and blind.
| The lunatc asylum contains COB patients
25l colored and 352 white. Only 33 are pay
patients. The annual increase is from 80 to 60
| The patients cost the State Sl40 apiece. The
| Governor fayors requiring each county to sup
port its own patients. The asylum asks Sl33,
900 for this year.
There are 500 convicts in the pcn,entiary, ar
increase Of ~ over last year. Only 80 white
The institution pays revenue to the State o.
| Sl2,5UO
S27,OO0 and the labor of 225 hands is asked
for the Columbia canal this year.
Fertilizers paid last year So, 900 and tn,
royalty on phospha,es amountcd TO $l3l, l57.
20 immigrants were brought into the State b.,
the Department of Agriculture last year.
| There are ~ companies Of State troops on
tanning 3, 1895 men. and 10 companies Of Nation
al Guards with 95a men.-Greenuille Ners.