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 " the
State was S6,57 ,s3J during the year few
bonds were issued under special acts and the
sinking fund commission cancelled Sal .OGO II
bonds leaving the debt at tins time So, ,53l go
ga net reduction ct about $4,000. The State
securities are all above par; all paying per
cent. there is no floating debt and all claims
are met promptly.
S3IS. coo will be needed to run the government
during the coming year, aud the interest on ihe
public debt will be S39l 900. With the phos-
phute royalty and surplus, Il 1 mill tax Will oe
sufficient.
lie suggests an additional tax levy for one
year or IA smaller addition for several years To
give the State surplus from each semi -annual
collection To meet the ensuing interest pay
rnents. At present each payment has to be met
ii ON collections made after IT is due and the
banks have TO he depended on to carry the
treasury over the interval.
The tax returns for 1882 show Sl45, ~, ,292
in property, SSI 900 900 of which is real estate
.SlS,OOD, 900 personal property and Sl3.oOO,ooo
railroad property, the increase over the pre-
ced.ng year being over five millions. lie oSu-
mates that two million acres OF land in the State
escape taxation altogether, 10000 acres being
in RIchlanI alone.
The Governor recommends that the system of
assessment ani taxation be simplihcd and i'm
proved, and suggests commission to consider
the subject,
7l.lj7 white and 9S. .9}S colorcd pupils werc
enrolled in the public schools during the year,
90 per cent of the white AMI So per cent. Of the
colUrcd children being IN attendance on 'h"s"
schools The average length Of the session "'ts
1 months the teachers employed, 3,494 e., lh''
white AMI 80 coored) aud the schools III
operation 3,263, and increas Sc.
The school debt, which was S2lO,OOO In 1871,
is ali paid and the message recommends local
taxation for the supp, +; of the schools to help
out the present poll fax AID two mill levy.
80 students have graduated from the colored
University at Orangcburg siucc 1879, besides
many who took partial course. There were
IA enrolled students last year.
ljj cadets, IS of whom were State cadets,
were enrolled in the Citadel academy last year.
The State College has $50 s,uicnts. The
Governor recommends an appropriation ioi
each.
So. 800 is asked for the support Of the insti
| tuition for the deaf, dumb and blind.
| The lunntic asylum contains &C. patients
2jl crlorcd and :ij2 white. Only 33 are ray
| patients. The annual increase is fr"m 30 To 60
! The patients cost the State $40 apiece. The
| Governor invors requiring each county Ia sup
port its own patients. The asylum asks Sl:i;,
| uUD for this year
| There SO cuuvIcts in the Icui,cntinry, NJ
| increase of ~ over last year. Only - are white
| The in Institution pays n revenue To the State o
| $1,000.
So 300 and the labor Of I2j hands is askc,
| for the Columbia canal this year.
| Fertilizers paid last year SS2I,OoO and th'
royalty on phOsphatcS amounted 10 Sl3l, ,lnI.
| 10 immigrants were brought into the State b.,
| tho Department of Agriculture last year.
| There are -! companies Of State troops con
| tanning } Sy5 men. and - companies of Nation
al Guards with 9jS men.-Gr'e"riH' Ne~*.