The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-18
Representative In the Lower House, and Will
make good Senator, Gen. K. r.. Hcinphill:
Gen. ls. IL. IIcnlphiII's Speech.

Representative in the Lower House, and viii
make n good Senator, Gen. X. n: licrnphill:
Gen. Is. X. IIcn,phiITs speech.
Ar. President, LttdieS and Gentlemen:
! | appear before this audience with q great
deal Of embarrassment. This is the first po.
! litical campaign that have entered without
ioppoSition, and this is tho first political meet
me, however, and will he ready to excuse any
sh0rtcOminS on my part. Due west Is my
old home, and she has always given mo her
solid support for which shall ever bn thank
! full | hope that have at least, in measure,
! deserved 1t. In 1876 Due West did her full
share in securing good, government: ana she
! will always bc found in the line OF duty.
The platform as laid down in the Columbia
Convention contains all the issues which are
properly before this people. There are some
! planks in that platform with which am not
| in accord, but us II party man / must sustain
| that platform us as n whole. While the Dem.
ocratic State Convention has endorsed. civil
service reform, las an individual am IN IA
vOr Of putting the Government offices into
the hands Of It's friends I believe it wrong to
put the offices into the hands Of our political
| opponents and believe it q mistake to keep
men from the Republican party on Democrat
! ic watch towers.
The people know that am in favor of efll-
cicnt Government. and they know that my
policy has been TO cut down all needless en-
penditurcS TO the lowest figures, and that
have opposed extravaganza all the time, from
first to last.
think there arc number of useless offices.
The duties Of Supervisor OF Registration could
nc performed by the Auditor, and that ofilce
might be abolished.
There could he a saving IL the State Univer-
Sity was conducted according to law. Tuition
fees should be charged, rs required by law.
The denoninational colleges have not asked
that the South Carolina College be destroyed.
The law authOriZes one free student In each
county. All the dcn0minati9nal colleges ask
is, that the law be enforced. That would edu-
cate thirty-four students free, including board
and lodging, If necessary.
| think the agricultural department OF the
south Carolina College Is too expensive.
Prof. McBryde, the President of the College,
receives s. UO0, and last year an Assistant Pro-
fcSsor of Agriculture was added, at salary or
81 100. This is too great an outlay to graduate
annually about four Studedts in agriculture.
1t is too much to pay for four good turner's.
can't promise to work any great reform,
however. If in the Senate would be only
one in a law-making body OF one hundred and
fifty-fou
am in favor Of Constitutional Conven.
ton. The present Constitution was adopted
in lSGS, when every man wanted Office, ana
the Constitution was framed with view TO
accommodating as many Of them as possible.
Our Constitution is entirely too unwicldly-ts
not suited 10 our wants. A Constitutional
Convention would cost something, but the en-
pansc OF Constitutional Convention is tri-
ding when compared to the benefits that
might accrue from more simple and mex
pensirc form of government.
which should be stopped. If the convicts
were taken from that work and put at work
on railroads, they wnald do some practical
good in huiiding up the country, while the
expense of feeding, clothing and guarding
them on tie canal would be stopped.
l have nothing new TO add. Thanking you
for the honOrS which you have conferred up
Jill me In the past, hope to serve you faith
fully in the future.
Synopsis OF NIr. Parlxer's Speech.
Mr.. II. S. Galloway then said:
The next speaker is an honorcd and we'll
known citizen who has served us most accept
ably In the past, and who is q most worthy
Representative Of the people, Hon. w. IL.
Parker.
Mr. Parker began by saying that he rccog-
nized the right Of the voters to be Informed Of
them in legislative bodies. AS their repre-
sentative he had cndeavored to advance the
Interests of the State and especially Abbcville
county to tho best of his ability.
In the short time allotted to the speakers, ii
was impossible to go largely into detail on
the matters to which he would direct his re.
marks.
The cnterprSing publisher of the Press and
Banner had published In ful! his remarks at
Alcwnc's Mills, on financial and other ques-
tons engaging public attention, and lie desir-
cd to refer his hearers to his published views.
He said it was charged that taxes were high
He showed that they were lower than in years
preceding Democratic rule. rating from ~
mills, the lowest rate, to 1914 mills, on an as
scss;ncnt much higher than present rate. In
1872 the assessment Of real and personal prop
erty was S1,25i,2i0 in Ahbcville county, and
mills levied l3, exclusive OF school and special
taxes.
Under Democratic administration the rate
varied from to 9I mills, and assessment
from 1882 to 1856 from SG $50 to 81 l,Sj2,2l5.
He had heard it recently asserted that our
taxes had increased 500 010 per annun since
1882 under Gov Hagood's administration.
a voter at Centre Of Gravity had stated that
he desired an explanation OF such increase.
He had examined the acts and reports OF
Comptroller General and found the statement
erroneous.
Gov. Hagood went out OF Office in Decom-
Der, l%l. and the appropriation that year for
ordinary expenses was SGS9.2H. In 1852 was
the largest appropriation, S7IH, 800. In 1883,
S62i ,9SS. The Increase for the past two years
amounted to about Sl2D,0U to Sl25,OJ0, and
could be accounted for by apprroopriatiGnnn, to
$4,000 to $l5,0O0, and Citadel s20,GJ0, and per-
hnpS some minor appropriations. .
He had not voted for the Canal or Militia
del appropriation for rcasuls given in his re-
marks 1T AleWine's.
The interest on the public debt was large
burden and absorbed more than half of the
State taNcs. The penal and charitable instt-
tutions also required Il large sum, and the ef-
forts Of the Legislature 10 rcducs the expenses
had not succeeded To any great extent. No
great relief could be expected until these cX-
penScS were reduced.
The bonded debt falls due in 1888 and 1893,
and if the State credit was maintained at its
present status, the debt could probably be
funded at n much lower rate, probably per
cont, ana thus save $4,000 or more.
lie also went into some details about the
Lunutic Asylum.
His time having expired, Mr.. Parker was
compelled to discontinue further remarks.
lie begged to call attention To his published
views III the Press ana Banner referred 10
above, and stated that in his Legislative ca
rccr he had cndCavOred to advocate economy
with efficiency and was IN favor Of low taxes
and reduced appropriations SO far as 1t could
be done judiciously.
Capt. w. ID. Mars's Speech.
Mr.. Galloway then said:
We will now hear from a gentleman who
was graduated at this college many years ago.
lie is known to the older Of our citizens
While he is not IL stranger To those OF US who
are younger. His excellent education, and
his large and varied experience in the practi-
cal affairs OF life, enncntly fit him for The po-
sition of Representative, Capt w. ID. Mars.
Mr.. Mars then said:
LrIicS uut! GcnNcnsrn:
My timc being limited hardly know where
to begin, but having bccn educated here, and
having graduated here thirty -four years ago,
strange emotions fill my heart when look q
third OF !; century back. My classmates are
scattered. Some are dead, and some arc still
living widely apart, and filling stations of
greater or less importance to the church and
the country. Death has invaded tho ranks OF
and lIvnphil have finished their work.
Their days OF usefulness are gone, but We
have their noble example, and The sweet frat
GRANGE that fingers around the memory OF the