The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08
THE COUNTY. EXPENSES.
THE LEGISLATURE PROBABLY wlftNd
TO STOP EXTRAvAGANT EXPENDI-
TURES OF THE COUNTY FUNDS.
Attracting Attention, and q Re.
form May be Affected.
Ne,rs and Courier.

In the progress Of the debate in the Hous5
on Wednesday last which, by the way, was
its first indulgence In that most seductive but
somewhat expensive legislative luxury, :
good deal was said about county expenses. It
will be remembered that the subject OF dis
cussion was the Aldrich bill to change the.
tenure Of office or grand juries II was adj.
vanced In support oil the bill that the grand:
juries by being made perpetual would be able
to exercise closer scrutiny over the eXpentii-.,
ture Of county funds. The opponents Of the
continuance OF men In office so long might
render them more easily subject to the In
tluences of a powerful combination OF corrupt
officials or criminals. This brought out,
enlogies from quite a number of members
upon the officials of their respective counties,
each asserting that noble, purer, more intel
| ligent, upright, partrioLlc, selfdenying lot Of
citizens, in the. words of the "MlkadO,n!.
"never did exist" All of which Is doubtless
| very true. Nevertheless II IL admitted on all
sides that one of the most pressing questions
which confronts this Legislature is the ques-
ton of reform IN county affairs. 1t was
pointed out in this correspondence on Mor.-
day last that In the county of Abbeville, as
shown by the Press and Banner, the experses
| in excess Of those OF six years nf the Radicals
ule oil plumber. The statement was the SUBJ.
jcct of q breakfast table conversation at the
Grand Central Hotel yesterday, OF which a
distinguished member from Abbcviile assist
ed. l asked him If the figures of the Press
and Banner were true. aud he replied he had
no doubt they were. The only cause be was
able to assign for 1t WAS that the people were
too anxious to make a living out OF minor
offices which they sought Z:
"Any stealing or diShouesty?" inquired.
No, he didn't think so. While 1t was truestho
salaries OF some OF the offices were small, the
position afforded opportunities OF making
money which very few men could resist.
This remark was made not In reference TO-
Abbeville County alone but to all the coun.
ties in the State.
| a case in point occurred here during the
earg part OF this week. Looking over the
register of the hotel on Tuesday morning I
found the names Of six or seven prominent
citizens of Georgetown. Thinking that they
might have come TO the Capital on some leg
islalive business, and not being able to find
any OF them. asked Representative Miller,
OF GEORGETOWN County, "whnt was up?" and
was told that the object OIL their visit was 10
bring Il half dozen or more convicts to the
Penitentiary. This will, perhaps, explain
why II costs from $50 to $50 each to transport
convicts to the PeHitentiary. I was further
tcld by Mr.. Miller that some Of the dlstin-
guiShed citizens alluded to were rabid REFORM
ers, aud during the recent canvass had adv0-'
Gated the abolition OF the Citadel and College,
| the reduction Of the salaries OF State officials
and other measures Of reform.