The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-08
INAUGURATING A SYSTEM OF SILENCE.
The Vulgar Eye OF the Tax Payer
Must Not LOOK Upon tae Official
Acisn%s and DoinSs OF his Tiran.
ciai Agent.

The Press and Banner secs by reports pub
lshcd il the newspapers that our Legisla-
tors are making an effort to suppress the re-
ports of the several County financial agents.
Some years ago IL was resolved by the Legis-
laturc to keep tile reports OF the State Treas.
urcr's actinSs and doipSs out Of the newsTa.
prrS. Less than year ago the grand jury OF
Ahbeyiilc county secured cuurt order di
rccting that their prcScnlments should bf
kent from The public eye, unless the printers
should publish them at their own cost.
All Of this Is progress.
Taken in connection with the recently pub
lished extracts irGin The reports Of the Coun.
IS Commissioners of AbberiIle county IN
Radical times and In Democratic times, nc
movement all along the lines may be siSnih
cant. Without tie statements or the diItr-
ent boar ds OF County Commissioners, rs
published annuaiy in the newspapers
Tic people would still De Ignorant OF the
constantly Increasing costs OF The court ex
pcnStS.
They have been labo:ing under the de
fusion that these expenses were re luced.
If this Lcgisla: ure can pass law preventing
the mcddlcSome taxpayer from seeing tnt
official actngs and dol gs OF The pubic OH
GERS much progress will he made. IL two oi
three years from the achievement Of this pro-
grcsSive step. It might be we'll 10 institute
proceedings 10 prevent these oitlcers ron,
keeping books The expense OF hooks would
he saved, and all evidence Of official eNtrara
ganre would hc destroyed. a Democratic
officers word should be sufficient to satisfy
lie taxpayer llab lnc puDIIC biAS'i HIS bo'
sQuanhcrrd Inc public money, even II tho
taxes should yearly increase.
Our publication of extracts from the official
reports of the County commissioners from
1870 to iS.5 and from lSS0 to FS3 has excited
comment among the People, and we learn
that even our Legislators have taken some
notice OF it, but we have 40 idea that the
revelations which these figures na'lc hac
anything to do with the proposition TO kecr
the tcopr hereafter in Ignorance Of the OK
UcnSeS OF the county Government.
The proposition to exclude the vulgar
eve of the taxpayer from the actinSs and do
ingS of their financial agents Is an ndlnlraDic
one It. will prevent the newspapers from
being able to furnish to the people such lact
and figures ns may expose cNlravnGtncc III
tie us,, Of the public funds. BY all means
keep the accounts OF trial justices and con
! stables secret from the people, anu tncn inc
taxpayers have no business 10 be- looking Into
Court expenses. SombOGy may expose AND
bri'.g 10 light the immense profits WHICH
some of tho public officers are making.
We hope that when the bill relating 10 tlle
dieting of prisoners comes before the Leg
! stature, that the ayes and nays may be calico
| for The voters Of AbhcvillC county have
mri @ feet rirht to know which of their repre-
/ $cntativcs will vote for the contnun ton OF 9
law taxing the people 5000 Il month 1of the
board of prisoner, who may be waiiing trial
Or undergoing sentence. The Press and Ban
mr. will Tc very Likely to find out If our dele
CATION vote for the continuation OF this mon
STrous imposition on the people, many OF
whose families live on Il less cost from ono
wear to another than it taxes To feed one priS
oucr. The voters have Il right TO- kno"
who of their Representatives, after having
made such solemn promises OF economy
muy vote for such Till!ul waste o
the peoples money. Thrre arc respectable
wlic families in .lhbrvile county, of nyc
six, seven, and possibly eight members, who
live OH What ii cpS!S 70 feed che negro III oul
jail We want tn knuw what faithful repre-
Sep tativc wi il he instrumental in continuing
This mun.tynGs insult ~ The poor white peo
MI. of NhhrVillr county.