The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
Needed Reforms.

The Government ofSouth Carolina has organ
izcl Il system of Government for tho schools
which is entirely different and distinct from
the other part Of the Government. 1t is u
dual government, maintained at great cN.
pense, This should not be so. An immense
saving of money could be effected by some
practical and beneficial changes.
There is utterly and absolutely no use for
the office of State Superintendent of Educa-
ton. Three hundred dollars would have paid
. that officer for any work which he has uone
In any year since Democratic reconstruction.
lie pow receives sI7j Il month. The Secretary
of state could discharge the duties of State
Superintendent of Education, without in-
crease of pay.
Another matter. There is no earthly use
for the Office of School Commissioner. His
only service which can, under any prctcXt, be
OF ralnc TO the people, Is the lassing upon
school claims. That duty could be done by
the County Commissioners without extra pay,
and an annual saving of 5000 would be effect
cd in every county. There is no more use for
two sets of Commissioners to draw checks,
than there is for two trcasurcrs to pay them.
Instead of having three County Com
missioners at small salaries, one officer better
paid, could do better work, and also discharge
the very slight work now performed by the
School Commissioner. The work of School
Commissioner, exclusive OF visiting the
schools. which is the vercst nonsense, can
Ire dispensed with to advantage.
TIC citizens in all townships that have in
telligcnce enough to vote for Sheriff, Clerk,
Probate Judge, County Commissioner and
other officers, should also elect their own
school trustees. BY what method Of reason
ing is it supposed the people Of township
have not sense enough to elect their own
school trustees? Has it come to this, that
they must have q master over them at the
Court House, who shall appoint sub-agcnts,
and more tyranical masters over them?
One-half of the grand jurors should hold
over from one year 10 another.
The petit iurics should bc drawn in public.
Officers should not be expected or required to
lock themselves up in room to draw the jul
rics The people may sometimes criticise
thcr work, or charge them with unfairncSs.
Good and true officers should not be subjected
TO this possibility.
The license fees charged by Incorporated
towns for retailing liquor should 60 into the
treasury OF the County. 1t is unjust TO the
county to allow the Incorporated towns to re-
ceivc the fees, and then compel the county to
hear the expense of Furnishing crime that
may result from the abuse of liquor. Able
Vile town has made thousands of dollars by
retail license, while the taxpayers OF the
county have paid immense sums for Court
expenses incurred by these licenses. There
Is no Justice or equity in the present plan.
The whole militia system of the state from
the office of Adjutant and Inspector General
down, might we'll be abolished.
Any further waste Of convict labor ana
money on the Columbia Canal might be sus-
pended.
y surveyor OF public highways, to resurvcy
old roads and to open new roads, is needed.
ConvictS should be furnished 10 build our
bridges and to work our highways.
Under the present laws, and under the pres
crt system of administering alleged JUS
ticc, murdcrcrs find but littlc trouble TO
get tail. The same laws make 1t exceed
ingly difficult for the man, who has stolen q
dozen ears Of corn, TO get bail. II the Clerk
Of the Court was allowed to talso the prison.
crs own recognizancc or such other security
as he might offer, thousands Of dollars would
bc annually saved in Jail fees. Where's the
sense of paying the jailor fifty dollars to keep
q man in Jail until the Court investigates his
guilt or innocence of the charge OF pig-stcal-
ing or corn-stcalinS? Better let the County
Commissioners pay for the stolen property
Give us Il lawauthorizing the Clerk, in triiling
or uinor cases, TO take any bail he chooses.
Give the people a chance to save thousands OF
4, Il
cape.