The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-10-19
Governor Richardson on Our State
Government
From the News and Courier. I

had followed that profession for genera
tions and his sympathies were with
them in their struggles. While he would
not answer all the charges that had been
made, he would say something about
that Of corruption in the administration
Of the State Government. The Demo
cratic party had accomplished more for
all the people in the last ten years than
any political party had ever done in the
same length Of time. In 1868 the Radi-
ical debt of the State had run up to
$29,OOO,OOO. Governor Scot. carried his
treasurer and the great seal Of the State
to New York and stamped the bonds as
they came from the mills. They went
down to ten cents on the dollar, and the
levy for State tax was IA mills. All
this money was riotously wasted, and it
is said that Governor Moses absorbed
$5CO,OOO in one year. Our State then
stood disgraced in the financial markets
Of the world.
Thus matters went on until 1876,
when the ''sons o: Revolutionary sircs,"
who had fought under Morgan at Cow
pens, rose in their manhood and hurled
the usurper from our State. When the
Democrats came into power the first
thing was to appoint Court to separate
the fraudulent from the valid debt, and
after their vcrdicts passed through the
highests Courts Of the country the valid
debt Of the State was settled at six and
half million dollars. The State gov
crnment has been fairly and cconomi-
cally administered. One Of the charges
is that there is great and wasteful ex-
travagance. He said that honor is the
best economy that State ever exer-
cised. No business can be carried on
without money. The farmer will foil if
he attempts to make crop with impov-
erished stock and poor tools. The mer-
chant will suffer if he hires cheap, inef-
ficient help. 1t is wise economy to
pay good price for good article. So,
in the administration Of our Govern
ment, the question is whether there
have been any unnecessary expenses or
not.
One of the special charges is that the
State levy is now 1920, 900 more than is
necessary. In 1873 the State levy was
100000, because no levy was made that
year to pay interest on the bonds as they
were in the Courts. That matter was
settled, and the next year the levy was
twice that amount. Some additional ex-
penses have been incurred in the State
Government. The amount is $4,000,
andit goes for the South Carolina Col
lege, the Citadel Academy, the compile
ton Of the State House. and for the
Lunatic Asylum; but rs an Offset to this
increased expenditure we have an in
creased royalty from tho phosphate
mines, so that the burden Of taxation is
really no heavier on the people than it
was in past years before this increased
expenditure. Taking our State in all
its departments there is no extravaganza
and no waste.
Then comparing it with the cost of
other State Governments, South Carolina
takes the lead in economical administers
ton, with the exception, perhaps, of AL
ALBANIA. The tax per head in South Car
olina is $1.s3, in Georgia 81, in Louisiana
$4.67, in Pennsylvania 81, in New York
$11, IN Massachusetts, $13.
!. In conclusion, Col. Richardson said:
snow in the admins tration Of public
affairs promise economy when it will
do good, and will recommend rctrench-
ment when it will promote the honor of
the State and the prosperity Of tho peo-
pie. But want no one-horse Judge on
the bench to try my case. A 25. cent
man is not the proper person to try one
for his life. Farmers and merchants do
not want cheap men to manage their
affairs. A niggardly, ungonerous, self.
ish man is the worst of all. With, such
An administration as we have had for the
last ten years the future is full Of high
est hopes. It is only by following the
Democratic banner that we will be able |
to preserve all that we have acquired,
and exhort you men Of ,Spsrtanburg to
be faithful to party, to principle, and to
the highest honor Of the State"
Col Richardson's speech was repeat
afllv cheered and applaulied throurhont