The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-07-05
RADICAL AND DEMOCRATIC RULE.
Comparison Of Expenditufes-The Radical
Regime Was Corrupt and Dfshonest-
The Democratic Honest but Extravagant.

HAUICAL AWU U6MVCnd4AO ACAA'
Comparison of Expenditufes-TheR Radical
Regime Was Corrupt and Dfshonest-
The Democratic Honest but Extravagant.
Walhalla Courier.
The Marion Star, speaking of the
clamor about the expenses of our present
State government, quotes the sub Joined
extract from recent contribution of
Sentor Hampton to the Forum Magazine:
"The domination of the Legislature of
1857, in which the blacks were in the
majority and most of the whites were
carpet baggers, was q barbaric rule of
ignorance, vice and corruption unsur.
passed in American history, except, per.
haps, by the contemporary Legislature OF
louisiana
ALTHOUGH but little more than one.
| half of the South Carolina lawmakers
| of that year could read or write, $4,000
was spent for stationery, while the last
| preceding Democratic Legislature of the
State expended only $500.
! "The speaker of the House issued no
less than s4oeooo pay certificates for
which there was no appropriation, and
no way to expend the money lesitimately
if it had been appropriated. The
expenses of the State government proper
were raised from 100000 to 100000,
| and no less thau sS5O,O0O was consumed
| in the purchase of liquors, cigars and
other articles of personal comfort and
convenience for participants at the legis'
lative saturnalia."
We presfme no one will deny the
| truth of this extract; but while true, we
are of the opinion thst The taxes levied
! and collected by the Radicals were not
heavier, if as heavy, as the taxes now
levied and collected. Under Radical
rule the annual tax varied from nine ia
twelve mills, but the average did not
exceed the present average.
The Radicals largely increased the
State debt by the issue and sale of bonds
and sold much of the public property,
! the proceeds of which were squandered.
The Democratic government has been
honestly administered. The salaries Of
county auditors, treasurers and school
| commissioners have been largely reduced
and the perquisitea of the county officers
cut down.
| The difference is that taxes now levied
are expended according to law; but from
the creation of new Offices actual
expenditures for legal purposes differ
very little.
The real question is not the relative
expenses of the two governments, but are
the expenses of the present government
too high? Can they be reduced without
injury to the public welfare? We think
they can and should.
The salaries now paid to State officers
were fixed upon the basis of q deprecated
currency, while tho currency is now at
par. We believe $4,000 now is equal to
$500 then, both in actual fact and in
purchasing power. We believe, too,
that salaries now paid exceed in average
those paid before the war for like servi'
ces. Besides, all salaries should be pro-
portioned to the ability of the people to
pay and the purchasing power of money,
At the time the present salaries were
fixed the sale value of cotton, the money
crop of the State, averaged from twenty.
five to thirty.three per cent. above the
present prices, while the sale value OF
articles of domestic use was lower. II
has been for years subject of discussion,
whether the growing of cotton paid the
farmer more than the cost Of production
The facts show that the large body Of oul
population are involved in debt and able
to live only, as said, by the operation Of
the lien law. Statistics. too, show thai
the salaries of our judges and State
officers average an excess over salaries o.
| like officers in other States. In view o.
all these facts it becomes at least living
question whether or not the expenses o.
the government cannot and should not be
reduced in many departments, State and
County.
The question will certainly be made il
the next Legislature, and unless we mis-
take the temper of the people the
experiment of a cheaper government viii
be tried.
In these views we do not fight, bu
sustain, the Democratic party. 1t ii
honest and we'll administered under th'
laws existing, and we are satisfied tha
the party would be equally true under
change Of laws. The people in demand
ing a cheap government do not look to
transfer of power to other than Demo
cratic hands. They have too vivid
recollections of the misrule of the recon
atruction period to return to it or ever
even look on it with any degree O
allowance, and all movements to cheaper
without crippling the government ar'
movements towards true prosperity ant
the permanency of Democratic power il
the State. Thus We view them.
CIereland's Destiny.
How closely merit and fate are marrie'
in this world, is not easy to inquire.