The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-05-02
lii 1879 Georgia's as

iii 10" georgia : as
SrSsmcnt WAS in
round numbers 2325 .OOO, 900
IN 1857 ....... ....... 3ll ,O0O,OOO
Gain in wealth in nine
years ........ log 600 600
Sonth Carolina ON the contrary
has gained nothing, but lost. But
Judging by the way money is paid
in salaries, etc., we are by long odds
the richest and most prosperous of
three states, Does anybody claim
thnt we have more efficient or ahlcr
officials than Georgia and North
Carolina? 1t is urged that Il re-
duction of pay would bring in set
OF cheap" men who would be in
efficient, But Judging by the
scramble ever Il vacant Judcship
or Solicitors place, we think our
taxpayers can safely rely on get
ting Just rs good as they now do
for the same money paid by North
Carolina or Georgia.
Without going into ngurcS, we
take it for granted that our Luna
tic Asylum and Penitentiary are
managed in just rs cXtravagant 81
manncr rs the other Department.
the one proving great burden to
the taxpayers and the other Weld
ing no income, though it might be
made to pay at least $lO,0)O IL year
to deGray the expenses Of the gov
"rnmunt.
We have shown that $4,000 can
be saved if the same basis of cxpen-
1iinr.A n In Nhrtb L..
adopted.
Tho privilege tax on fertilizers
amounts to over $4,000 yearly.
The work done by it can and ought
to be done by the agricultural col
lcge. Here, then, is 81, 900 to build
and equip the college, without eth
or touching Mr.. Clcmson's money
or rc5orting to new taxation. If,
then, we leave the University the
f3i,5OO now appropriated and the
tuition fees and relieve it of the OK
pensc Of attempting to educate far
mcrS and mechanics in an uncOn-
genial atmospheric, it can accom-
plish its needed work in II more cf-
ticicnt manner and be the better
for getting rid Of these bones OF con
tcntion; while after the Clemson
College is built, it would have the
following income without looking
to the taxpayers at ALL it and the
experimental station:
Landscrip Fund .......$ 800
Hatch Fund. d.............. $4,000
Privilege faN--say ..... 10000
Total ........,.. ,............., ! 6O,7j0
With this sum we can keep up an
excellent agricultural school at
Fort Hill, worthy Of South Carroll.
na, worthy of Calhoun. and last,
but not least, worthy of Mr.. Glenn
son. But there are also other re-
forms and economies impcrntivcly
demanded before we can lift the
burden of taxation to any marked
degree. We have too much and too
hnsty legislation, and we believe il
would be economy and wisdom to
have our Legislature meet bienni-
ally instead OF annually, MS ut pres
cnt, and to change the date of its
session. That the burdens of taxa
tion are not equally borne Is too
evident, and those taxpayers who
aic honest in their returns are gric-
viously imposed on. Governor Ha-
good long since pointed out that our
county governments are both inef-
ficient and eXtravagant, nearly as
much being spent on them now as
in Radical days. We are handicap
ped and cut off from any improve
ment along that line by our Radi-
cal Constitution, while our very cx~
istenco as free people is jeopardi-
zed by the ignoront horde of voters
watching and praying for n split in
our ranks. We earnestly urge the
Importance and necessity Of con-