The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-12-05
The GOllrHar.s Message.


thoughtful in suggestion and true to the
sentiments and traditions of South Caro-.
lima, it sill surely make favorable i'm.
preston on the public mind. 1t con.
tains complete review of the operations
of the different departments of the State
Government during the past ysaf. and
makes number of recommendations
looking to the improvement of the public
service, which require, as they will doubt.
less receive, the careful consideration OF
the General Assembly. Altogether, the
present condition of the State is healthy,
and the prospect for the future ia full OF
encouragement.
The most important sub ject discussed
by the Governor relates to the financial
condition of the State. Our public
Indebtedness amounts to S6,595, ,924.
Nearly the entire Indebtedness of the
State will reach maturity in 1893, and
some provision will have to be made for
it's payment or for refunding the present
consolidated bonds and stocks. Governor
Richardson is impressed with the great
necessity for suitable legislation in,regard
to this: matter aud recommends sbat
timely provision be made for refunlng
the debt. Negotiations looking to this
end cannot "be left to the risks and
changes of few brief mouths. 1t is
essential to their successful issue," says
the Governor, "that just, reasonable
and practical scheme for the replacing of
this debt be devised, and that am pile time
be allowed for its prompt, equitable ana
faithful execution
Governor Richardson approves of the
plan of settlement submitted by State
Treasurer McIVer, after conferences with
prominent bankers and other leading
fnanciers of the State, viz: The issue Of
bonds aud stocks to be exchanged for the
outstanding 4a per cent Brown consols,
| which shall bear interest at the rate OF
4 per cent per annum, payable semi.
annually, the bonds to run for fifty years
and to mature 10 1910, the State treasurer
to pay the difference in interest in cash
from the date OF exchange of the Brown
consols to the date of their maturity,
and, as an additional guarantee, to pledge
and set apart for the payment of the
principal and interest of the new secnri.
ties the phosphate royalty received by the
State. The phosphate royalty for the
past year amounted to $4,000, "a sum
nearly equal to the whole amount of the
annual interest of the proposed new
issue of securities" The Governor
believes !hat the proposed phosphate
guarantee would add immensely to the
value and acceptableness of the new
bonds in the money markets of the coun.
try, but recommends, as further induce
ment to BANKERS to invest in the new
securities, that 80 much OF the capital
and surplus funds of banks as may be
invested in the new bonds shall be ex-
empted from taxation. The plan for
refunding the debt is simple and would
doubtless prove TO be very effective.
With the proposed phosphate guarantee
there would certainly be no difficulty in
placing the entire issue f.the new bouds,
but it is questionable, we think, whether
ths State should pledge che phosphate
royalty in order to float securities which
can doubtless be placed to advantage
upon the good faith of the State alone
The educational institutions of the
State are in q hopeful condition. Gov
ernor Richardson is impressed with the
necessity for wise legislation in regard to
the public schools and recommends that,
as soon as practicable, provision should
be made for extending the school term
for the period of six months required by
the Constitution. The State University
is heartily commended to ''the fostering
care and generous support" of the
Legislature. .fhe management of
Cleaiu College for colored students is
aworthy of the highest COMMUNICATION" !"
It is conducted with rigid economy and
the remarkable results which have been
attained, entitle it to the continued
favor of the General Assembly. The
Winthrop Training School has accom-
pliahed good work and the attendance
on the Teachers Institutes and the gen.
eral interest manifested in educational
affairs indicate that the people Of the
State are fully alive to the subject of
education.
The Asylum for the deaf and dumb
and the blind is managed with the most
rigid economy, the cost of its pupils per
capita being less than the cost in twenty.
four other similar institutions in the
United States. This institution deserves
the fostering care of the State.
The department. of agriculture is in a
very satisfactory condition. 1t is well.
conducted and the results of its opera.
tions during the year have proved the
zeal and fidelity with which it's officers
have discharged their duties. During
the past year 10000 tons of commercial
fertilizers were consumed by the farmers
of South Carolina, at s cost of not less
than $4,000, 1000. 1t is of the greatest
Importance, therefore, that the fertilizers
should be subjected to rigid analysis
and that the department should be EN-.
powered with all requisite authority for
the protection of the planters. The
phosphate industry of the State nowIyields
an income of about one.ffth OF all the
revenue necessary for the support of the
Government, and every dollar of royalty
due the State has been promptly paid.
The condition of the Penitentiary is
all that can be desired. The operations
of the past year show that it can be made
self.sustaining institution, the cash
earnings of the year being $4,000 ia
excess Of the amount necessary for the
support of the prison. The recommends
tion that plantation be purchased for
cultivation, under the direction of the
Penitentiary authorities, appears to be in
the direction of souad economy.
One of the most interesting subjects
discussed by Governor Richardson is the
condition of the Insane Asylum and the
very large increase in the number of
insane persons who have become bur-
den upon the State. In the last eleven
years, as the official figures show, there
has been remarkable increase of insan.
ty among the colored people. In No.
vember, 1878, there were 101 colored
patients in the Asylum; in November,
1889, there were 319 colored patients, an
increase OF over 200 per cent as against
an increase of about75 per cent in the
number of white patients. The cost of
supporting the Asylum is increasing in
proportion as the number of insane pa
tients is increasing, and while it is neces.
sary that the State should make proper
provision for the care of the insane, it is
necessary that the condition of admission
to the Asylum shall be made more rigid
than they are at present. Owing to the