Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-12-05

OF the State.
The department of agriculture is
in a very satisfactory condition. 1T
is wcll-conductcd and the results of
its operations duriny the year have
proved the zeal and fidelity with
which its officers have discharged
,heir duties. During the past year
$4,000 tons of commercial fcrtili-
zcrs were consumed by the, farmers
of South Carolina, at Il cost of not
less than s2,O00,000. 1t is Of the
greatest Importance, therefore, that
the fertilizers should be subjected to
a rigid analysis and that the depart
mcnt should be empowered with all
requisite authority for the protection
OF the planters. The phosphate in
lus,ry Of the State now yields an
income of about onc-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 Pcnitcntiary
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 in excess of the
amount necessary for the support Of
the prison. The recommendation
that a plantation be purchased for
cultivation, under the direction Of
the l'cnitcntiary authorities, appears
TO be in the direction of sound econ
omy.
One OF the most interesting sub
iccts discussed by Governor Rich
;ffdSon is the condition Of the Insane
Asylum and the very large increase
in the number oj insane persons who
have become Il burden upon the
State. In the last eleven years, as
the official figures show, there has
been a remarkable increase Of insan-
ltv among the colorcd people. In
November, 1878, there were lO1
colorcd patients i. the Asylum; in
| November, 1889, there were 313 col
orcd patients, I'm increase Of over
200 per cent rs against IN increase
oi about 10 per cent in the number
of white patients. The cost OF sup.
porting the Asylum is increasing in
proportion rs the number of insane
patients is increasing, and while it is
necessary that the State should make
proper provision for the care Of the
insane, IL is necessary that the con-
Iitions OF admission to the Asylum
shall be made more rigid than they
are ut present. Owing to the large
increase in the number OF colorcd
patients il will soon be necessary, if
it is not already necessary, that per-
mmcnt provision shall be made for
the establishment Of a separate ASy-
| lum for the colorcd insane, and, rs
Governor Richardson suggests, the
question is simply as to whether this
separate Asylum shall be conducted
rs an annex of the present institu-
ton or as an entirely distinct cstab-
IShmcnt lie is in favor of a scpa-
rate and distinct institution, because
il would be Gin the line OF the policy
SO wisely and pcrsistcntly pursued
by the State in all matters affecting
race relations. The welfare, adj
yanccmcnt and true interests of both
races are best subscrvcd and promo
ted by preserving intact and un-
changed, as far as practicable, the
peculiar characteristics and distinc-
tons OF each" 1t would be better
lor the white patients and better for
'hc colorcd patients that they should
be cared for in separate and distinct
institutions.
During the past year there has
been 4 healthy increase in railroad
building in The State, and in the
business of the established railroad
lines. Governor Richardson makes
sundry recommendation in regard
to the work Of the railroad commits
sion, which will no doubt receive due