The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-12-10
GOVERNOR TILLNAN.
INAUGURATION OF THE CHEF exc
CUI-lVE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

\ Large Crowd in tittendance-Thc Sim
pie CeremonieS--The inaugural Address
An Exhaustive Review OF Public \
Neutrality-suspicious. of Hetrenchment and
Reform
COLUMBIA. 5. G.. Dee. 4.-Speciai
Those interested in the ceremonies IN
cdent to the Inauguration ot the Gov
ernor OF South Carolina were full OF
gloomy fortboGiDg Yesterday. Every
sign pointed to 4 rainy day for the oc-
caSion-and rain would have spoiled
things badly. Hgt the rain confined
itself to little shower last night.
This mornings sun shone will! es-
pecial brightness. and the day has been
the prettieSt Of the season.
Some little time before the hour set
for the exercises, people began moving
towards the State House. just north OF
which had been erected the platform,
capable Of seating about 500 people.
There was. as is usual on such occa-
Sions, some little delay, and it was about
l:20 when the procession headed by the
Chief Justice and the Governor-elect
reached the platform. The space in
front was well filled with spectators.
The number Of people present is estl-
mated at3,5GO.
The exercises were opened with pray
er by the Rev o. A. Darby, d. d., of
this city. The oath of office was then
administered by Chief Justice Simpson
to Governor Tillman, who thereupon
proceeded to deliver his
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
which is most exhaustive review Of
public affairs in South Carolina, with
suggestions of administrative reforms.
The document contains about seven
thousand words. The following synop-
sis includes all its salient points. Gov
ernor Tillman said:
Its seldom in the history of politics
that man is so honored as l am. 1t
is customary to perform the ceremony
of Inauguration in public and only
once before that am aware has 1t been
necessary in South Carolina to hold 1T
in open air in order to let the people
see.
TO the large number Of my fellow citi-
Zens who have done me the honor to
come as witnesses of this impressive
ceremonial l can only say IN simple
words thank you.
To the people owe my election after
a most memorable canvass. 10 the
people only l owe allegiance and to the
people pledge my loyal service. This
is no mere holiday occasion. The cltl-
zens of this great commonwealth have
for the first time in its history demand
edand obtained the right to choose their
Governor, and |, as the exponent and
leader of the revolution which brought
about the change, am here to take the
solemn OATH of office and enter upon
the discharge of its onerous duties. Be
fore doing this it is proper, and usage
makes it obligatory On me, to make
known my views and opinions on the
important questions agitating the pub
lie mind and to show where and how
the reforms are needed and can be
wrought.
With such an audience as this, SYM
pathetic and enthusiastic, [ might If
| were an orator attempt to play upon
your feelings and win applause by
flights of what some call clog uence,
but which sensible people consider
as "glittering generalities." the tinsel
and brass buttons of a dress parade,
meaning nothing and worth nothing.
The responsibilities of my position,
the reliance of the people upon my
leadership, the shortness of our legls-
latiye session Zone fourth of VIII ch is
already gone) alike demand display OF
practical craftsmanship and business
methods. We are met to do the busl-
ness of the people, not to evolve beautl-
full theories. or discuss ideal govern
ment. We come as reformers, claim
ing that many Sthings in the govern
rent are wrong and that there IS room
for retrechment and reduction Of taxes.
Oar task is to give the people better
government and more efficient govern
ment as cheaply as possible. We must,
however, never lose sight OF the fact
that niggardllness is not always econo-
my. The people will pay even more
taxes than at present II they know
those taxes are wisely expended and
for their benefit.
Before ! proceed to discuss in plain,
straightforward. farmer fashion, the
legislation shall ask you to consider.
l desire to congratulate you upon the
signal victory achieved by the people
throughout the Union at the recent
election. Democracy, the rule of the
people, has won a victory unparalleled
in its magnitude and Importance, and
those whose hearts were troubled as
they. watched the trend Of National
legislation in its unblushing usurpation
of authority, its centrallzing grasp
upon the throats of the States, its ab-
iect surrender to the power OF corpor-
ate money and class interestS-all such
must lift up joyful hearts OF praise to
the All Ruler ard feel their faith in the
stability Of our republican institutions
strengthened.
The Governor next discussed the re-
latioDs of the races, and, while empha-
sizing the paramount necessity of white
supremacy, urged justice and consider
alton for the colored people. He strong
ly condemned lynching, and suggested,
as one preventive of it, that the Cover
nor be empowered to remove any
sheriff permitting prisoners to suffer
violence while in Jail.
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
For the improvement OF the tree
common schools the Governor suggest
ed the following scheme:
The respective counties should be de-
vided, by a reliable surveyor, into
school districts as nearly square as the
contour and the larger streams and
swamps will permit. These should be
of an area not greater than thlrty-siX
nor less than sixteen square miles, ID
proportion as population is dense, and
with one white and one colored school
in each. All the public school funds
should be concentgated to run these
alone. The trustees Should be elected
by the residents of said districts, only
free-holders being eligible to the office.
The poll tax should be increased to Ss
instead of 81, as now, and this will re-
quire constitutional amendment.
Empower trustees to erect buildings
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