Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1890-11-27
COURIER
BYTHOMPsONs sMITH 6 JAYNEs.
THURSDAY, NoY ~, 1890.
Refoga:y-.salaslas

~ is respectful by the people Of the
StataSthat something substantial in
the way$of reform in our state and
county governments will be effected
by the present Legislature. And
while . great deal more may be
lookodsfor on this line than is practi-
cable in one short session, yot some
thing may be done for the cause
of retrenchment and reform.
In a general article on tho work of
the Legislature last week, we mado
mention Of some Of the most import
ant measures that will come before
the present session. 1t is our pur-
pose nowt recur to q few Of these,
and give more in detail the particulars
III Il which wc think the pruning knife
should be applied.
1t is true thet the Constitution
fixes a limit to the work of the Leg
islature in many respects, and conse-
quentiy the most expeditions way of
accomplishing the desired end would
be by a now draft of our organic
law. But this cannot be had for
three years to come, and hence our
legislators are driven to inquire what
means are now at their command,
the employment of which will com
port with reform in the government
and economy in its administration.
In the matter of reduction of
sf6fices il is competent for the Lcgis-
lature to abolish the Office of County
Auditor, and devolve his duties and
those Of the Treasurer, with proper
modification, upon one officer. This
:swould work an annual saving of
sfgom $500 to $1,000 to every county
fsh the State, which is no small item.
The Constitutional Amendment,
a%bolishing the office of County Com
m%issioners, which was submitted to
the people in tho late election, was
recommended by q majority of the
electors voting thereon, and two
thirds of the members of each branch
of the Legislature can now effect it's
abolition. 1t would then be in order
to devise a new system of county
government. We need a change of
the system under which we have
been working v G since the adop-
ton OF the Constitution of 1868. No
substantial reform can come without
a change, and the change must be
radical. The principal which governs
our present system is that every SER
vice, however small, rendered the
government must be paid for in dol
lars and cents. But is not this
principal at variance with an econo-
mical government, and therefore
Vicious? What are it's practical
workings2 Under it's operation in
our State and county governments
we have over one thousand Office
holders drawing salaries ranging from
fifty dollars up to four thousand, and
the constant tendency is toward an
increase of salaries. Moreover, with
the introduction of this New England
idea of government is inculcatcd the
kindred one that government is
nothing more than a machine, which
may be worked for tho promotion of
private ends by the party or faction
which may have control of it. Thus
instead of being n glorious and time
honored institution for the protection
of life, liberty and property, it is
degraded to the level of a machine
to be used for party and private pur-
poses. Hence we should rccur to
the old idea of government which
prevailed with us before the war,
to wit: That every citizen is due his
State a CO, tain portion of his time
and service, free of charge, from a
of duty and patriotism, and as
his return for the protection which
the government affords to his life,
liberty and property. Under this
system our counties were governed
by a system of boards, by commits
sioncrs of poor, commissioners of
roads, commissioners of public build
ings, and commissioners of free
schools, who served without pay. BY
a reasonable and equitable division
Of labor and responsibility, the res
pcctive counties were efficiently gov
erned by these boards at n minimum
cost, and the expenses of county
governments were very small. Now
the expense of maintaining our
county governments will average
twice rs much as that OF the State
government, which itself is far greater
than it should be.
And this brings us to consider the
reduction of the salaries of all State
officers and their clerks. While we
believe that the pay of those officers,
whose responsibility is great, and
who have to devote all, or the greater
part of their time to the discharge of
official autica, should be reasonable
and liberal, yet we submit that the
salaries now paid are too high and a
proper reduction should be made.
A considerable reduction in the
present salaries of State officers
and their clerks could be made
and there would her be no lack of
capable and efficient aspirants who