The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-18
PROMISE AND PERFO
A Brief Review of the AdminiStra ration
One Year Ago a"d Now.
[Grecuville News.

A year ago yesterday, June 10th,
1890, the great Tillman campaign was
opened in Greenville.
Many people who read this remenl-
Der the meeting-the enthusiasm, the
pride, the faith, the hope with which
the friends of the popular cause gath
cred to cheer the popular candidate
and to discountenance his opponents.
Some will remember it with sore
heart, for some who at that meeting
took pains to he prominent in their
| hurrahs for Tillman were left out in
the divide and found when the
votes were counted that they had
their labor for their pains.
Looking over the flies yesterday, we
were struck with one or two notable
utterances of his opening speech and
the light thrown upon tn=m by recent
events and developments. The assessed
taxable of the State Of Georgia, he
said, had increased one hundred mil
lion dollars in ten years while those
of this State had see-sawed, sometimes
rising and sometimes falling. There
must, he said, be reason for this.
Some said the people did not return
their property honestly, but that
wouldn't do, for the same rule held
good in other States. He thought our
failure to increase like Georgia was
caused by the absence Of republican
form of government-by ring rule.
The alleged ring rule has been over
thrown, but there has been no great
rush Of prosperity visible to the naked
eye. 70 the contrary, Comptroller
General Ellerbee appears to be strong
ly of tue opinion that our poor show
ing in valuation for taxation is caused
by the failure of the people to return
their property honestly and in that
opinion he apparently has the Gov
ernor's support. Work has been begun
in pushing up the bank and railroad
assessments, and we are promised that
the same thing will be done with farm
land, mules and other property so soon
as the officials can get at them.
A large part of that speech of June
10th, 1896, was taken up in arguing for
a primary election for State officers.
We had no primary, although every
body but Captain Tillman's friends was
anxious for it.
In another part of the same speech
Captain Tillman complained that the
department of agriculture had paid
Sl2,162 in fees to lawyers who repre-
sented the State in a suit for certain
phosphates by which the State re-
covered $1,000. "Why," he asked,
"did not the attorney general and the
solicitors who are State officers on big
salaries prosecute the case for the State
and save this money ?" This point
was taken to be strong one-a deci-
sive illustration of the reckless eXtrav-
agance of the old State government
and was loudly cheered. Yet in the
present phosphate suits against Coo
saw outside lawyers who work only for
big money have been freely employed.
When it came to Governor Tillman's
turn he did precisely the same thing
he censured Governor Richardson for
doing, and called in extra help for the
States case.
Has there been any discovery of gen.
eral rottenness and mismangement in
the old government? Two shortages
were found, amounting together to
about $500, We believe, and both were
promptly made good.
Has there been any large reduction
of expenses or taxes?
Have any offices been abolished? |
Have the laws been better or more
administered
Have we been more peaceful or pros
porous or contented than before?
Let US from time to time keep IN
view promise and performance, charge
and proof i-ese are things to Judge a
man or government by.