The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-01
Wednesday, July l, 1891.
The Reform AdministratiO

The Reform administration went Into Of
flee pledged to various reforms.
New four per cent. bonds were to take the
place of six per cent. bonds which were then
q few points above par. Result, the SKIES are
six per cent below par.
We were to have an economical admins
tration. Result, large sum has been ex
pended on Clemson College. The State has
been deprived of 5000 atweek-phosphate
royal:y-and to save great increase of taxa
tion, unjust and iniquitous levies are to be
made upon the Railroads and other corpora
tions to cover the eXtravagances or increased
expenditures, and to make good the idiotic
stoppage OF the phosphate royalty.
The new administration pledged itself
against "free passes and promised TO keep
out Of entangling alliances with the great
railroad corporations. Result, the Governor
admits that he goes careering around the
State on Pass No. /, and it Is said that other
members of the Reform administration are
doing the exact thing for which the preceding
adm istration was denounced.
The State Board OF Examiners and Mr.
Thacks ston have All ugly affair on hand be-
tween them, which goes very near to the
danger line OF official corruption.
The penitentiary management has created
a public scandal for improperly feeding the
helpless conVicts.
The Reform administration having failed tC
conduct the affairs of Stale in manner
SO as to command the respect and approval
of the free and untrammelled newspapers o.
the State, the Governor admits 10 have In
vited certain leaders in the ''Domi'
nant Element to meet him, and devise
ways and means by which "organs' could bt
started in Columbia and in the country dis
tricts which would endorse their schemes
and manufacture public sentiment.
The expense of publishing these "organs'
1t was thought, could be taken from the pub
lie treasury by forcing all legal advertising
to be done in the columns of there obscure
and unprincipled Organs
The matter of Mr.. Thackston's, together
with the official support of "organs," is on .
par with the corruption.of sthe Republicans
and any attempt on the part OF the admins
tration TO establish venal press whereby
public opinion might be controlled, would
stink In the nostrlls Of every decent citizen
of South Carolina.
During the campaign the Charleston World
we believe without a single exception, sup
ported, endorsed, or advocated every meas
ure which the Reform administration advo
Gated, and urged the election of each and
every one Of the Reform candidates. Result
the Reform candidates got the offices, and
now they have turn their backs on their
chief supporter and defender, and shower
the favors on other newspapers, to which
by every sense of honor and fair dealing, the
World is justly entitled. The history OF
that paper and the experience OF other news
papers should teach all other newspapers the
folly of tieing too tightly TO the fortunes OF
any politician.
With q record like this in SIX months, what
may we reasonably expect in eighteen
months? II the best citizens who supported
and endorsed the candidacy Of the Reform
administration are not heartily ashamed oi
the conduct of their leaders, then we will be
very much disappointed.
The bare proposition to muzzle the press OF
the State by legallzed enactments would be
enough to disgrace the Government in the
eyes OF ell decent and liberty-lorins peo-
ple.