The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-11-30
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
Some Comments on the Official Docu-
; ment Which Touches on Many
Public Questions.

ment which FOuches Oh MANY
Public Questions.
The Governors Message may be found In
our supplement this week.
While the message was not prepared with
as much care, and while 1t does not rom
literary stand point come up TO the standard
of some of his other productions, yet tne
hand of the Governor Is to be seen In IL, ana
1t is we'll worthy OF attention from every cIti-
zen.
Touching many subjects. as the Governor
does, is it strange II he should make many
utterances which are at varlance with the
views of the individual reader?
The message is In better spirit IMAM sotne
of his former messages, though there Is SILL
room for improvement IN this particular.
The message deserves credit for being ex-
plicit, and easily understood, leaving no
doubt in the mind of the reader, as TO the
Governors meaning.
THE GOVERNOR on THE FENCE.
The only instance wherein the Governor
gets on the fence is when he discusses the
prohibition question.
He talks a little on both sides of that issue.
and finally promises to approve.whatever act
the Legislature may present 10 MIN on the
subject. - l., 49,
tirely right aud perfectly clear, and that Is,
when he advocates the placing OF the license
fees into the County and State Treasures. IN
stead of into the treasury of the town coun-
IL. Vs.
problem would be solved.
THE INSTABILITY OF OUR LAWS.
One criticism to which the message is sub
ject is the disposition to find fault with exist
ing laws and existing conditions.
The fact is, the instability Of our laws has
done much TO demoraliZe the people since the
war.
First, In 1865, the Democrats made enact
menls on important, subjects affecting our
M h,,N ,fna nd rrnS
Then, in 1865, we had military rule and
Radical Constitution.
All the old laws were wiped out, and new
order of things was inaugurated.
In 1876, the Democrats came into power
again, and since then many OF the laws that
bore upon our every day affairs have been
tinkered with-altered, amended, Or repeal
ed-and new laws substituted.
the Government and 1t seems that they. too,
want TO alter and change many OF the 1mpor
tant laws Of the State.
No law and no established usage seems safe
from the touch of the hand of those who
have lately come into power.
They appear to think that the people would
not know they were there, II they didn't do
something.
THE ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY.
AS in his former message, the Governor is
clamorous for higher assessment OF proper
The Press and Banner is not quite able TO
see the object OF this proposition on his
part, unless 1t was to divert attention from
real and live issues.
1t matters not TO the plain, honest toiling
people whether the assessment is higher or
lower.
They have 10 raise twelve hundred thou.
sand dollars.
If the assessment is doubled, the levy may
be reduced but where Is the difference be-
tween q small levy on q high assessment, OF
n lSSeSSmenty
THE ASSESSMENT OF MORTGAGES.
When the Governor touched upon the as
sessment of mortgages he treated perhaps the
most important subject Of his message.
The proposed plan Of stamping notes and
claims In the Courts involves much labor and
is too inquisitorial, even If the Courts should
sustain law of that kind in reference TO ex'
isting debts.
mpders of the war times when we were re-
quired to put stamp on all papers referring
to property.
AS the law now stands, If tax payer holds
cash which Is not In excess OF his debts, he
need not return ii for taxation.
1t is only the excess OF his credits on which
the law places tax.
That part of the law Is right
In the same way, let the land owner return
his land at It's taxable value, but allow him tU
demand credit for the mortgage which be
owes, but In order to get that credit let the
law authorize and require him to report the
same to the Auditor and charge the debt
which is on the land-to the holder OF the
mortgage.
The State of South Carolina can not fairly
claim the right TO assess both the land and
the mortgage.
That would be double taxation.
To tax the owner OF the land for It's full
value when he in reality only owns a portion
of 1t, is wrong, and when the holder of the
L. lIx~r % Illn
his just share of the expense Of the govern
ment.
THE TAXES TO BE PLACED ON THOSE WHO
RIGHTFULLY OWE 1T.
If Governor Tillman can succeed In reliev-
ing the hard pressed debtor class from the un-
just tax which they aBe now compelled TO
pay. and II he will place a just share OF the
burden on the creditor class, he will have
doue service to the struggling poor, and will
have been instrumental in requiring tax
dodgers to come TO the front.
The amount Of The assessment of our property
is all right.
The only question is, ,oho shall pay the tazes on
u?
The man who really owns it. or the man Dho is
In possession only by Indulgence, and Who has
scarcely ShadoW Of right TO ii?
TO the extent of the mortgage, tue holder OF
the lien Is the owner, while the debtor has on
ly an equitable right OF redemption.
OUR SCHOOLS AND THE GOVERNORS KNowL-
EDGE OF THEM.
The Governor claims to be we'll informed
on the subject Of education - no matter
whether in the public schools, or In the Win
throp school, or In the UNCONVENTIONAL COL
leges, or in the South Carolina College.
He assumes definitely and certainly to
name the causes for decrease In attendance at
the South Carolina College.
He gives superintendent Mayfeld a sugar.
plum, and then proceeds TO say that there Is
falling of in attendance upon the public
schools.
While his Excellency knows all about all
the other schools, he does not attempt to ac-
count for the full class rooms to be found at
Clafiin.
THE CITADEL.
The Governor came very near to getting
down 10 the marrow, when he struck the Cit
ade Academy.
If there is one Institution which, more
than other, needs looking after 1t is the Cita-
del.
We have no reference to the conduct of the
Institution itself, and mean no dlsreSpect to
anybody but refer solely 10 the methods
prescribed by law for awarding scholarships;
There should be another test than that OF
answering questions out of a book.
Under the present plan the children OF un.
educated parents can have but little oppor-
tunity to win.
But under the existing rules, we presume,
the institution was never intended for the
benefit OF any other than the children OF the
educated class.
IF the school IS intended to be an institu-
ton whose benefits may be derived by young
men In all the walks of life, then system OF
examination should be adopted which does
not practically exclude the most needy.
STATE AND FEDERAL MILITARY EDUCATION
We presume the Citadel was origin ated
with view TO giving valuable aid to the chill
dren Of the educated class who may have
been poor. or who may have been unfortu-