The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-30

to keep them from suffering. 1t is an inner
ent vice OF any pens,on system lnat .here ,ire
is not the slightest doubt in the world that
many persons in South Carolina are today
getting a pro rata share OF pension money
| whose claims 10 It are doubtful; Whlle taere
are others more worthy not receiving any or
not enough. Butt We grant that every pen.
siouer Is entitled TO what he or she gets ard
that the list could be enlarged II the State
could afford IL, there are certainly some cases
more meritorious than others and there
should be some method provided looking 10
just discrimination In favor OF these 10 pre-
vent abuse Of the States bounty, and, at the
same time. provide for those most needy,
know4of no class of men to whose judgment
and feeling I would sooner eDtrust the dis
:ribution OF the pittance the STATE is ape 70
give than to the Confederate soldiers. ana
urge that the present system OF passing upon
The applications for pension be abolished and
that the Confederate survivors In each county
be requested 10 form an organization IN Whicn
every survivor shall be enrolled, 10 which the
whole matter be intrusted. There are many
pensioners who can easily do without the pit
tance they receive.
There are q considerable number who must
go to the poor house unless they get more.
Several attempts have been maoe at different
times TO found soldiers home In the State
to give to these heroes comfortable resting
place Till they "croSs over the river w Whetner
1t Is better to provide such home or 70 leaVe
these war-worn men among friends and
peighbors, Is for you to decide. I think the
veterans would prefer the latter; and II the
Ctn federate soldiers of each county will take
tie matter in hand and give it the attention
1t deserves, their organization, which might
be made pleasant and useful in many other
ways, and especially in the collection and
preservation Of data for the future historian,
can be OF great service In smoothing The path
to the grave OF their less fortunate brethren
I feel satisfied that IL this scheme is properly
carried out the soldiers, who are also taxpay-
ers, can be safely trusted with the money, ana
If 1t becomes necessary. the amount can te
Increased. The pro rata share OF each county
should be on basis of the number OF e%-Con-
federate soldiers In that county.
MARIoN's TOMB.
A Joint resolution to provide for the repair
ing of the tomb OF General Francis Marion,
In Berkeley county" and appropriatlng $500
therefor, was passed by the last General AS
sembly, and the duty imposed on me OF see
ing the work properly done. Feeling that I
quested the Hon. w. A. Courtney, OF Charles
ton, to visit the grave and prepare such speci-
fications as would enable me TO carry out the
Wish Of the LegsiatnIe He Ser the &c
possibility OF repairing 1t, but that new
tomb would have TO be provided If 1t were to
reflect any credit on the State; and ADVISED
me that this could not be done In creditable
way, approaching the one which has been
partially destroyed by falling tree, with the
money provided With the assistance o: Mr..
BarbOt, OF Charleston, he kindly designed a
suitable. tomb, with bronze tablets for the In
scriptions, estimating the cost. at about $500,
with which sum an enduring and indestructi-
BILE tombscould be purchased, and l recon-
mend the appropriation OF that amount for
this pious and patriotic purpose.
In this connection desire 10 direct the at
tentlon Of tbs General Assembly TO the pain
ful dearth within the walls OF the State House
OF memorials. mementoes, pictures or oteer
souvenirs of-Sou,h Carolina's great dead. No
State Of the original thirteen suffered IN the
Revolutionary War as much as ours, and, ex-
cepting Virginia, might add, in the Confed-
crate War. Upon the soil Of none were SO
many revolutionary battles fought, and none
furnished a brighter galaxy of brave and pa
triottc officers in both these wars. From
some cause the history Of South Carolina's
share in those days and those heroes has
never been written In btting way, and
Times ravenous tooth has lett US little except
their names. Then, coming TO = later period,
our annals are adorned with brilliant orators,
wise statesmen and eminent jurlSts; and
and here, too the student Of our history, Is
struck with the painful lack OF authentic &C
count or record Of their lives and reminders
OF how they looked. There are three OF four
paintings In the Senate chamber and hall o1
the representatives OF some Of our later worth
les, and one Georgian, who lent valuable aid 10
the State at most critical period, bu: here
the catalogue ends. The library walls, up
stairs. and all other rooms are bare, and the
thousands Of visitors from this State and 9th.
ers who annually inspect the State Capitol
cannot find any counterfeit presen tment" Of
South Carolina's great men. 1t may be con-
sidered extravaganza 10 attempt to supply
what every lover OF the State would wish tc
see supplied, but take 1t that there can be
no diffrrance Of opinion as to the value and
desirability OF memorials OF the men who
have illustrated our history, A people who
do not respect their ancestors cannot hope to
be respected by their posperity, and sentiment
| at last is the mother Of patriotisin.
The promptness, without caviling, with
which your predecessors gave money TO copy
the records In England bearing upon South
Carolina's history, leads me TO suggest that a
small annual appropriation be made to pro
vide paintings OF the men whose virtue and
greatness We have heard extolled, but have
never read, because their lives have never
been written. Then visitors TO the State
! House may see at least.
"some frail memorial still erected nigh"
to teach our youths both how to live and die
for South Carolina.
One thousand dollars year given to the
State House Commission and an Invitation
| to the descendants and families Of these great
Carolinians TO present such pictores wou Id In
short while relieve the painful blankness
which now exists in our Capitol.
REGISTRATION.
| The act Of 1882 requiring and providing 8
system OF registration Of the voters OF this
State, by reason OF its provisions, has brought
| ABOUT u COUQlLlOu Ol dUdlTS WHICH D6COuSS
more and more the subject Of complaint and
dissatisfaction. The loss Of certificates, the
change Of residence without transfer on the
books, the inability to register where one
| failed to avail himself Of the privilege within
the first year. have resulted in the virtual
diStranc chisement of large number OF citi-
zens. Then the mutjlation Of the books by
use and the names OF dead men ON the lists
make it necessary to provide for new regis
| tration or revision, with such changes In
the law as will restore the franchise 70 those
VINO have never registered. direct your at
tention to the matter. assured that you will
do whatever is wise and proper. Unde the
construction now placed upon u the law Is
clearly unconstitutional, in that men are moi
allowed TO vote though qualified, because
they had not availed themselves Of the priv.
| ilege in 1882. 49,
coNcL Us1oN.
! feel it to be unnecessary, but will never
theless remind you that the stringency Of the
| times demands the most rigid economy. Mig
gardliress is not economy, and would not be
so understood. but the straitened condition o
| the people forbds the smallest expenditure
that is not absolutely necessary. I trust
! shall have present ted for my signature an act
subs tituting salaries instead Of fees for coun
ty officers, putting the fees into the treasury
and making a reduction OF salaries all along
| the line to a figure corresponding TO the In
creased purchasing power OF money and the
decreased ability OF the people to pay. The
| SAVING will he little hnt wa have reached fhf