Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-11-30
a}tistelAneo,1s 8eading.
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
to the Legislature as to
the Needs of the State.

| to the legislature was reau 10 tne
house and senate on their organiza-
tion, on Tuesday Of last week. The
message is long one, and is general
ly conceded to be q State paper of
unusual strength. The governor has
nothing to say on the railroad, public
road, phosphate and constitutional
convention questions, but pays con-
siderable attention to the questions of
tax assessments, education and pro-
hibition. The full reproduction of the
message in these columns is hardly
desirable, and we shall confne our
selves to a brief sonopsis.
FINANCES.
From the report of the State treas
urer, the governor shows that the total
receipts of the State for the fiscal year
ending October 31st, 1892, were 81 ,262,-
172.44, the total expenditures 81, 1,125,-
O3S. Sc, and the net cash balance in the
treasury on November l, including bal
ance brought over from the previous
year, was $2O1 1881. The total liza
biities of the State on November l,
including bonds-principal and inter-
est-was 1926, ,247.01. After making
his statement of the present condition
of the States finances, the governor
observes that, ave have been running
the government for the past few years
on an exceedingly narrow margin
too narrow for safety-and it will be
risking great deal to continue in
that line"
The governor confidently looks for
ward to the decision of the railroad as
sessment case in favor of the State,
and thereby expects an increase Of
$35, 900 to the money in the treasury.
He gives table showing the assess
ment of the property in the State dur
ing the sixteen years the white people
have been in control. In 1876, the
total assessment was $135, 1856, 900, and
in 1892, it is only s16S,991 ,227. Com
pairing this rate of increase with that
of surrounding States, the governor
thinks it makes very poor showing,
and is satisfied that the reason lies
more in the failure of property owners
to return their property at a correct
valuation, than anything else. He
thinks that if the property of this State
is assessed according to law, it will
now approximate something like $780,
600, 900. This would double the school
fund, says the governor, and reduce the
tax lew from 5 to 81 mills. The gov
ernor recommends that the legislature
provide for n re-assessment of real
estate as soon as practicable, and also
that it make every effort to prevent
tax lodging. In this connection ne
reproduces the recommendation in
his last annual message as follows:
"The office of county commissioner
should be abolished, and in place of it
government by townships substituted.
Three intelligent men in each township,
elected by the voters thereof, should
be entrusted with the roads and
bridges, schools, and assessment of
property in the same. The chairmen
of these local boards should constitute
county board to manage the county
finances, audit accounts and order ex-
penditures. The salaries, if any, paid
these township commissioners or Sc
lectmen, can be determined by the vo-
ters or fixed by law. The constitution
can be changed to abolish the office
of county commissioner, and these
changes will inevitably result in a
great saving to each county, while
there will be corresponding increase
in efficiency. Property will be assess
ed at its real value, and millions now
hidden will be made to pay their share
of the taxes. This county board
should also constitute the county board
of equalization, instead of being ap-
pointed as at present by the auditor.
"In this connection I suggest the
propriety of requiring all notes, etc.,
to be stamped by the county auditor
and placed on the tax books to make
them collectible by law. Make the note
shaver or lender pay taxes as we'll as
the land owner, whose property stands
in his name, while he perhaps owes as
much as 1t IS worth"
THE LUNATIc ASYLUM.
There are 764 patients under treat
ment in this institution. The total re-
ceipts from all sources has been $115,-
335.57, and the total expenditures
S112,371.73. The governor recon-
mends that each county be required to
support it's own lunatics, and that the
superintendent of the asylum be made
the judge as to the fitness of applicants
for admission.
PENITENTIARY.
There are 900 convicts in the peni-
tentiary, and during the year that in.
stitution has made net profit of
$4,000.
EDUCATION.
"The present system of public
schools" says the governor, "is hum
bug and totally inadequate for the pur-
poses designed. The report of the
State superintendent of education, who
is painstaking and Jealous officer,
shows decreased attendance of pupils
last year as compared with the previous
year amounting to 2,S10, but from eH
tended and intimate association with
the people in every county during the
last summer, / know that there is wide
spread and deep interest on the subject
of education, and that the general as
sembly will merit and receive the ap-
probation of the masses in anything
that they may do to give us better
schools. The times are stringent and
money is very scarce, but all along this
line all necessary increase of taxation
will be cheerfully borne, provided
the schools are run sufficiently long and
proper teachers are provided"
The governor discusses at length the
condition of the South Carolina college,
the Citadel, Clafiin, the Winthrop
school and Clemson. He recommends
all appropriation of $40, 900 for Glenn
son, suggests that the number of bene-
ficiaries at the Citadel be doubled, and
that the allowance for each be reduced
from $500 to $50. The South Carroll
ma college should be put in condition
to compete with Harvard, Yale, Prince
ton and other similar institutions, so
as to render the sending of young men
out of the State for higher education
unnecessary. The courts having de-
cided that the Anderson bonds are ille-
gal, it will be necessary to reopen bids
for the location of the industrial college
for girls. There are 600 students at
Clatlin, and the institution is in flour
ishing condition.
ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY.
The governor discusses the question
ofproperty assessments at great length,
reviews the difficulties now in the way
of securing assessments at full value,
and suggests number Of remedies.