The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-20
TEditoriai in The State.7

The Administration Of Governor Till
mad was to be one of "tretrenchment
and reform.n That was promised. That
was what the people understood when
they voted it into office. 1t was not
elected as an everyday, go-as-you-
please Democratic Administration 1t
was chosen to upset the things which
had gone before, rearrange everything
in accordance with reform" ideas.
One Of the most interesting of official
documents is the annual report of the
Comptroller er-General. The most inter-
esting feature OF it is statement No. 9
of "Repairs, Improvement, Insurance
and Lighting for the Executive Man-
sion." The statement before US shows
the expenditure on account of the EX-
ecutive Mansion for the fiscal year end
ing October 81, 1891. They are very,
very interesting.
The expenditures, be it remembered,
were for "repairs, improvement, iDsur-
ance and lighting" The appropriation
was $500. The disbursements were, up
to September 10, S511.5l.
Under the date of February l9, 1891,
we find the item: "R. l.. Bryan & Co.,
1925" Bryan & Co. are stationers and
book sellers. We would like to know
what they furnished to Governor Till
man in the way of ''repairs, improve
ment, insurance and lighting" Will
somebody kindly tell u.s..
February II, there is charge S7.05
for "flower seed" Where are the
flowers? We have seen some cabbages
in the gubernatorial domain, but not
seven dollars worth of flowers?
March I. paid express, 1855" Where
was that frank" and why was it not
used for the benefit of the State, as it
has been alleged that the free passes
were used?
March I. "Peter Henderson & Co.,
S25.OO." For flowers, evidently. Do
flowers enter into the "repairs, inn
provement, insurance and lighting Of
the exective mansion?" Ifso, why and
how?
March is. "Flower. p.ts, $780," We
really do not see that to crafty his pas
sion for flowers, never seen by the vul-
gar multitude, the Governor should
have spent the great su1n-from his
previous economic standpoint-ofS So for
pots to hold flowers. Is this the bam-
boozlement of estheticism?
March 19. "Plctures, S76.4S." Let
US admit that Governor Tillman has a
taste above his associations. Let US ad-
NIT that to that esthetic taste pictures
are necessary. Let US admit everything
which can be claimed, and yet we see
that an officer who draws So, 500 year
from the State for his salary makes the
State pay, besides, S76.4S for pictures to
delight his eye:S The extravaganza and
wastefulness of previous aduinistra-
tions is plainly revealed Of this measure
of economy and reform-S76.4S for
"pictures. lie Roi Sc anause." Caesar
must be titillated.
March 10. Hanging pictures, ,SlO.50.'
Lord, save us! "a pennyworth Of
bread to so prodigious quantity of
sackr One-seventh OF the cost Of the
pictures for hanging them! The dates
are the same. We may either conclude
that in the delicate work of hanging
the pictures of his delicaLe fancy, Gov
ernor Tillman paid $3.50 for one day
higher rate of payment than that ac-
corded to any circuit judge on the
bench-or we may decide that be paid
an ordinary darkey the ordinary rate
of wages-ope dollar day-and that it
took that darkey ten days and halfto
hang the pictures approved by the
Governor and paid fer by the State.
Which was it? At twenty pictures a
day-a very light task-the darkey
must have hung at least 200 pictures.
Two hundred pictures at 40 cents each
must have covered all the walls of the
executive mansion-kitchen included
at cost of $50. But did the Gov
ernor really spend s7G and $40 in chro-
mos, and the hanging thereof? If 50,
his taste would need be reformed.
April 6. "Frelght on pictures, S4l0."
Where was that express frank which
the Governor accepted for the benefit
of the State? Where, oh! where was
it?
April IA. Flowers and express,
$40 S." Very indefinite, truly. How
many flowers, and how much express?
Flowers to wreathe the brow of Caesar,
of course. Where froLa, though? And
why didn't the express frank come in
to save the State the cost?
April 90. logging board, $500"
Caesar needed shaking up, evidently.
But why, withla salary of s., 500, should
be make the State pay for a '.joggling
board?" AS far as we can remember
neither johnson Hagocd nor John
Peter Richardson required a "joggling
board" to shake up reform thoughts.
Possibly neither had children of the
'joggling board" age. But if they had
they would hardly have shaken them
up at the expense of tie State. Sup
pose the next Governor to be bachelor
of VIA. use would the 'joggling
board" be to him? Or Of what use to
the State in any event?
June S. "Flower pots, $50" What
for?
Juna IS "FIOWers. &3CO" Flowers