The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-11-21
Can't on Broken Promises.
From the Piedmont Headlight.

LII lCSU Llo laIu0IS WoEo OIBduiLOu lueo
what is known as the Reform Movement.
They were told by their leaders that taxes
were too high that salaries Of State off,
GERS should be reduced that the old ring
crowd would not rslinquish Office when
once in power, but only rotated from
lower position to higher one. Well, the
poor, deluded farmer swallowed all this
and went to the polls and did just what
he was told to do. He placed implicit
reliance in the promises OF his leaders
and believed all they told him.
Well, what is the result? One year, two
years, three years, four years passed un-
der the benign reign of "Reform," and
still not single one Of these promises
made to the "dear people" has been full
filled. The same salaries fixed when
cotton was bringing about 500 per bale
are to-day demanded, and when it takes
a mammoth bale to bring S25. We find
every State Office in Colum bia filled with
idle and expensive clerks, all drawing
handsome salaries with unwavering regu-
larity, and who do the work that the
heads of departments were elected to
perform. We find the State Treasurer
with an Office full of clerks, and yet he
has time to act as president OF bank aud
also manage the Globe Phosphate Com
pany.
The Scriptures tell US that man can
not serve two masters, and yet we find
our State Treasurer serving three. Now,
If Treasurer Bates has time to look after
outside business he could certainly by
giving up that business discard one or
more of his clerks and do that work HIM
self. It is the same with the Secretary Of
State, Attorney General and School Com
missioner. All 1aye men employed to
do the work that they we're elected to
perform themselves. But the grandest
farce is giving thu Adjutant and Inspec-
tor General an assistant to help him do
nothing. There are hundreds Of old
Confederate soldiers in South Carolina
who would take the job of reviewing the
militia companies of our State and be
glad to receive $500 instead Of 81, 900 for
the work. And when this officer travels
his entire expenses must be paid by the
farmer. But this is not all. epay our
than neighboring States pay their judici-
ary.
Now let us reason this matter: Sup
pose farmer hires hand for 500 year
to tend certain piece of land. When
pay day comes that employee not only
demands that you pay his own wages,
nut you find that he has employed per-
haps half-dozen men to help him tend
that one-horse crop, and makes you also
pay them for full years work. And
yet this is just what we are doing in South
Carol,na under the benign and "econo-
mizing" reign of so-called reform" II
these public officers cannot attend to the
duties that they were elected to perform
why let them resign, and we will guaran-
lee that an hundred Just as good and ca
pable men will be found ready and will
ing to take their places for one-half the
salary they receive. And again: When
our people employ man to do certain
work himself and not hire some one else.
Now, if there is any reform in requiring
the farmer to make fve-cent cotton to
pay the same salaries as when our staple
brought three times and halfthat price,
we cannot see it with the largest sized
magnifying glass. In other words, those
blatant "Relormers" whom the people
gave Office to in 1890 are demanding and
receiving the same salaries as when times
were in the heyday of prosperity, while
the poor tiller of the soil must, in order
to pay those taxes. give three licks where
one lick would do when they were first
fixed. And we would like to know with
what dsgree of consistency can these
travagance of the Cleveland Administra-
ton, when they are. doing at home
exactly what they condemn in Washing
ton? You may cry "reform" to the
people, and they have needed 1t in the
past; but the scales of partisan passion
are falling from their eyes, and they now
demand to see little Of that promised
reform put into actual practice. There is
no use for the farmer to economize and
work like slave, and stint bis wife and
children in the comforts of life, when the
Office holders whom his vote has placed
IN power, are grinding him into bank
ruptcy that they may live life of ease
and affiuence. When the man who tills
out fields suffer, and must practice econo-
my, those who rule over him should be
made to do likewise. While property
values have increased S15, 900, 900 in South
Carolina since our Reformers came into
power, 1890, the average tax levy has not
been reduced, but remains practically
the same Therefore, 30 far from the
farmer being given any share in this
prosperity, he is kept in the same old
ruts by his professed friends.