The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-05
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Owing to the extraordinary expenses
incurred last year in funding the
State debt, etc., as fully set out in my
last message, the Treasury has been
running on a very small margin, and
we have been forced to borrow to meet
current obligations. I have already
mentioned the fact that no revenue has
been received from the phosphate roy
atty this year, except such as is pledged
by law to the Sinking Fund. The to-
tai receipts from that source up to the
18th November since first of Janu-
ary, when it began to be set aside, have
been 56,373.73. Under the terms of
the act Iefunding the debt, which is
declared to be a contract, $4,000 must
60 to the Sinking Fund before any
royalty becomes available for current
State expenses. 1t will be seen that
we have not received enough to satisfy
the obligation. But this is never likely
to occur again, as the phosphate feet is
now fully restored, and all the dredges
are at work. Still, as the royalty is
only so cents a ton, we are not likely
to receive much, if any, income during
the next year from phosphates over
and above the amount due the Sinking
Fund.
The Comptroller-General's report
shows that, Notwithstanding the strin-
gency in money matters, the total prop
erty assessed for taxation has been
slightly increased over last year. This
is very gratifying when we rem ember
that there have been studied and mis-.
chievous efforts on the part of certain
newspapers to slander the State ad-
ministration and create the impression
that those now in power in South Car
olina have been aud are ahtagonistic
to capital. When it is known that
there has been 2 shrinkage in assessed
values in Georgia of more than thirty
millions of dollars within the last year,
those ofour citizens who have been dis
posed to criticise and abuse the State
government should feel ashamed that
they have allowed malice and prejudice
to send abroad such false and mislead
ing statements.
TO give an instance, few months
ago it was heralded all over this State
that large cotton mill, which was to
be built in the South by Northern CAPT.
tai, would be erected in Georgia because
of unjust discrimination in our laws
against manufacturing enterprises and
the antagonistic attitude of the Legis-
lature. The lie first appeared, I be-
lieve, in the Manufacturers Record, of
Baltimore.
It's republication here, without denial
by several leading newspapers, and, in
fact, with q virtual endorsement, at
first, of its truthfulness, could but do
injury outside Of the State, and tend to
drive away capital seeking investment
in that line of business.
1t is said that the truth never over
takes lie, and the injury done cannot
be undone, although in less than two
weeks it had been discovered that the
dispatch was a "fake," and the very
newspapers which had rolled it under
their tongues as sweet morsel, real
lied their mistake, and some of them
at least grew to be sufficiently ashamed
to defend the State against the false
hood. The episode was the more sur
prisiDg aud disgraceful from the fact,
we'll known throughout the country,
that South Carolina offers the most in-
viting field for cotton manufacturing
of any Southern State, and leads them
all in the number of looms and spin-
dies. This industry has the brightest
and most promising future, and capi-
tai invested in ityields larger dividends
than any business in our midst; and
there are hundreds of magnificent
water powers awaiting development,
which will, in the near future, be har-
messed to machinery to spin the cotton
made in the adjoining fields.
There are few matters, some of
minor importance and others of great
public interest, which 1 have yet to
present. After visiting Washington
two or three times in person and writ
ing several letters, l succeeded finally
in getting the interest account on the
direct tax fund adjusted and the
money, amounting to Sl7,919 92 has
been paid. 1t is now in the State
treasury. !"v:.:;1ug for the General Az
seinbIy to provide some means and au-
thorizing its distribution. [ deem it
to have the claimants 60
to the expense 0; proving their claims,
and think it will suffice to have the
schedule, which is in the Secretary of
States office and shows the amount
due to each person, who paid the tax
and interest, govern the distribution.
There will have to be some compensa-
tion allowed for this extra labor. All
of the judgments for the principal
of the direct tax obtained before the
special masters of Beaufort and Charles.
ton are On file in the Comptroller Gen
erals Office, and small per cent. on
each SUM paid out as interest will
compensate whatever per'on is desig-
mated to make the distribution. or
course the Governor will have to sign
the warrant.
OF CHARLESTON HAIR
BOR.
The following letter will explain it.
self:
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Washington. D. c., April 3rd, 1894.
His Excellencv B. R Tillman. Governor Of