The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-03
BUYING THE STATE EXHIBIT.
Governor Evans Viii Not Have to Pay for the
States Display at tho Atlanta Exposition.


The House had under considerable
the appropriation bill, and one of tn
greatest questions of interest was /
reference to the SO 900 for reimbursin
the outlay for the Atlanta Exposition
Judge Townsend moved to amend q
follows:
''That the sum of Sc, 900 be appropri
ated to pay j. G. Evans for certai
exhibits for the use of the State, tn,
same having been placed on exhibition
at the late exposition at Atlanta"
Mr.. llderton offered the fOllowin.
substitute:
"For the purchase OF the exhibit O
the resources of South Carolina, mad,
at Atlanta and to be forwarded to tn,
Cotton States Exposition to be held il
the city OF Chicago, ILL.,, $4,000, If 81
Mr.. Townsend spoke at length on the
matter. He pictured the beauties O
the Atlanta Exposition, told of the ne
cessity for STATE exhibit which caused
Governor Evans to get it up, and said
that tho exposition at Atlanta marked
an epoch in the history of South Caro-
lima. He said that the Attorney Gen
eral had rendered an opinion that the
appropriation would be constitutional
They should take the Attorney Gener.
al's opinion.
He then denied that the Governor's
action was in usurpation of the func.
tions of the General Assembly. He SAID
that, having refused to give the State
Fair an appropriation, they would not
be inconsistent in doing this. To give
1t to the fair would be donation to q
private purpose. This was expending
money for a purpose other than pri-
vate purpose. Mr.. Clark, the chairman
| OF the finance committee, had written
letter saying it was worth $4,000.
They should look at this matter in a
broad statesmanlike manner.
MIR. l.. j. Williams did not expect to
make any speech, but he felt that he
should make his position plain. The
constitution OF 1868 forbade the mixing
OF the three branches Of the govern
ment. This body alone was given
power to make appropriations. In 1894
this body refused to make this appro-
priation-upon u preliminary canvass.
Now they were under the nav consti-
tuition, and 1t forbade the valuation of
contract invalid under the old consti-
tuition. We are now asked to pay out
money not authorized by law. Mr..
Williams said that all his sentiments
in this matter were in favor of giving
Shho iAAohoJS ouu ho Coulu uOb NOGS
an executive appropriation-for twist
it as they may that was all there was
in 1t. There had now been about $780,
600 OF this kind of appropriate He
wanted TO have this money paid. He
wanted to pay an individual to buy this
matter. He wanted to have such meas
ures introduced, but no committee
would do it. He understood that they
wouldn't because they said it would be
a slap in tho face of the administration.
Tho house had been slapped in the
face; had been taken by the seat of the
pants and set over their fence against
fled an opinion ;.he would refrain from
discussing that opinion.
Mr.. llderton had given the matter
considera BILE thoughts 1t was doubt
In his mind whether they could do this
or not There was no authority for tho
executive appropriation. They could
only buy the exhibit for its cash value.
He thought it wise that the State
should have such an exhibit. But the
thing had been done-rightly or
wrongly; he thought that they should
mako the purchase for its actual value.
The only way to get out of the muddle
was to purchase it. He wanted to do
justice to both parties.
Mr.. Skinner was in favor Of the ap-
preparation. There was no misunder-
standing between Governor Evans and
the Legislature. Last year money was
slack and times hard; hence the ap-
preparation was not made. There were
no legal or constitutional questions in
volved.
Mr. Williams-Why, then, was a
joint resolution passed to purchase the
Wallace property before the appropri-
tion was made2
Mr.. skinner-That was to purchase
property.
Mr.. Williams-Well, isn't this pur-
chase OF property you are now trying
to makep (Laug hter.)
Mr.. Skinner continued to urge the
necessity which rested upon the Gov
ernor in the matter, and of his having
to como to the rescue OF the State at q
most critical juncture. He made q his
torical reference to Napoleon ct the
battle of Waterloo.
Mr.. Watson said this was simply q
proposition to pay for the States ex-
hibit at the omething
that the people got the benefit Of. 1t
was not an appropriation to benefit
John Gary Evans at all. The honor OF
the State was at stake. In the past
few weeks men were coming to the
State as a result Of the exhibit at At
lanta. He wanted the appropriation
made IL there was only $l00 worth of
| eXhibits returned to the State. Mr..
| Watson said: 1--WE are the law-mak-
ing power Of South Carolina, and we
have q right to make this appropria-
| ton"
Mr.. Thurmond said that the PROPOSE.
tion was clearly constitutional. If they
had passed preliminary resolution
that would have made no difference, az
they could not give themselves more
power than they already had. He read
an extract from a long letter from Mr.
w. A. Clark, OF 'e finance committee
stating that the exhibit was worth the
OF, 900 asked.
Mr.. Blackwell wanted to know wha
the cost Of the exhibit was. He wanted
to know Ii it was not stated in Mr.
Clark's letter that q large number o
the exhibits were contributed
Mr.. Thurmond answered that th'
contributions were given to the Gov
ernor, ard not to the State. He sal,
there could be no constitutional ques
tion.
Mr.. Tatum was heretofore agains
the appropriation, but was now il
favor Of 1t.
MIR. Blackwell was opposed to psyin
the money, not because he was Opposes
to the Governor, or because OF any cor
stitutional question, but he did no
want the precedent established OF max
ing any executive appropriations.
was not right and nothing could max
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