The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1897-02-10

The First Message Of Governor Ell
.lerba to the Legislature.
A Wise and Business Like Docu
ment-Shows a Large Deficit from
Estimated Receipts and Expendi-
tures-Plain Talk About Win
throp and Clemson-Disapproves
Present County Government Law.
A Graduated Income and Secured
Tax Suggested.
". H. McC.. in Gree nvillc News.
Columbia, S. c., Feb. 4.-Governor
Ellerbe sent the following message to
the Legislature tonight:
Gentleman of the General Assembly:
After thorough investigation l
find that the finances of the State
are not in very favorable condition
and I deem it my duty to call your
attention to the following facts:
There was in the State treasury on
January 26th, 1897, s41s,95S "a
Balan!5e due the State on general &C
count S92, 900; insurance license fees
Cestinated) $4,000; fees Of secre
tary q States Office $4,000; uncol-
lected taxes (estimated) sS5,OoO,
makinf seo5,s5s 81.
Thehbove is all the revenue OF the
State dfailable for current expenses
for tascal year 1897;
Estis lating the current expenses
of thettate at $4,000 per month
for tets months, beginning January
1st. 1897 and ending November 31st,
1897, \ have current expenses $780,
900, le elislative expenses, (estimated)
s45,ooo; special appropriations for
MALTA $4,000, pensions 100000,
miscellaneous $4,000, public print
ing $2o,OOo-total s54O,oOO, making
deficiency in the general fund Of
$34,OA ,66 unprovided for.
I have counted the expenses to
November lst, because the books are
not opened for the collection OF taxes
until October 18th and the State
Treasurer will not receive remit
tances from the County Treasurers
until November 18th.
We estimate the expenses at $780,
900 per month on the basis of last
years appropriations. OF course, if
any of the appropriations be In
creased or additional ones are made
for special purposes, the deficiency
will be increased in proportion.
The trustees of the Winthrop Nor
NAL and Industrial college have asked
for an additional appropriation Of
100000 to build another dormitory.
They,now have room for 24O students
while the attendance at the college is
4O3, 1853 having to board in town.
It Would be infinitely better for all
the students to board in the college
and if we knew that the attendance
would remain as large as it is now
YOU would take no risk in making
the appropriation, but as we can
have no guarantee Of this after the
ephemeral favor which generally bnb
bles up and around a new college
subsidies we may have have here as
we had at Clemson a decrease in the
number of students.
When Clemson college was first
opened many boys out Of curiosity
and without serious purposes, rushed
in and there was not sufficient room
to accommodate them, but after run
ming year or two the attendance
as might have been expected, dwind-
led down to normal numbers and the
dormitory is large enough for pres
ent use.
Should you decide to build another
dormitory for Winthrop, 1 would re-
spectfully suggest, owing to the va
riabIe condition of the States finances
and the financial condition Of our
people, that you have all the brick
necessary for the construction OF the
dormitory made by the convlcts OF
the penitentiary This could be done
in the summer after the crops on the
State farm have been laid by and be-
fore harvesting time begins. You
could then afford at the next session
of the General Assembly to make a
small appropriation to haze the work
completed. .,oa
The deficiency that I have called