The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-10

the
State treasury on Jan. 2s, 1887, s4la, ,s5s 81
Bal. due State on general act $4,000 90
Insurauce liceose fees (es'ted), 10000 90
Fees Secretary of States Office, 5000 90
Uncollected taxes (estimated), $1,000 90
Making, S6O5, $500
The above includes all the revenues
of the State available for current ex-
penses for the fiscal year 1897. Esti-
mating the curreot expenses of the
State government at $4,000 per
month for ten months, beginning jan
uary Let. 1897, and ending November
lst, 1897. We have
Current expenses, $500, COO. 90
Legislative expenses (estimated), 45,C0o 90
Special appropriation for militia, 100000
Pensions, 100000 90
Public printing, 10000 co
Total, Se4o 900 co
Makiog deficiency 10 the general
fund of $34.4o1.66 uDprov::led for. l
have counted the expenses TO N vem-
1st, because the books are not opened
for the collection Of taxes until Octo-
Der 18th and the State treasurer sill
not receive renittances from the county
treasurers until November !. We e'ti
mate the expenses at $50. 900 per
month on the basis Of last years appre-
priatiops. Of course. if any Of the
appropriations b. increased or addition
al ones are made for special purposes
the deficiency will be increased in pro-
portion.
The trustees Of the Winthrop
Normal and Industrial college have
asked tor an additional appropriation
of $50, 900 to build another dormitory.
They DOW have room for 240 students.
wbi: the attendance is 403. l63
having to board in the town 1t would
be iu,6oitely better for all the student
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 CAP have no guarantee Of
this after the ephemeral favor
which generally bubbles up
around new college subsidies. we may
have here, as We had at Clemson, de
crease 10 the puuber of students
When Clemson college was first opened
many boys out Of curiosity and without
serious purpose. rushed 10 aud there was
DOT sufficient room to accommodate
then. but after running year or Two,
the attep dance as iyht have been ex
pec,ed dwiudled down to norual uum
hers aud the dormitory is large enough
for present uses
Should you decide to build another dor.
mitosy for Winthrop l would respect
fully suggest, owing to the uofavorabe
condition of the States finances and
the financial coodi'ion Of our people
that you bave all toe brick necessary
for the construction Of the dormitorY
made by the convic,s Of the peul'eu
tiary. This could be done in the suu-
mer after the crops on the State farm
have been laid By" aud before bar
vcsting time begins You could then
at the next session Of the general
assembly make small appropriation to
have the work completed.
The deficiency that | have called
your attention to should be provided
for and the question for you to decide
is whether it should be done by iDcreas
log the levy or by Increasing By some
other means the revenue Of the State.
This can be done by a graduated iu-
come tax and a graduated license tax
Every legislator should be commended
for bis forts to give the people low
rate of taxation, but it is unwise aud
uohusioess like to levy tax iusuffi-
cient to meet the current expenses Of
the goverpment au5 thereby incur a
debt | believe in the principle Of
paying as you 60. Iu my opinion
there is extravaganza 10 the man
agemeot Of county affairs which should
be thoroughly investigated. The
county government act is objected to
by many co the ground that it is too
cum mbersome, and that the work of the
chain gang costs more than it is worth.
| would recommend that you exauloe
these matters thoroughly before making
any radical changes il the law