Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-05-26

Tho Democratic State Convention has
mot and adjourned. "The King of
Franco marched up tho hill and thon
marched down again."
What has been accomplished by It's as-
sombling? 1t endorsed tho dispensary,
that much, nothing moro. Nothing but
tho disponsary received serious considc-
ration. Somo mon think tho continual
tion Of tho sale Of whiskios by tho State
of supreme Importance; others think tho
whiskoy question should not absorb tho
whole attention of tho State. Wo do not
wish to affirm that tho leaders of tho
Domocrac.' arc forcing tho disponsary
question to tho front in order to over-
shadow all other issues; still it is tho
fact that tho dispcnsary received much
attention by tho convention, whilo every
other matter was entirely ignored.
Tho tondancy Of political sentiment,
howovcr, among tito people, indicates
that candidates will find thcy cannot so
easily covor tho issues rs tho convention
has dono.
Tho masses arc groaning under tho
burden of taxation. They may and
should ask th"t cvory item of expense by
tho government, not absolutely necessary
to efficiency, bo stricken out. There
nro expenses that could bo reduced; 9TH
orss' that ttit 81 ould bo ABOLISHED entirely.
Tho constitution provides that after
January, 1903, no porson shall be entitled
to register who cannot road and write
any article of the constitution, or be ablo
to show that hc owns and pays tax on $500
worth of property. 1t will bo seen that
worry little discretion is vested in tho SUI
porvisor of Registration. Ono man can
discharge tho duties Of this Office rs we'll
as throc. The voters could be registered
by ono man for one third tho money it now
takes to pay three. There arc throe Su-
porvisors to the county, and forty-one
counties in the State. Each Supervisor
draws a salary of 500, making tho total
cost $4,000 per year. This is IS, 200
moro than is necessary on account of reg
istration alone.
Another item of expense, which is
doubled what it should be, is that of clcc-
tions. Under the law, as it now stands,
thorc are duplicate sets of commissioners
and managers of election. Tho boards
of commissioners and managers arc each
entitled to Il clerk. Each commissioner
and clerk gets ono dollar pcr day. This
makes $24 for each county. The commits
sioners appoint two sets of managers at
each voting prccint. There arc moro than
025 voting prccints in tho State. Thus
thore arc 3,7t0 managers and ,250 clerks
or 5000 election officers to receive por
diem and mileage. A reasonable esti-
mate Of cost for each precinct is $50.
Onc-half of this ought to be saved. In
this item alone. each election costs tho
State $3.50 more than necessary.
Thon dual sets of officers multiplios by
two the cxpcnso Of advertising elections
which costs about 200 moro than act,,-
ally necessary.
Tho cost of serving the managers is
also doubled what it should be. There
1926 could ais be saved to tho people.
Thus it will be seen that a conservative
estimate shows that every election costs
tho people $lG,575 that is wholly unnc-
cossary. An election should cost no
moro than $4,000 to $4,000, whereas tho
costs of the present machinery will run
from 100000 to iO,000.
Let us have ono Supervisor of Regis
tration, ono set of commissioners of olec-
TORS in each county, one set of managers
ut each prcc: 'ct and one box to vote in
and loss xronsc. If not, why not?