The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-01-18


!. which was subject to royalty, and
i the first of April, 1897, about 49,O
3 tons. After due consideration, IL
petition referred TO was refused. III
Board held that the royalty of if
cents per ton fixed by the Act Of 1S9
should be paid on ali rock on hand {
the first day of April, 1897.
The Board took the view that til
) phosphate miners were bound, by til
contract contained in the Act Of 1S9;
TO pay the royalty fixed by the sal
O. tbe General Assembly. They furthe
GSld that they had no authority, no
ulu they deem it right, TO make tn
miners preseut OF $12,00 then du
the State.
The Farmers Mining Company failet
In October, 1897, being indebted to tn,
State to the amount Of $l0,3S4 for roy
ably on rock. This amount has not We
i been collected The matter has beer
referred to the Attorney General anC
ne ls using proper efforts to collect the
money due the State.
The royalty now paid the State by
the miners is only twenty-five cents
per ton, and | believe that rather than
make greater concessions it would be
oetter II mining operations on the
states rights be discontinued. 1t seems
unwise and unbusinesslike on the part
OF the State to sacrifice these valuable
deposits, while prices are so low and
business is so depressed. On account
OF the great quantity mined the price
OF rock is now below the cost of pro-
duction. The supply OF rock is ex-
haustible, aud in few years the de-
mand will probably be greater than
the supply; then we may resume
mining at a profit both to the miners
and to the State.
The appropriation OF 1000 for the
salary and expenses of the Phosphate
Inspector is too much topay, consider
Ing the small return 10 the State from
this source. | recommend that the
Office OF Phosphate Inspector be abol-
lshed and that the Comptroller Cen
eral be charged with the collection of
the revenue from phosphate mining.
CONFEDERATE RECORDS.
1t has been particularly unfortunate
that the office of State Historian has
been made vacant by the death of two
worthy incumbents. Since the ad-
Journment OF the General Assembly
the grand old Confederate soldier,
General Hugh l.. Farley, has passed
away, before he had completed the
work to which he had been assigned.
! appointed Col. John =. Thomas, Con-
iederate Historian, to carry on the
task. You will find ip the report of
Col. Thomas detailed statement of
the work already done, together with
what remains to be finished, especially
as to the completion of the Confeder-
ate rolls. 1t is the duty of the State to
prepare an historical account of the
part taken by the commands from this
State in the great Civil war and to
complete the rolls. | therefore urge
that provision be made for carrying on
this work. To insure completion |
'ecommend that a sum be appropriated
sufficient for carrying out this under
taking and L suggest as an induce
ment to its early completion that while
sufficient money be allowed monthly
Tor current expenses, the maj jor portion
to be paid ouly upon the completion
and acceptance OF the work as now
out.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
The General Assembly should give
careful consideration to the matter of
expenditures by county governments.
The system now in force is very cum.
bersome, and in many counties leads
to extravaganza. From the represen-
tation by townships arises tendency
to reciprocate favors, and this leads TO
useless expenditures WI ich, if there
were no opportunity for these mutually
beneficial exchanges, would be avoided.
Many counties have remedied this
trouble AS far as possible and nave
made furCher saving by placing their
officers on fixed salaries and turning
the surplus left over after paying the
salaries into the general county fund.
CONCIJTSION
| desire to impress upon the mem
bers of the General Assembly the ne
cessity for the strictost economy in the
appropriation Of public moneys. While
unnecessary and excessive appropria-
tions OF public money should be avoid
ed at all times, and the strictest econ
omy consistent with good administra-
tion In every branch of the public SER
vice Should be at all times enforced,
there is at this time special reason
why this principle should be carefully
applied. The people have endured a
long period OF business depression, but
tho present low price of cotton, our
principal money crop, has caused still
greater depression, and the mercantile
and industrial inactivity is keenly felt
by all classes. AS guardians of the
public interests and custodians OF the
public funds the paramount question at
this juncture, when considering the ap-
preparation of the peoples money,
should be: Can this expenditure be
deferred without injury to the public
interests, until business shall have
resumed its normal activity? On
account Of low prices and the scarcity
of money the burden of taxation
presses with more than usual severity
upon the people, and in no way can
you more richly merit their approval
and gratitude or justify their conf
dence in you than by judiciously striv.
ing to tighten this burd an.
have endeav vored, after study OF
the States affairs, to make such recon
mendations to you as seem prOper and
| just. The Governor cannot ma. laws
to you alone is entrusted. as it should
be, the power to pass bills and tC
change existing laws for bettering the
conditions Of our institutions and for
reducing taxes. My recommendation
are merely advisory: the respons
Dility for the passage or defeat of bills
introduced or recommended, lies with
you. 1t is my desire to cooperate dur
ing the coming session, as during the
past, with your respective bodies ant
members In the interest of the tax
payers and OF our people generally IL
that behalf | will at all times b(
pleased to consult with committees OF
with individual members. The respon
sibility for the defeat of any goot
measure for whatever reason shall M