Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-12-15
Reform Demanded In Governmental
Expenditures

were chosen. Tho first session of tho
newly elected Legislature will convono
in Columbia On tho 10th of January next.
An inspection of tho roll of members
fresh from tho people. 1t is fair to pre-
sumo they were elected because Of their
supposed fitness for the place. Coming
from tho daily walks Of lifo, it is taken
for granted that thoy are familiar with
the needs of tho great mass of the people.
During every campaign for years past
tho masses have made earnest pleas for
reform, tho reduction of taxes, and TO
this end corresponding decrease of OK
penditurcs. In response to these de-
mands for reform many changes have
been made in tho laws, some for the bet
tor, somo for the worse, but nothing has
brought relief to tho purse of tho labor
ing class. On tho contrary, as times be-
came harder moro taxes have been
acted, until our people have become rest
i've under tho pressure. THOR demands
appear to havo been ovaded. While the
purchasing power of the dollar has moro
than doubled, there has been no reduc-
tion of tho number oxacted.
Now, rs the General Assembly will
convene in few days, wo begin to cast
about to SOC where the appropriations
can be lessened and tho burdens light
encd.
We are not given to criticising,
but we believe, for tho sake of
economical government, in these hard
times, ovory dollar that could, consistent
with efficiency, should be saved to tho
people.
1t has been said nothing can be done
to cheapen tho government. This i'll
duces us to examine more closcly tho ex-
penditures to find, if happily, We may,
how the desired ond can be accomplished.
There is no valid reason why "l good
ccitizens in republic should lot inform
ans tnsm'9yss a" their tS public aSsmn nattes
to what is right and proper.
They should bo taken into the conf
dence of tho powers that bo. This is
their right and they should bo content
with nothing less. Tho people are not
uni, Ionablo nor rash in their demands,
when thoy understand the circumstances
and the conditions. They do not and
will not complain at q tag which is shown
to be necessary to an efficient admins
tration of tho State and county govern
ments.
1t seems to us that somo changes could
be made, the tendency of which would
be to reduce expenses without injury to
an efficient administration.
We see that tho General Assembly of
Georgia is making strenuous efforts in
tho way of reduction of government
expenditures. The next Assembly of
South Carolina should pattern after tho
Georgia Legislators in this respect. We
are sure that somo changes could be
made beneficial to n tax-riddcn people.
In tho first place tho election laws of
South Carolina arc cumbersome and
twice AZ expensive as necessary. There
are three Supervisors of Registration,
when one could do the work for tho
Same salary ho now gets. There are
two sets of commissioners of election in
each county an TWO sets of managers at
each precinct. Ono set of commission
ers and managers could do tho work as
efficiently. All this machinery is expen-
sive and 30 much is not needed. This
complicated machinery has served its
purpose in the past, but it is no longer
necessary.
The enactment Of tho Australian bal
lot system would still further servo to
reduce tho expenses.
, Again, there is expended on tho State
colleges a vast sum of money---frC.n
1926, 900 to $l16, 900 year.
There is reason in all things. We have
five colleges run ut the expense of tho
Taxpayers.
If five colleges wero necessary for tho
education of tho youth of tho State,
tho expenditures incurred would be OK
cusable.
Is it necessary to maintain five colleges
at tho public expense in order that our
youth may be properly educated We
%hink not.
In this State are many colleges, indivi-
dual or denominational, that afford tho
same advantages as tho State colleges,
except Winthrop and Clemson.
The military training at Clemson is the
same as that at the Citadel, and tho latter
should DO transferred to Clemson.
Furman University, Wofford, Now
borry and Erskino are each run at an
annual expenditure Of lesa than $I5, eco,
while the appropriation for each State
collego ranges from $4,000 to $50, 900
annually In addition to tuition fees.
In may be said tho education received
in tho donominational colleges is not 80
thorough. But this Is q mistake. There
are as many eminent and useful alumni
of the denomiuational colleges rs from
tho State institutions. it has been said
that tho education at donominational
colleges is soctRrian. This is moro SEN
timent
We . not prepared to say what
should DO done, but in these stringent
times half tho present appropriation
should be saved TO tho people.
Should this bo done and tho election
laws simplifled an annual saving of from
$76, 900 to 100000 could be effected.
Again, something like horizontal re-
duction of twenty-five per cent of tho
highest salaries paid our officials can bo
made without detriment to tho public
sorvice. Heretofore reform has con-
sisted mainly In cutting the salaries of
tho little fiah, and leaving tho big Rala-