The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-01-19

has not yet been collected. The ma
ter has been referred to the Attorney
General and he is 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 1 believe that rather
than make greater concessions it would
be better if mining operations on the
States rights be discontinued. Il
seems unwise and unbusinesslike or
the part Of the State to sacrifice these
valuable deposits, while prices are sc
low and business is SO depressed. On
account Of the great quantity mined
the price Of rock is now below the
cost of production. The supply Of
rock is exhaustible, and in few
years the demand will probably be
greater than the supply; then we may
resume mining at profit both to the
miners and to the State.
The appropriation Of $4,000 for the
salary and expenses Of the phosphate
inspector is too much to pay, consid-
ering the small return to the State
from this source. I recommend that
the Office Of phosphate inspector be
abolished and that the Comptroller
General be charged with the collec-
tion of the revenue from phosphate
mining.
PUBLIC PRINTING.
During the year the Office Of public
printer having been declared vacant,
the committee provided for by law,
consisting Of the Governor and the
chairmen Of the committee on print
ing Of your honorable bodies, met and
elected Mr. Charles B. Calvo, public
printer. This committee thought the
State might have been saved several
thousand dollars had the Act provided
for, or permitted competitive bids.
The price to be paid for the work is
fixed in the Act and the committee
found itselfcompelled, under the pro-
visions Of the law to make the appoint
ment. I recommend that the Act be
repealed and that committee from
each Of your honorable bodies be se-
lected to let the contract for public
printing at competitive prices. ] fur
ther recommend that the Act fix the
maximum price to be paid for the
work so as not to exceed the price now
being paid under the present law.
DIRECT TAX.
There are So, ,13O.79 in the State
treasury to the credit Of the direct
tax fund, which, under an Act ap-
proved 24th December, 1891, is avail
able for public purposes. | recon-
mend that you pass joint resolution
authorizing the State Treasurer to
transfer this account to the general
account.
SPECIAL LEGISLATION.
The number Of special statutes
should be reduced by the enactment
Of general laws, embodying ample. pro-
visions and remedies for the relief of
persons, corporations and eommuni-
ties, relative to subjects of a general
character and to put an end to the
present food Of special legislation.
As it is easier and in some cases
cheaper to apply to the General As
eembly for relief rather than to the
Courts or other tribunals provided by
general law. the Legislature is being,
upon various excuses, subjected to
constant pressure to enact special
laws for the relief of individuals. In
deed, even constitutional provisions
intended to limit such special legisla-
tion have often been evaded under
the guise of so called general law. In
the Constitution Of 1895 there are ex-
press provisions prohibiting special
and local legislation by the General
Assembly. Prior to 1895, during
each legislative session, great deal
Of time was consumed in the consider
alton of such special legislation, at
great expense to the State. 1t was to
check this growing evil that these
prohibiting provisions we're intro
duced into the Constitution. 1t is
natural and may be praiscworthy for
individual legislators to seek to ad
vance the interests Of their localities
and constituencies; but such inter
ests should be subordinated to the
general public good, and such special
and local legislation is evidently in
furious to the public veal. Too much
legislation, both general and special,
has undoubtedly characterized South
Carolina for the past thirty years.
Such special and local enactments,