The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-01-18

IhC annual message or tr0Vernnr
Bllerbe to the Legislature, is in sub
stance as follows:
Gentlemen of the General Assembly:
In accordance with the mandate of
the Constitution, | have the honor t.
present to you this my second annua
message.
The finances of the State are still il
an unsatisfactory condition. Ever:
obligation Of the State has bee'
promptly met; but, to do this, thu
State treasurer has overdrawn, for
small amoupts, upon various banks il
which State funds have been depos
ted. The State of South Car"li"a
should always be in position to meet
current expenses without the neces-
sity Of oyerdrafts upon banks. TO d."
this, it is evident that one of tw"
shings will have to be done: either
the appropriation must be cut down,
or the tax levy raised.
BIENNIAL SESSIONS DEMANDED.
Only eight States Of the Union hold
annual SESSIONS Of their Legislatures,
and it seems most desirable policy
9or our own State. Each sessi"n IF
our general assembly costs about fifty
thousand dollars. We have too much
legislation, and consequently t"o
many laws. Biennial sessions, limited
SO forty days, would be ample for due
consideration Of all matters pertaining
90 legislative business. | therefore
recommend that an amendment to the
Constitution of the State, looking to
the establishment of biennial sessions
Of the General Assembly, be submit
ted to the people. Members of the
Legislature would then be selected
for term of four years. This very
desirable action on the part of the
voters would result in saving OF
twenty-five thousand dollars year,
and this and other good reasons will
commend the measure to the people
ae the State.
DOWN WITH LYNCHING.
During the last several years there
has been an apparently increasing di--
position among US to attempt the
righting of real or supposed wrongs
by the law breaking practice Of lynch
ing. It is impossible not to see in
this tendency a serious menace to
society. We have the law, with all
It's agencies and it can always be re-
lied on TO guard and punish, if we
will but back it with public couG-
dence, and sustain it by an enlightcn-
ed public opinion. If, however, We
suffer it to be disregarded aud di>h"n-
ored by riotous and irresponsible mobs,
we shall 6nd the lamp Of justice be-
some frebraud of lawlessness and
her protecting sword an assassin S
dagger. We should not longer per-
NIT this usurpation Of the highest
functions Of justice by the unchecked
brute force of the mob.
Remedy suggests itself: see to it,
as conseryators of the peace Of the
State, as makers of its laws, as the
guardians Of It's sacred honor, that its
laws are so enacted and so admins
sered that conviction and punishment
shall follow crime with the certainty
chat links effects to causes.
The officers of the law must be
chosen for probity and for courage;
and it should become of itself q high
crime and misdemeanor for sheriff OF
constable to allow o prisoner to be
taken by violence from his hands, even
though his cwn blood should have to
be shed to protect the criminal.
As an additional measure Of re-
straint, it would be we'll, aud recon-
mend that any county in which the
crime Of lynching is committed shall
be liable to the heirs of the victim of
the lynchers in the sum Of $1,000,
and that men who shall be convicted
of participation in lyuching shall be
deprived Of the right to vote or to
hold Office in this State.
THE STATE INSTITUTIONS.
The colleges Of the State are in fine
condition aud are doing excellent
work. The oldest of them, the South
Carolina College, has 180 students,
and as able faculty az can be fuurd
in the South. 1t has fully recovered
from the depression Of few years
sgo.
The South Carolina Military Acad-
omy, as you will see from the report
of it's board, is dcdug efficiently the
work expected of it. The severe ex-
perience in maintaining discipline