The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-16


amount at very low price and has
never paid for them, an account OF
them being also set forth in this re-
port. We find also that there has
been rule that the superintendent
shall be furnished with wood and coal
free. This is not warranted by law,
and is merely another device to in
crease the salary of the superinten-
dent contrary to law Again, the
governors have been allowed the use
of convicts, tools and stock to cultl-
vate land near the city, and this has
not been charged to them. This is
excused by Mr.. Neal on the plea that
the governor is ex-oficio chairman OF
the board of directors and has in con-
sequence always gotten what be asked
for. If that is correct, it is time that
the governor should be taken off the
board. We do not refer in speaking
Of the cultivating of land to the patch
around the governors mansion, which
is public property and properly cultl-
waited by convicts. but to independent
farms outside. Again, the board had
steam laundry established in the
penitentiary and operated by the con-
victs. Mr.. Neal and Governor Ellerbe
have both had their family washing
done there ever since free, until the
termination of Mr.. Meals term OF
office. Now, while it is disagreeablc
to refer to these matters, we deem it
our duty to call them to the attention
Of the General Assembly. If the
governor salary is too small itshould
be increased by the General Assem-
bly,, not supplemented by the peniten-
tiary. If not too small the governor
should be satisfied Herewith. The
same remarks apply to the other Off
GERS mentioned. 1t should be pleas.
ure to those gentlemen who have re-
ceived these things from the State to
make reparation, and helesson should
be learned once for all that public
officer, because he is public officer,
has no more right to the property Of
the State than the humblest citizen,
and when he attempts to give it away
| to prominent men the inference prop
erly deducible is that he is bartering
it for their influence and they should
be above suspicion, and keep them
selves so by declining such presents.
Any other course breeds distrust in
the people Of their rulers, and when
that thoroughly permeates the masses
respect for law and order perishes, and
| it becomes question of who can get
| the most out of the Government and
high Office is sought not from motives
of patriotism, but Of plunder.
We think the Penitentiary authori-
ties should proceed at once to ascer-
tain the value of the assets thus given
away and present bills for them to the
parties who received them, many of
whom have professed willingness and
desire to pay for them, and il possible
save all such items. This should by
no means prevent their holding the
bond of the superintendent liable for
such things as are not settled for.
He has misappropriated the assets
and should account for them.
There is another matter which de-
serves attention in our general re-
marks. The management, it seems,
has been receiving favors and granting
them in return. It should pay for all
assistance it gets and then charge for
all matters rendered. The case Of the
Hon. j. W. Ashley is in point. He
furnished transportation for the off,
cials, making no charge; in return his
horse was boarded at the Penitentiary
during the session of 1898 of the Leg
islature. While this may be very
convenient, it is not business. If Mr..
Ashley's favors were worth receiving
they should be worth paying for, and
likewise the board Of the horse is
worth paying for. This free and easy
method of balancing one against the
other will render it impossible to as
certain at any given time the liabili-
ties of the penitentiary. No one will
be able to ascertain what the unre-
turned favors received at the hands of
the friends Of the superintendent are
worth, nor when the institution will
be called upon to board man or horse
in return. It amounts to reciprocity
treaty between the superintendent and
his friends, which may involve the
institution in endless liability and
expense. 1t should be stopped.
| A,otbor unhuo;nacc1;La footura of