Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-01-13

sums, and how these sums cannot be
collected until the state pays certain
smaller sums it is due the United
States.
The taxable property of the state
last year amounted to $176, ,422, ,2SS,
an increase over the previous year of
So, 1888. This, the governor says,
does not represent anything like the
actual taxable values. He recites the
constitutional requirement that prop
erty be returned for taxation at its full
value. This is not now done. If it
were done, then the assessment would
be lower. So for as the actual amount
of taxes to be raised are concerned
makes but little difference one way or
the other; but the only way to secure
equitable taxation is by the assessment
of property at full value. The prob
lem as to how this is to be done is
left with the general assembly.
Last years pension appropriation is
endorsed, and the propriety of appro-
priating another 100000 this year is
recommended.
| There is statement of the efforts
that are being made by the executive
department to secure refund of the
remaining portion of the direct tax
illegally and upjustly collected from
citizens of this state By the national
government.
Several pages of the message are
devoted to a statement of the condi-
ton of the penal and charitable insti-
tutions. There are no recommends
tions in this connection.
In discussing the educational ques-
tion, the governor suggests that the
public funds available for the public
schools ought to be supplemented, as
far as possible, by private subscrip-
tions. As to higher educational insti-
tutions, the governor does not think
there is any longer an issue. The
state is fully committed to the support
of all the colleges now established and
it should support them literally.
Only about six pages of the message
are devoted to the discussion of the
dispensary law. The governor ex-
presses himself as satisfied with the
|impracticability of the prohibition idea
and gives his reasons. He thinks that
local option would be worse than pro-
hihition, and that with few amend
ments to the law now in force, we
need try TO do nothing further for
the present. He suggests that the
central business in Columbia be placed
under the control of commissioner
who will receive good salary, and
that he be assisted by an advisory
board consisting of the state treasurer,
comptroller general, superintendant-of
education, chairman of the finance
committee of the senate and chairman
of the ways and means committee of
the house. He does not think that
either the governor or attorney general
should be members of the state board
but the governor should have power
to remove the commissioner for cause.
He does not think it would be neces-
sary for the board to meet oftener
than three or four times year, and
at these meetings it can purchase all
required liquors by sample and
through means of sealed bids. He
recommends that county boards be-
made to consist of supervisors, audi
tors and mayors of county seat towns,
where there is a dispensary in such
towns, and in case there is no dis.
pensary in the county seat town,
then the mayor of the largest dispen-
pensary town in the county shall be-
the third member of the board. 1t
is recommended that county dispen-
sers be elected by the people as other
officers are elected, and that their
terms he fixed for the period of two
years. The governor refers to his
action in reducing the constabulary
force at saving of $S.33S.90 in six
months, without much more than an
appreciable diminution of the number
of seizures. The clerk having charge
of the constabulary reports an i'm
provement in the enforcement of the
law except 10 Charleston and few of
the northwestern counties. The school
fund receipts and disbursements from
the dispensary for the year l89S-S9
amount to sl30,0OO.
A section of the message is devoted
to roads, and the recommendation is
that the general assembly require su-
pervisors to use cbaingangs only in
making permanent improvements.
1t is suggested that the legislature
might do we'll to encourage our sena-
tors and representatives in congress by
passing a resolution asking for the
repeal of the 10 per cent. tax on the
issues of state banks.
The governor expresses himself as
being impressed with the desirability
of amending the constitution so as to
provide for biennial sessions of the
general assmbly.
Several other matters Of more or
less importance are referred TO in the
message; but the foregoing covers all
the principal points of public interest.