The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-02-20
Major Richardson's Position

der the headline "Capital Correspond
ence" the writer says he regards the
effort which was made to secure an ap-
preparation of an additional one hun
dred thousand dollars each for the pen
sions and the public schools as insin-
cere, and designates it a ''trick to fool
the masses" and ''stage playing for po-
litical effect" This is a sweeping as
sertion and embraces all those who sup
ported the measures: and, as come
under the bead of these, want to give
my reasons for advocating and voting
for the said appropriations.
| wish to assure my constituents that
I supported these measures in all earn
estness, and assert that was in no way
instigated by any motive to deceive the
people nor to advance my political in
terests. There can be no better use
that the revenues OF the State can be
applied to, in my Judgment, than to ed
ucate the children Of the country.
They are the ones who will follow US in
coming years and take part in the gov
ernment of the State and country, and
no one who was present and heard all
that has been brought out in the ''Child
Labor" question, can doubt any longer
the necessity Of giving to the young OF
the country every advantage we can
bestow upon them.
I was member OF the joint commit
tee OF the Senate and House during the
present session, wheE the sittings were
extended to three afternoons, and
where employers and employees were
fully heard on this subject and where
many visitors attended through the
deep interest they felt in the matter.
The earnest concern evinced in the
subject led to discussion Of the i'm
portance of universal education advan-
tages which should be extended the
children, not alone to those who work
in factories, but to all classes of the
young. There can be no doubt that
this Investigation and all attending cir
cumstances connected with the matter,
has turned the public mind into new
channel, aud predict a livelier inter-
est each year will be taken in educa-
tional development throughout this
State.
In regard to pensions, it is well
known that there is not State which
once belonged to the Confederacy that
pays its old soldiers as poorly as this
does, and ] took occasion on the floor OF
the House to point out that it would
not be many years before the General
Assembly of South Carolina will re-
gret that there is not man of them
left, not one of those old soldiers, to ex-
tend a helping hand to. It will then be
too late and the opportunity lost: Let
US give them while we may. | say
and SO far from excusing myself for the
position I took, say now that will
vote a like sum to them the coming
session unless assured that the majority
of the people OF Clarendon are opposed
to it, when, of course, should yield to
their wishes at the expense of my own
wishes and opinions. admit that this
is not a propitious time for any in
crease Of appropriations, but the diff
Guilty would only be for year, and any
obstacle thrown in the way of giving
aid to these two institutions might re-
suit fatally to their procuring assistance
in the future.
The States affairs, like private call
ings, requires more funds some years
than others. This happens to be one
when it has had extraordinary demands
upon her, but I feel sure that beyond
this period the conditions will be such
as to enable US to meet these wants
without any increase in taxes.
The appropriation to the South Caro-
lima Interstate and West Indian Expo
sition, with an increase IN those to
Winthrop and the South Carolina Col
lege with some other sums it was found
unavoidable to bestow, has borne heav-
lily on the revenues OF the State. but
after the present fiscal year there IS no
reason why the schools and pensions
should not be better looked after and
treated with greaver generosity than
heretofore.
These are some of my reasons for
holding the position do on the above
questions, and l predict and look for
ward to a speedy realization of the
hopes of those who are interested in
their accomplishment. The General
Assembly can make the appropriation,
but it has no power to equitably dis
tribute the 1noney among those enti-
tied to receive it. This is the duty of
the veterans themselves, and should be
carefully looked into by them. They
should appoint one of their number in
each township to report such parties as
are eligible to receive pensions and to
properly classify he applicants, so as to
bestow on those in actual want and ne
cessity the greatest possible amount of
the funds donated by the State to that
purpose.
AS l stated above, it is only for a
short time now that we shall have the
privilege of helping them, and in all
sincerity I say let US do this thing while
it is yet in our power to render them
aid.
HENRY B. RICHARDSON.
MADNf AMI S.ASIIhITV rN ,o11