The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-01-14

HOW only row states haY0 made any
systematic efforts to prevent the wan
ton destruction Of the forests, and to
enact such laws as will tend to keep
the supply Of merchantable lumber. In
QUO own State our people have been al
most reckless in tho destruction Of
valuable timber without even realizing
1t. And 1t is not likely that we will lie
able as. yet to arouse them to the im-
portance OF the subject. Tho State Of
New York is foremost in tho work of
forest preservation. and while this
work is yet IN its infancy even in that
State it is accomplishing much that viii,
be or incstimablo benefit to the future.
Tho Department Of Agriculture has a
forestry division and it's officers are
ready at any time to assist in the way
or iRstrnCting land OWnorS as to the
best methods to pursue either for the
preservation Of standing timber or OF
planting land that ia entirely open
with tho young trees or With seed. One
Of the most important things in con-
nectiOn with the work is to instruct the
people as to the real value Of their
timber lands, and in this way prevent
them from ignccantly dsposing OF
these at prices that arc far below their
value
AS we have no department Of agri,
culture except in connection with Glenn
son College the work OF beginning and
laying plans for the preservation of
our forests might be left TO this insti-
tuition, but even a few thousand dol
lars spent on this work would pay big
returns in the future.
LOUISIANA PURCHASE ENPOSI-
TION.
Next year will be the ono hundredth
anniversary OF the purchase by the
United States OF the Louisiana Tcrri-
tory. This great territory was pur-
chased from France in 1868, and at
present comprises nearly all OF the
States OF Louisiana. Ackansas. Mis-
souri,, Iowa, Minnesota. North and
South Dakota, Nebraska, great part
of Kansas; the Indian Territory, Colo.
rado, and Wyoming and all Of
Indiana, Montana, Oregon and
Washington. TO celebrate the cen
tennhl anniversary OF this event. the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition will he
held in st. Louis, Mo-, during 1903. The
management Of this Exposition desire
tho assistance and corporation of the
various States OF the Union in this
enterprise. Five million dollars have
boon appropriated for this purpose by
tho general government and $4,000
600 by the city OF st. Louis, and al
ready several States have made apprO-
nriations for buildings and exhibits
Tho purpose for which the Exposition
has been undertaken is q patriotic one
and no doubt the Exposition will he
Il graat success and much good accOmp-
lished.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
The economy with which the county
affairs are managed fixes largely the
weight OF the burden OF taxation upon
tho people. Apart from the interest
on the State debt and the constitution
al tax for the public schools the tax
for the support OF tho State govern
mcnt Is very small. 1t should not be
your business to adopt special legisla
tton for your individual counties, but
the combined wisdom Of representa-
tives from each county, and being
familiar with tho different eondi-
tions, should enable you TO adopt such
measures for the government Of the
several countios rs will be economical
efficient, and just. The cost Of the
Courts and the administration OF the
laws, the maintenance OF highways and
bridges, and the support of the
penal and charitable institutions,
are subjects in which there is
great room for reform. While 1t is rue
that the conditions vary in the differ
ent counties, it Is also true that there
could be moro uniformity in our coun-
ty government law and more economy
in its administration. As the law now
stands almost every county in the
State has different law from every
other county, or II the law is general,
a nuNbor Of counties are excepted
from its provisions. There should 10
moro uniformity. OF course conditions
in regard to certain matters may be
different in different counties, but
there could be more uniformity in re-
gard to many subjects than at present.
sTho Constitution requires it.
Anything that you can do to sim
plify' and unity as far as possible
tho County Government Law will be
- Of benefit to the people and should
have your efforts.
>.r... LOCAL LEGISLATION.
Your attention has been called to
this subject Il number of times. end
/, though special legislation on certain
subjects is inhibited by the Consti!u-
tion, yet every session of the General
Assembly finds Il number Of laws r."
latlng to local or special subjects.
Z Though these special laws have fra-
quently been declared unconstitutional
by the Courts it seems almost imp0s-
sible to keep them off the statute
books. In several OF the counties the
past year there have been no Courts
on account Of the uncertainty Of the
constitutionality Of the jury law. and
tho question is now before the Supreme
Court for adjudication. This law and
the laws in regard to corporations
need your special attention. They have
!: caused more trouble during the past
year than any other question with
which the admins istration has had to
deal and largely because Of the uuccr-
{ tainty as to what the law is. Such leg
islation Should be carefully watched
and avri1od IF nocci1,lo