The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-01-22
The Governors Message.

Sweeney was sent TO the General As
Sembly on Tuesday OF last week. It is.
q remarkably clear ard strong paper.
The governor takes z decided position
Cn every Important question now be-
fore the people Of South Carolina, and
while some may not agree with him in
some of his recommendations, still
there will be none to say that he stands
not squarly for what he belives to be
for the best interests of the people and
the material advancement of South
Caarlina, and does not hesitate to say
what course he thinks best to pursue.
The governor. after a brief introduce
ton gives review Of the financial con-
dltlon OF the State and calls attention
to the fact that in order to meet the
expenses Of the State government it
became necessary for the State Trea-
surer to borrow $4,000, and in order
to meet the interest on the State dept
to borrow 100000 additional. ''ThiS
action was made necessary by the fact
that Il very small proportion of the
taxes had been paid at,tae close of the
year." He thinks it is best that the
time for the payment of taxes without
penalty should be fixed, and It should
be understood that there Willie no
extension. This year it became neces-
sary again to extend the time until
March, 1892. InGiscussing the subject
Of taxation, the governor thinks there
is no subject in which there is more.
room for reform" and makes several
recommendations in regard to the
duties of the township and country,
boards of assessors, which if carried
out would no doubt secure more
equiptable assessment of property. @
The governor strongly recommends
that the Legislature take some action
looking to the bettermentof the public
highways Of the State. He calls atten-
tion to the great influx of peoplefo
the past few years into our towns and
cities and the fact that these have
rapidly been built up at the expense.
of the surrounding country. One of
the prime causes of the abnormal flow.
Of population into the cities is to-
be found in the public highways,
which in most counties at certain
seasons of the yeer are i1npass-x
able. This is an evil, which if possible
should be remedied. But laying aside
evils of this character, the governor
argues that good roads are paying In
yestment and gives figures to prove his
assertion.
In regard to child labor, the governor.
recommends that ''no child under
twelve years Of age be permitted to la
Dor in the manufactures of this State,
unless it be necessary for the support
of a widowed mother" For this posi-
tion he gives two main reasons: First,
"there is no doubt that to keep the
small child confined at labor IN the
mills isinjurious to the child physically
and mentally" Second, The material
prosperity Of the South WILDE injured
by the labor OF children in the mills.
Compulsory education in South Care
lima, between the ages of eight and
thirteen, for at least twelve weeks Of
the schooliterm, is recommended The
governor points to the fact that all
the civilized countries of the world
and two-thirds of the states of our own
Union have compulsory education laws
and strongly argues in favor Of the sys-
TEN in this State. a brief review of
all the State institutions, commencing
their work, is given.
Very little is said about the dispen-
sary. The governor thinks the
law is more strongly than ever en-
trenched in the State and that as the
sentiment of all the people grows more;
and more in favor of the enforcement.
Of the law, as it has done within the
past few years the constabulary feature
should be abolished altogether.
The work of the State board of health
during the year, and the recommends
tions Of the board. are called to the
attention of the legislature. The
governor thinks that in recent years it
has been the custom of the State TO
give too much power to corporations
doing business within it's bounds. He
gives a review of the work of the attor-
ney general in fighting the trust and
commonds him in his efforts.
County government and local legisla-
tion are briefly touched upon and the
attention of the general as
semoiy especially called to the jury law
and to the laws in regard to the con-
troll Of corporations. The work during
the year of the State Hospital and the
State penitentiary is reviewed. Both
institutions have prospered and are
under excellent management.
The governor strongly recommends
that the State be redistricted. There
is no longer any use for the shoe-string
which we have in this State,''
and the State should be redistricted
without regard to the political for
tunes Or interest Of any individual"
The most important recommends :
tions made are those in regard to the
prohibition of child labor in the
Of the State and COM
pulsory education. The position Of the
governor On these questions cannot be
and his recommendations on
these questions if carried out will ad-
lvance long way both the intellect
lal and material interests of South