The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-10-08
Don't We Need Reforms ,n
W. W. Ball, writing in the Laurens Ad'


: yertiser, says:
Reform! Three cheers for reform!
After cruel, grinding, weary years OF
stnbbing our toes against the roots and
rocks of the road that the minority travels
the Advertiser has perched on the reform
band wagon and is now the leading re-
form organ in South Carolina.
Mr.. Jesse T. CAN'T, a thoroughbred re,
former, and incidentally Secretary OF
State (also mighty nice young mani
points out that the State of South Caro-
lima ended the year 1901 "a year before
the present administration took ofhce)
$4,000 in debt. He also declares in his
clear and able article prepared for the
press that the State is getting deeper IN
debt each year about 100000.
The time was when We thought South
Carolina had been reformed plenty, but
I'VE need another dose.
When we reflect that in the blooming
days of reform ever since 1898 the State
has been getting in debt each year We are
pained. When we remember that in all
these years, during which some OF US have
: been continually reformed until it hurt
we are dazed.
Can it be possible that anybody has been
bambauched and deboozelled
Perish the thought!
It is true that taxes are paid on many
millions more of property than in the
days when the State was ruled by 1.-THE
oligarchy" and "incipient corruption
was discovered-those days, by the way
when the State lived within its income.
1t is horribly true. :.
What are we going to do about It!
Plainly, we need reform, and need II
Quick. In the MONDAY splendor Of re:
form the Octopus" alias the hateful
Coosaw phosphate monopoly" was
slaughtered. Since then the phosphate
ROYALTIES have about disappeared.
Give US reform Verify we weep for it
What are We going to do? We might
smash the State colleges, but Mr.. CAN'T
tells US that the saving thereby would
not amount to great deal.
Really, We do not think South Carolina
should live beyond her "lien."
The proper remedy is to reduce salaries
To begin with the salaries of the mem.
bers of the State whisky board OF control
should be reduced from $400 year to 81
q month. This would save about 81 ,1eA
q year.
The salaries of the three railroad com.
missioners should be reduced to 81 a
month, and the members of the legislature
should be allowed to ride On their free
passes. Thus the mileage" Of all the
! legislators would be saved.
The salary of the governor should bt
abolished entirely. A governor should
be able to live in Columbia on the garden
truck raised in the penitentiary. The
governors mansion should be rented. Il
is far too nice house for governor
Some of the bottle factories or distillerie.
now flourishing in Columbia might pay
$50 month for it.
From what we have heard, it would no
do to reduce the salaries OF any OF ths
--other State officers. Since the erection
: of the sSky-scraper" in Columbia, the ex
$ penses of living in that city are said tc
hare gone up thirteen stories.
Some think these officers could dwell
oyer in Lexington County-is's only 8
nile-but it is out of the question. There
is toll bridge across the river. It's NJ
use to talk about reducing salaries o.
State officers We've got to reduce ths
State officers. The trouble is that they
are a tcnier set than this down-trodder
State can afford.
Mr. CAN'T favors raising additional re
venue by franchise tax" So do We
5 but our franchise tax" is of different
kind. Let the constitution be amended
SO as to allow every man not now entitled
to vote to do SO On payment OF $40 eact
election year. Roosevelt, Hanna, Lodge
and other plutocratic Republicans in the
north would be glad to pay this tax Out
of the Republican campaign fund for II
600 negroes. We could afford to let that
number be counted at $40 each.
Here is another good scheme. We are
Z told that 1000 men applied for positions
as State constables and were rejected
Let the governor reconsider and appoint
all, charging each fee of $40 to 60 into
!. the State Treasury This would raise
$4,000. The 1000 new constables coulG
be stationed lin Columbia and Char
lesion, where they could easily seize
enough blind tiger beer and whiskey tt
pay for their services.
In conclusion, We wish to remark thai
among all the firms in the United State:
engaged in the whiskey business, the
proud State of South Carolina is prob
ably the largest single dealer, and wher
such firm is getting behind every veal
there must be need of more reform.