The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-09-30
Don't We Need Reform 7


Reform Three cheers for reform !!
Altcr cruel, grinding, weary years
OF stuboing our toes against the roots
and rocks of the road that the minori-
ty travels, the Advertiser has pcrchcd
on the reform band wagon and is .ow
the leading reform organ in South
Carolina.
Mr.. Jesse t. CAN'T, thoroughbred
reformer, and incidentally Secretary
OF State (also a mighty nice 1oung
MANI, points out that the State of
South Carolina ended the year 1901
"a year before the present admiuistra-
tion took office) S145, 900 in debt. He
also declares in his clear and able ar
ticle 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 4
plenty, but--wc need another dose.
When We reflect that in the bloom
ing days Of reform ever since 1893 the
State has been getting in debt each
year we are pained. When We remem-
Der that in all these years, during
which some of us have been contiu-
ually reformed until it hurt, VIC are
dazed.
Can it be possible that anybody
has been bambauched and dcboozcl-
ed
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 "the oligarchy' and "incipient
corruption" was discovered those
days, by the way, when the State liv-
ed within it's income.
1t is horribly true.
What are we going to do about it /?
Plainly, We need reform, and need it
quick. In the MONDAY splendor of
reform the Octopus" alias the hate
full Coosaw phosphate monopoly,
was slaughtered. Since then the
phosphate royalties have about disap-
peared.
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 tc great
deal.
Really, we do not think South
Carolina should live beyond her
Glen"
The proper remedy is to reduce sal
aries.
To begin with, the salaries of the
members of the State whisky board of
control should be reduced from $4OO a
year to 81 month. This would save
about 81 ,164 year.
The salaries of the three railroad
commissioners should be reduced to
81 month, and the members of the
legislature should be allowed to ride
on their free passes. Thus the "mile-
age" of all the legislators would be
saved.
The salary of the governor should
be abolished entirely. A governor
should be able to live in Columbia on
the garden truck. raised in the .penis
tentiary. The governors mansion
should be rented. It is far too nice
house for governor. Some Of the
bottle factories or distilleries now
fourishing in Columbia might pay $50
. month for it.
From what we have heard, it would
not do to reduce the salaries of any of
the other State officers. Since the
erection Of the ''Sky-scrsper" in Co.
lumbia, the expenses Of living in that
town are said to have gone up thirteen
stories.
Some think these officers could
dwell over in Lexington County-it's
only mile-but that is out of the
question. There's toll bridge across
the river. It's no use to talk about
reducing salaries Of State officers.
We've got to reduce the State officers.
The trouble is that they are tonier
set than this down-trodden State can
afford.
Mr.. CAN'T favors raising additional
revenue BY franchise tax''. So do
we, but our franchise tax" is of a
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 each 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 81