The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-10-26

We have heard a great deal
about Georgia and biennial ses-
sions. AS a matter of fact, Geor-
gia has never had anything but
annual sessions Of its legislature,
and this is the information which
I have from the secretary Of
State at Atlanta: in reply to a
letter which I addressed to him,
making inquiry
The principal argument for
biennial sessions is the supposed
economy which it is claimed will
be the result. But I do not be-
lieve it. The annual cost of a
session of the legislature isabout
S36, 900, and if we add the print
ing the entire cost will be $780,,
900, at a full estimate. The an
nual appropriations for all pur-
poses in defraying the State gov
eminent is usually about one
million dollars: Fifty thousand
is one twentieth of one million.
so that one twentieth Of the taxes
that a man pays towards sup
porting the State government
goes towards defraying the ex
penses Of the legislature. There
fore a man who pays S1.00 State
taxes pays one twentieth Of it,
or five cents, towards the ex-
penses Of the legislature.
That is a correct calculation
and made on fair basis Of Figures
from the reports Of the Comp
troller General, showing that
the cost of the legislature is very
inconsiderable when compared
with cost of the whole State
government, a session costing
several thousand dollars less
than the annual appropriation
to Winthrop college.
It is also a fact perhaps for
gotten by many, that the Demo
cratic voting strength of our
State, as evidenced by the. re
cent primary, is upwards of one
hundred thousand, but the peo-
pie never turn out in full
strength in a general election,
where these constitutional amend
ments must be voted on. Sixty
thousand votes in a general cleo
tion in this State is a very fair
vote, and thus we see that if the
amendment is carried it will by
no means be by the vote of the
whole people. Therefore, if it
is necessary to change the con-
stitution, would it not be better
and cheaper in the long run, to
call convention and revise the
document properly, so that it's
provisions will conform to each
other?
In the session of 1903, I along
with about eight others, opposed
the ratification of an amendment
wiping out the corporate exist
ence of certain townships in
Laurens, Greenville, Saluda and
Greenwood counties. T b es e
townships tried to avoid
the payment of certain bonded
debts which the courts said were
legal and they should pay. The
amendment was ratified, but I
have read with considerable
amusement where the United
States courts have said that it
could not stand, and that these
townships would have to pay
their debts.
And I believe a majority of
the people of Clarendon voted
for this amendment two years
ago. This is only an instance OF
what comes by frequent amend
ments to the constitution to suit
every whim, or help some law
yer out with his case. That is
what the last one meant.
Finally, our constitution pro
vides for annual sessions Of the
legislature, and it has been so
for 1913 years, The legislature,
in it's power to levy taxes and
appropriate funds, is the axis
around which the whole State
government revolves. l regard
this proposed change, without
making the other necessary
changes, as like knocking the
hub out of a wheel, and then ex-
pect the wheel to keep on run
ing without trouble.
But I only started out to give
some Of the reasons why I think
it will be unwise to make this
change, I hope I have done so,
and that I will cause people to
think carefully over the matter,
for I believe that those voters
who have the best, interests of
of the State at heart should vote
againstthe proposed amendment.