The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-01-10
this important matter and I now re-
new my former recommendation.

improvement of Our roads. The ben.
efitS to be derived. from any point cl
view, are numerous. and strong bus
mess considerations make it impera.
tive that this valuable work should bt
properly attended 10.
Pensions.
!, The largest appropriation made by
your body is for the care Of the Con.
federate veterans. This amount seems
large when compared with the tota
appropriation, but when viewed in an
other light we cannot but feel that We
would like to do much more for th. ole
soldiers who in years that have gone
did so much for their State and their
country. The total number of pension.
ers on the rolls this year was S,554. and
Sl97 ,309.42 was the amount distributed
among them. The law, generally
speaking. is working satisfactorily, but
in reference to certain classihcations il
lis believed that Improvement can be
! made. and the comptroller-g general
will specifically direct your attention
to the proposed changes. Anything
pertaining to the proper care Of the
veterans of the Confederacy will.
am sure, have your most thoughtful
consideration. We owe them a deep
and lasting debt Of gratitude. and to
Ecare for those who. in their old age
and declining days. need this care,
i>should be, as it is, i privilege and one
LOT the first duties Of our people.
| Biennial Sessions.
! At your preceding session an
amendment to the constitution pro-
T viding for biennial sessions of your
body having been agreed upon. it was
submitted to the qualified electors OF
the State at the general election. a ma
| jority of whom voted in favor OF this
amendment. Believing as l do that
biennial sessions will afford all neces-
sary legislation. and will result in a
retrenchment OF expenses, / trust you
will ratify this vote in order that the
amendment may become effective.
. Should this be done, you should, at
! this session, take such action as may
! be necessary to adjust and conform
| other parts of our constitution and
! statutory law to the change wrought
! by the enactment providing for bien-
nial sessions.
In this connection I shall submit a
recommendation which F deem most
| important. Fol-. many reasons 1t would
be wiser and better to have all Of your
State officers elected for a term Of
four years. not allowing them to sue
ceed themselves. The reasons for such
| a change are obvious, and do not need
/ to be here discussed. The expense and
necessary neglect of duty incident to
! conducting a campaign every two years
! is alone almost sufficient reason for the
proposed change, and the people should
also be spared the loss Of time and the
3! inconvenience of too frequent cam
t fact that the best interests Of the
State would be subserved by making
this change in our constitution, and l
/ recommend it to your favorable ac-
ttion.
~ Phosphates.
I regret 20 report to you that the
| mining of phosphate rock in our rivers
EhaS, for the present at least, practi-
lcally ceased. Only TWO companies are
/ Quoted to limited degree. In the Vi
cinity Of Beaufort no work whatever
is being done.
1 =, During the past year several appll-
cations were made for a reduction of
the royalty. which is now 25 cents pei
ton. z The board Of phosphate commits
sioners. after considering the matter,
#declined to grant this request for the
treason that the royalty is now so small
! that no further reduction would be
+ likely to encourage mining. An addi-
! tional- reason for this was the fact
Ethat the royalty has been pledged to
1 the holders, Of the bonds of the State,
! and the board felt that without their
IconSent they would not be justified in
fmaking the reduction requested. A to-
ittal royalty of only S10,7S4.00 was re-
! ceived for the last fiscal year.
! Protection OF Fish and Oyster Interests
These interests are of far more i'm
| portance to our State than seems to
! be realized, and at present they are
practically neglected. It should be the
policy of the State to develop these re-
sources by affording that protection
which is absolutely necessary to pre-
FTent them from being destroyed. With
proper, care these interests could be
made valuable source of revenue tc
the State. The difficulty in legislatins
upon this subject has always been &
lack of such information as was neces-
sary to make efficient and at the same
time practical laws. Until such in
formation can BE furnished and such
laws suggested nothing, in my opinion
will be done. I recommend, therefore
that a commission be appointed whose
I duty it shall be to make thorough
examination Of this subject, to repor;
at your. next session.
i SILK Culture.
The United States, with an annua
product amounting to about s125,000,.
100000. is the largest silk manufacturing
country in the world. 1t has beer
practically demonstrated that oul
climate is admirably adapted to sill
culture, and if this were undertaken
properly it would result in bringing {
!! most desirable class of foreign sill
4 growers here. All necessary materials
for silk culture can be obtained free
: and the government will buy, at high
Test market rates, all cocoons raised
in the United States. In 1902 tht
cocoon crOp of italy sold for SIS 615.
10000, and this value of cocoons i:
more than quadrupled when manu-
: fsctured. A silk crop can be raised
gathered and marketed in five weeks
: land in South Carolina this would b.
: finished by the first or second week il
April.
: AS profitable and desired addition
to our diversified crops, I think thi
an important subject for our careful
/ consideration.
: sThe Dome Of the State House.
During the past year the commission
for the completion Of the State hous
reported to me that, in the discharg
of their duty, they had cause to fea;
that the dome of the State house wa
: in an unsafe condition. The commits
5 sion requested me to take ilnmedat
steps to have the dome examined. B.
: agreement, it was decided that
should apply to the secretary Of tn
: treasury to secure the services of
competent engineer for this purpose.
did so, and the secretary prompt.
aided me by sending Mr.. Kort Berle
chief structural engineer in the ofic