The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-01-19
MESSAGE OF
GOVERNOR
Principal Features of Chief
Executives Recommen-
dations to the South
Carolina Legis-
lature.

- CarOllna Legs
lature.
The principal features Of Governor
Heyward's message to the state legis-
lature are as follows:
, FinanetaI condElon Of the State.
For a number OF years past the
state has been under the necessity OF
borrowing money to meet its current
expenses. The amount borrowed has
been annually increasing, until last
year the State Treasurer was COM
PEELED to borrow the sum of $500.000.
The reason for this increase lies in
! the fact that since the year 1900 the
expenditures of the state have annu'
ally exceeded the revenue.
- In this connection beg to call your
attention to an article of the constitn-
I tion: .aThe general assembly shall pro-
: vide for an annual tax sufficient to
defray the estimated expenses OF the
state for each year, and wl>aever 1t
shall happen that the ordinary ex-
penses of the state for any year shall
exceed the income of the state for
such year, the general assembly shall
provide for leyying a tax for the en-
suing year sufficient, with other
sources Of income, to pay the def
cheney of the preceding year, together
with the estimated expenses Of the
ensuing year. Article 10. section g.
Had this provision Of the constitu-
tion been observed in the past, as it
should have been, the state would not
now be in its present financial condi-
ten, and deem it needless to impress
npon you the mandatory terms Of this
provision.
This serious status of affairs calls
for prompt and efficient action. It is
your paramount duty to meet this OBJ
: legation and to discharge your duty BY
earnestly seeking to remedy a condi-
ton which has reached a point where
action cannot longer be evaded OF, dis
regarded. You are the sworn repre-
sentatives of the people, and upon
you alone deyolyes the duty and re-
sponsibility Of squarely meeting this
unhealthy condition in the most inpor.
I tant department Of our government.
s In reference to the curtailment Of
expenditure am still of the opinion
that they cannot be materially re-
duced, for the reason that the exigen-
scies arising from the material growth
and the political conditions Of our
state are such as will not justify any
appreciable decrease. It is, therefore,
clearly manifest that our revenue
must be increased; and, as / have
said, this can be doneAin one OF three
ways One Of these propositions
license tax-has already been adopted,
but, as has been shown, this does, not
{ meet the requirements Of the situa-
ton. The other two alternatives re-
main; to increase the property assess
ment or 20 raise the tax levy.
Assessment Of Property.
In reference to. increasing the as
sessment, and as to the machinery
I for accomplishing this, beg to refer
Syou to the report Of the Comptroller
General. AS will be seen by this re-
b port, the Comptroller General believes
8 that our present assessment laws are
sufficient, If properly enforced, and
suggests in what way they can be en-
forced.
The Income Tax Law.
The income tax law is practically
disregarded throughout the state, the
only exception Of Importance being
Richland county for the past year.
The entire receipts from the tax go
3 into the state treasury for state pur-
poses and better provision should be
made for the enforcement Of this law
alike in sll counties.
SIS Sinking Fund.
The assets of these several funds
on December 81, 1904, are as follows:
Cumulative sinking fund (for reduc.
tfon any payment of South Carolina
Brown 1-2 per cent bonds), s527,-
! 24s.59. Ordinary sinking fund, s64,'
10s. SO, Of which :$2,e36.7s belong to
escheats and 61,173.15 to the ordinary
sinking fua;i proper. Sinking fund for
! insurance of public buildings, $16,.
471.62.
Revenue Bond Scrip.
On December 10, 1904. the supreme
court of the United States affirmed
( the decision of the United States cir.
cuit court in the case Of Lee
!. against Robinson, and declared the
revenue bond scrip of this state to be
void Under the act Of March 2, 1872,
: $1,800.000 Of this scrip was issued,
and since the year of its issue its va.
lidity has constantly been before the
<-,,,4e D., fbic decision tho sfafo ic