The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1907-01-18
HeyWard's Last Mes
sage to the Legislature
SHOULD BE NEEDED.
Ne Makes Many Practical aud TimsI,
Suggestions About the Various
Institutions Of the State
the Legislature Should
Carry Ont.

lS eAtp 49,. ,Seiiy JUL y
Governor Heyward's last message ia
tho Legislature was read in both
Houses on Tuesday. 1t Ia worthy OF
preservation as q model for State pa
pers of this character. 40 tho State
gays 1t is concise, yet not too brief;
nnnaittve, YET NOT diotatorial. There
10 no doubt Of Mr.. Heyward's pc htion
on any subject disou .sed, and his re.
Communications are those that might
be expected from y progressive, clear.
Bightad, patriotic governor. There is
nothing radical In tho messages; little
indeed, chat Is new, but the points
are presented earnestly and force.
fully.
Instead of recapitulatipg the dry
financial statement Of the treasury
that has for decades constituted the
opening subjsot of messages, the live
question Of property assessment Ia
considered. Commenting on oondi-
tions outlined, the Governor says:
This Ia an unbusineas.like condition
OF affairs, In q department. whsre bus.
mess conditions should be preeminent.
If all property Ia the State were
equaliaad upon p 60 per CENT. basis,
ahe total taxable property In the State
would, In my opinion, DO not less
than $3.50. 600, 900 on the books of the
Comptroller General, instead OF only
$3.50, 600, 900, as are the figures at the
present. This is not only an injustice
to u Taxpayers, but 1t Is unwise and
10 an injury to the State, In that it
does not seb forth to others our real
progress and prosperity.
No radical legislation Ia recon-
mendod, the present laws, IL properly
enforced. being, in the opinion of the
chief executive, SUN cient to remedy
much Of the present unsatisfactory
conditions. He does, however. urge
n important change which, If oar
ried out, will tend to the better on
foroement Of the law. 1T would be
vile, In my opinion" says tho Gov.
ernor, Ito reduce the membership OF
the State board, limiting IL to five
members, these to be appointed by
the Governor and confirmed by the
Senate. Two Of the members should
devote their entire time to this work,
and should receive q fixed salary and
travelling expenses. These members
should visit tho vorlous counties, con.
Bulb with the auditors and local asses
sing officers, should hear ell com
plants and should regulate the equal
ization Of all taxable property In til,
State" viii the legislature mako
serious effort to remedy what hss re
suited, because Of inefficient laws, Il
decentralization?
Governor Hayward devotes muc]
more attention to immigration tina
to any other subject. He is iustl
proud Of the record made by Soutl
Carolina and Of tho fact that th
leadership of this State has been re
C0gnized throughout the South, an,
fav0rably commented upon from
Maine to Califo, Ala, He briefly re
counts tho late achievements of til,
departments, shows the tremendou
n%ssistance rendered by South Oarolin,
manufacturers, emphasizes the fec
chat native labor was always shfe
guarded by the State, and points Il
Gomo OF the advantages to accrue IL
South Carolina from the establish
menb OF o steamship line between
Oh2rleatOn and Bremen. He sayg:
Ia the maintenance OF such 6 line
we have already secured the active
porsonal support Of Director Won
Pills, Of one Of the greatest steamship
corporations in the world, and 1 have
xeagop to know that be Ia Q loysl
friend Of the South and Of Southern
commercial development. What the
establishment Of this line means to Is
is o little difficult yet for us to under.
stand. When | tell you that nearly
o94. 600 600 worth Of Southern cotton
alone goes iniO the foreign port where
we arc establishing q connection; that
nearly 90, 600, 600 worth of our cotton
seed meal reaches that same port and
36het IL Is within our power to direct
fSr moro of theBo products through
GniB port TO Ghoir COnsignors; and
when l add chat on the shipment OF
6heae, and many other OF our pro.
du0eS, through the port Of Charleston.
II 10 In our power to save many thous.
9ndS OF dollars to shippers and pro-
duoarB OF these articles by reason OF
the proposed line-you may then real.
ize what this undertaking means, not;
alone to the p9opl0 In general. hut tn
d COTTON farmer direct. 1t Is within
oeA BAeopj Ny loiiyfAk hUW, 20 B8VG TO
u producers, to the buyer and the
shipper, handsome gupg paid SSe~trsns.
-ef s2t II eeGCsi2pGnfes whose real Inter.
oBts are NOT identified with US.
For the support Of this department.
Gov. Hayward asks q minimum ap.
Precipitation Of 826, 600. That is abso.
lntely necessary. he saya, and the
gemblance Of tho lack of support at
this critical Rtage may lose for us the
opportunity now open.
The chief executive, always acti yaly
Interested In our educational institu.
tions from the common school to the
college, expI esses appointment at
tho failure Of former legislatures to
pass q compulsory education law. We
quote from the message: 1T Ia un.
necessary for me to argue In favor OF
this law; It's passage 10 simply OF vital
Importance, and | hope you will give
1t careful thought. Such q law,
among other considerations Of general
benefits, would be the best posaible set.
element OF the child labol question.
II ell children between the ages OF
eight and fifteen years were compel
cd by the State to attend school,
there would then be no opportunity
niVpn anu Ohi1drap IN vznpl, L. -.