The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-10-15
and New Mansion
Greenville News.

Columbia. Oct, l0.-GoVernor An
sci stated today that in::his annual
=: message Se thu general ;'assemhly,
which convenes in January, he Will
recommend that the salary Of the
governor be Increased from $4,000 to
$4,000 and that the state erect new
executive nRnsion"cn the SIZE OF the
present building.
Tne governor hs: found, ,;:>*s other
governors have fourd, that the sal
ary paid the governor Of S0sth Car
.olina is Inadequate: and that it costs
from $1,000 10 $1,000 year more to
live in Columbia as;governor. Ehan the
governor receives from the state.
South Caroi;1>a has not had, IN re-
cent years al least. 4 governor vino
cares to HsplurGe" AZ all, bzi Gov
, ernor AnSel. Ike mos5 Of his prede-
cesSors. has . natartl AMBITION 10
maintain lat dignity and position
due the governor OF the '>gr0atest
state in the uEion." In addllr:n to
the salary. nowever, the state provides
merely the n1ul:<ion. with heat, tlGht
and water rent paid fo3' by the state
but there Is not as IN ether state an
expense fund for the governor s use.
For instance, the trips>W nich the GOV
ernor makes as governor say to the
Jamestown Exposition, are paid Tor
Out of his owrl pocket. GOV. A1ssel IS
pretty much Of a philosopher and says
that he knew I'll Of this wien he ash
ed the people TO elect hin governor,
therefore he is not objecting on tna5
account. but he THINKS the state shot1lu
provide IN the fuinre foc meeting
such expenses. SO long as ! am gov
nernor,'' Aaid Gozernor Ansel, ~ pro-
rpose to- maintaiE the position OF the
rofiee no zaatter what the expense -
"Well, ,governor," said al imper~
,tinent newspaper man, "you~ have an
advantage an beirg a ,prohiblilonist. "
eyes, ,sr:,'' quickly replied the
chief executive, Enot a cent Of my
money goes that wzry.'
It is a matter o. fact that other
sstatss besides providing Ett&7 ,gsEaznor
with better residence than the South
Carolina mansion, and heat, Light and
water, r,:salso provide for expenses such
as are incurred on official trips :and
for servant hire and other expenses
of that sort. Gov. As1sel will ~cen=
tfne his recommendations TO an ~
eresse in salary <as previously stated,
but these sare matters that should Ae
taken into account.
constitution provides that the
compeasation Of an official shall not
be increased during his term and il
the Governors recommendation should
::be adopted by. the general assembly It
cannot 90 into effect until his success
SCR is elected. If Governor Ansel de-
sires to succeed himself he can De so
without doubt, but # he prefers to
heed the request of some Of ins
friends and aspire to the senate next
sumkler there Will be plenty OF candl-
dates for governor even Tath the sal
>arv at $4,000 as at present However,
while the salary is not the consldera-
,fion wkich moves men to rus for gov
iarnor. it is a fact that>men who would
have made the state splendid execu~
.tives nave been deferred from seek
ing the position by the knowledge
that it would cost them more to wear
the honors ef office than the salary
and they could not afford, out OF
consideration 10 their families to take
The risk.
The fact is that the salaries Of all
the state officials are ridieuloasly low
in view Of the duties imposed anu
the cost of living. The run of false
economy which was inaugurated II
years ago and resulted in decreases
all along the line, but few years ago
!she salaries of the supreme court JUS
xices which had been cut to S2,Soo,
we're increased to $4,000. Chief JUS
tiee Pope is the only member Of the
court that has so far benefited by
the Increase, as he was reelected since
the increase and the others were elect
ed before that time.
: The otaer state officials should be
raised eerrespohdingly; the state
treasurer who gives bond Of ssoOoo
receives s1,eoG a year salary. Gan
Il.