Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-01-20

~ 6AuOLiLSI ,SetE udSr Co1uC, oha ySo
are gathered to discharge the high
and honorable duties laid upon you
by the people. 1t becomes my duty
to give to YOU such information as
7 bave as to the condition of the
State and to suggest and recommend
such legislation as to me may seem
meet and proper.
State Finances.
At your last session, you gave au-
-thority TO- the Governor, the State
Treasurer and the Comptroller Gem
.eral to borrow, not exceeding FIVE
hundred thousand dollars to meet the
obligations Of the State to become
due during the year l9QS-such as
,sConfederate soldiers pensions, in-
ttterest on public DEB !. appropriations
for the State institutions of learning
and other appropriations mad by
your honorable bodies.
It became necessary for US to bor-
row, dnring the year, the full amount
so allowed and provided for, which
amount will be repaid fout Of the
State taxes now being collected. The
interest on said sum amounted to
$13,09S.26. This will have to be con-
tinued yea rafter year unless some
plan is devised to catch up. / bring
TINS matter to your attention in or
der that you may give the same your
earnest consideration and adopt
some measure that will remedy the
matter.
In may last annual message, l rec
ommended, the ievying of special
tax each year for several years to
provide a. sum so that we would not
be required TO borrow. I hope that
some action Will be taken to place
the State on a cash basis =!
I refer you to the report of our
State Treasurer. which will give You
full and accurate information as to
the financial condition of the State.
Sinking Fund.
The Sinking Fund Commission bas-
done a good work during the past
year. The assets of the several funds
managed by this Commission on De
cember 81. 1905. were as fellows:
Cumulative Sinking Fund (for re-
dempticn and payment of South Car
ol;na Brown 4 1-2 per cent bonds).
SIX hundred and sixty-eieht thousand
and 6ftv-eight and 09-l0( dollars.
: ($66S. .05S.09.l
Ordinary Sinking Fund, seventy
one thousand six hundred and thirty
and ;l2-10O dollars [$71,63O.12).
Sinking Fund for Insurance. of
Public Buildings. fortys.fve thousand
six hundred and eight-6ye and 6l-
100 dollars ($$445, ,6S5.61) 8
All will more fully appear by ref
erence to the report Of the Coiamis-
sioners Of the Sinking Nnd 7g
State Dispensary Building
At your last session your honor.
able bodies passed on Act providing
for the sale of the State Dispensary
building and lot in the City of CO.
lnnsbia BIZ the Commissioners of the
Sinking Fund. placing the upset
price at seventy-fve thousand dollars.
The Sinking Fund Commission, in
obedience to- said Act, advertised
The same for. sale. stating the upset
price. No bids were received for
the same.
The property was turned over to
the Sinking Fund Commission by the
commission appointed to wind up the
State Dispensary and is now in the
possession and under the control Of
the Sinking Fund Commission. APP
plieation has been made by several
parties TO lease it, but no power was
given the Sinking Fund Commission
to make lease. They desire that
authority be given them, either to
sell or lease said building on such
terms and for such length of time as
to yorr honorable bodies, may seem
best for the interest OF the State.
Assessment Of Property.
This important matters comes up
every year for consideration, ard
.he question naturally presents itself,
what shall be done? / reiterate the
plan / submitted in my message at
Its last session.
In this the Governor recommends
that parties making tag returns give
under oath the items of his property
and the value he places upon them,
/ the same to be recorded that the
equalization board may act intclli-
gently.
4 Education.
Much progress has been made dur
ing the past year in the educational
interests of the State. <
High schools are being established
all over the State and the common
schools are keeping pace with the
progress Of the times, as much so as
can be with the funds provided for
them. I wish to emphasize here
what l said in my inaugural address
IN January, 1907:
"Our State Constitution requires
that we shall sprovide liberal sys-
tenn of free public schools for all
children between the ages of six and
twenty-one.' We can realize the mind
Of the trainers of this organic law.
ssThe State institutions of higher
learning are doing a great work In
the education Of many Of our girls
- 4 Nee k,,t {beca fortuustp NnpS