The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-16

Columbia, Feb. 11.--Everybody
stands ashast at the size Of the ap-
preparation bill. and everybody thinks
that II ought. to be cut down. but
Just whore to put the pruning knife
nobody can say. Some Of the men,
b<rs look with horror on the ap-
preaching campaign when their con-
stituents viii call them to account for
the large expenditures of money by
the present legislature. and they
dread the coming day. The total of
the bill ss II leaves the house, In
spite Of the fact that the provision
for ~ scholarships In the University
was knocked out. will amount to over
million. eight hundred thousand.
nearly two millions. When the at
tempt II made. however. one realizes
the dinoulty. The appropriations for
pensions u about one eleventh Of the
total amount OF the bill. which means
that South Carolina does as much for
the old soldiers today as she does for
any other one or ten other purposes
within the scope OF the governmnt.
II ID only by such comparisons that
the fair estimate Of the total can be
had. Nobody would suffer for a mo-
0msnt the cutting or OF the pensions
90 II remains. one of the heaviest
itsma I'm the bill. you cannot put the
knife there. For the insane an
amount equal to about one eighth of
the total sum 10 appropriated. but
who would suffer reduction there?
,Ths dsmagogue and the public both
'raiss CRY to heaven and the General
ssssmbly for moro money for the
common schools. No one would per-
NIT the knife being applied there.
The state oficers. clerks and expenses
Of the state Offices cover another
J eishth Of the bill II we include the
judiciary. There Is no cut that can
be made there. The public debt is
the heaviest item Of the bill, but
there - no way to set rid Of that.
That was an inheritance from before
the war times. when the State gave
fts credit to its development. the
fruits Of which the present genera
ton have been reaping the building
OF railroads. canals and public build
ings. including the state house. a
debt cf six and half million dollars
Miscellaneous items do not amount to
much. which leaves the chance OF cut
In the appropriations for higher edu-
cation and for the general assembly.
There may Be difference of opinion
on the subject OF the necessity for
paying the expenses of the general
asssmbly. but the State would be In
bad fx without II. 90 It has to be pro-
'vided for. There 10 question wheth-
er the State ought to give aid to high
o. sducation or not. but It has been
. well established policy of all States
and governments to do 1t. because Il
has been found the best for the State.
( This Item 10 about one-seventh OF the
appropriation bill. Elections. public
printing and contributions towards
farm development and claims Of
counties amount to about one-twen-
tieth OF the total. but II would be
hard to start economizing there. 40
turn where you will. there seems to be
(yo escape from big budget. The
Sbusiness Affairs Of the State are grow
Ing. many OF the appropriations are
TO ofices which bring a revenue into
the state. all Of them have been jeai-
ousiy scrutinized and are thought by
the majority OF the members of the
house TO be worthy. II the people
will give up any OF the benefits that
they enjoy through the State appro-
priations the general assembly will
gladly leave that matter out OF the
next bill.
This bill will probably be raised in
The senate. and one item particular
~ Is OF interest to the people of the
state. the item for farm demonstra-
ton work. The house made II ~
600 because that was all that Was
asked for. but since then II has been
determined to press the work more
vigorously. those counties In which
.fhe work was done last year show the
effect In their Increased cotton and
corn crops. IL the senate will in
crease the appropriation to $4,000
the work can be extended into every
county In the State. South Carolina
IL now getting more of this service
from the government than any State
I'm the South. to which section II Is
confined. The reports show that
where the government corrIad ON t,,,s