The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-03-29
VALUABLE DATA
BY MR.. BROWNING
IN RESPONSE TO TIMES REQUEST
HON. L. ]. BROWNING, CHAIRMAN
OF WAYS AND MEANS COMMIT.
TEE, GIVES LENGTHY ACCOUNT
OF FINANCIAL CONDITION IN
STATE MATTERS-FULL TEXT
OF LETTER.
Editor The Union Times: !:


Dear Sir: In compliance with your
request of week ago, I submit to
you some facts in regard to the finan-
cfal condition Of the State. II fear
that I shall have, to make this arti-
Gle too long and also that 1t will be
dull, as figures always are, to the
average reader ~ y we, 'ifyS g. - (
To begin with. let mes ay that twe elve
years ago the State government de-
cided TO complete the Capitol, maxi
ing q, total appropriation for this
purpose $2s2.s6i 90. This money was
borrowed from the State Sinking
Fund, Commission and. to keep faith
with the land-holders OF the State,
should be repaid by the first OF next
January. Had II been repaid In
equalS annual installments it would
have only required s19,3e3, and the
annual interest per annum to have
liquidated the debt by this time. But
the general assembly dallied with
this proposition for number OF
years, paying very little more than
interest on the loan. Four years ago
somesof US in preparing the appro-
priation bill, began urging the neces-
sity for action and in those two years
the debt was very decidedly reduced.
Last year there, was appropriated for
this purposes sSS.24o and this year
thereswas appropriated $46,s00. which
completely wipes out the debt. So
that this entire sloan can. be. paid on
the bonded Indebtedness Of the state.
We're Iscalled upon to give changes.
in next years appropriation bill i
would say that it would be reduced
In tins folipwing particulars from the
appropriation Sbili of this year:
State House loan, Explained above)
$46,S0O.
Reduction in Agricultural Depart
ment, $4,000, because Clemson Col
lege is now cooperating with the Ma
tionalGovernment in farm demonstra-
ton work instead of the State, and
we will certainly not have another
National Corn Show, for which we
provide in this bill.
Winthrop Colleges appropriation
will very probably be reduced $4,000,
because the new Industrial Arts and
Science Building Is completed this
year, and she will not ask for an
other building for a few years at any
rate.
The Citadel appropriation Will be
reduced $27,261.66 because her East
wing is completed and her insurance
paid up this year for three years.
The Industrial School at Florence
will be reduced about $4,000, as we
this year provide for plumbing and
insurance, building and equipping and
industrial building. enlarging storage
room, dairy equipment and a new dor
mitory-costing in the aggregate $14,-
900. The enlarged attendance will ne
cessitate the increase OF the mainte-
nance fund by about $4,000.
The Colored College will be re-
duced $4,000. $1,000 to, install heat
ing plant IN the new dormitory, III 900
for repairing old heating plant In old
dormitory and $1,000 for insurance
for three years. ~ .s
Let me say here that / recognize
the fact that this expenditure for
heating plant will be very severely
criticised by some. The heating
plant in the old dormitory was in
stalled when Gov. Blease was men,
Der of the board of trustees OF the
Colored College, and in his report,
as a trustee, to the General Assem-
bly, of that year, he spoke In glowing
terms. not only OF the benefit, but OF
the Justice of this appropriation. Yet
last year he vetoed this appropriation
and was sustained. He vetoed IL
again this year and was overwhelm-
ingly over-ridden, 30 that this I'M
proyement Is assured. Had heating
plant been installed in the secpnn
dormitory, the State would nave peer
saved a disastrous fire In the burning
OF this building, to replace which cos
the taxpayers last year and the year
before. a total of $2S.000. Besides
that the trustees, who are prominen
white men Of the State, assure us tina
the saving in cost Of fuel Will pa!
for the entire heating plant In fou
wears. Not taking into consideration
the enormous saving in danger OF de
struction by fire. This is purely
business view to take OF this matte
but from a humanitarian and christ
ian standpoint, It Is our duty as Tn
ruling race to give them some consia
Grafton in return for the taxes Wnic
we collect from them. Besides that
tho students who attend there. re
ceive only plain English educatio
In books. but each boy Is trained 1
practical farm work, doing the wor
himself, or he is given thorough In
struction and practical training /
carpentry, masonry. plastering, plum
bing, painting and other useful trade
while the girls are trained In dres
making, cooking and other useful o.
oupations for women. AS matte
OF fact, this new dormitOry could NJ