Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-13

the Renerdl dSSeHlDly was ocht " shS
house and senate at noon today, and
the reading was in progress when The
Enquirer went to press:
MESSAGE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
Executive Chamber.
Gentlemen Of the General Assembly:
You have met in annual session. in
obedience to the Constitution, to take
such action, as the law-making power
of the state, as shall best preserve the
rights and subserve the interests Of all
the people whom you represent. In
welcoming you to the session of 1914,
It Is with the earnest hope that your
efforts in that direction may be wisely
guided, and that you may work togeth-
er In harmony in the performance OF
that high and patriotic duty.
The Constitution provides that the
governor shall, from time to time, give
to the general assembly, information OF
the condition Of the state, and recon-
mend for its consideration such meas
ures as he shall deem necessary or ex-
pedient. In the performance of this
duty and the exercise of this privilege,
I herewith transmit to you nv annual
message.
Your Deceased Members.
The pleasure, gentlemen, which you
will, experience in your reunion in an
nual. session Is not without tinge Of
deepest sadness. Three times during the
past twelve months has the scythe Of
the Grim Reaper cut down your num-
Der, and other names were called dur
ing your organization today in the
places occupied year ago by Rembert.
Schroeder and Williams. To the mem
ory Of these three departed comrades
you will no doubt pay proper tribute.
The Hon. Fred. Williams, representing
the county Of Pickens. had many warm
personal friends among you. and his
presence and his activities will be miss
ed. Capt. John c. D. Schroeder, OF
Charleston, was cut down suddenly in
the prime of vigorous manhood. The
picture of robust health as he mingled
with you during your last session, little
did any one think then that ere you
met again he would be called to his n
nal reward. Capt. Schroeder served his
people faithfully and well, doing those
things always as a representative OF
the people which he believed to be for
their best interests. He was active in
military circles, and was one of the
most popular and valuable officers Of
the National Guard Of this state.
Col. George r. Rembert was one OF
my closest personal friends, and his
memory is very precious to me. Strick-
en- at the early age Of thirty-eight he
was in the midst of career which had
already given him prominence which
has not come to a great many men in
the history of our state so soon. He was
hard fighter, and he always fought
for what he believed to be right. He
believed in the people and he cham
pioned the cause Of the masses. His
ideals were high, and to them he was
true. It Is useless for me to tell you of
his work as a member Of the house
from Richland county. You gentlemen
know his record. 1t Is writ on the
journals of your general assembly, and
it has now been closed. want, how
ever, to give you the last words which
he uttered to the public. l want to
write them on the pages Of the perma-
nent history Of this state; / want to
put on record again, what he was for,
in order that our people in the future,
when they read the glorious annals of
their state, may know what manner OF
man he was. In his last public speech
he said:
II shall fight as l have fought in the
legislature for a reform in our tax sys-
tenn. We have about the most inequi-
table system in the United States. For
years the burden has been upon the
masses Of the people, upon the small
farmer and the merchant, upon those
having tangible property alone, while
has paid little or escaped taxation al
together l shall fight for such changes
as will tighten the burden on the shoul-
ders of the weak, and place 1t where 1t
belongs, upon the shoulders OF the
strong. shall fight for a tax on wa
ter power Millions Of dollars in natur-
al resources have been given away
while the people have slept, and it is
time to stop. l shall fight as l have
fought for law that will make the
newspapers behave themselves, and
force them 10 give every man, regard
less of his politics, square deal.
II shall hight for the election OF
10 keep them from ultimately belonging
| to the corporations. The people snouiu
have as much right to say who shall
construe their laws as they have to say
| who shall make them
Education.
The most important matter which
| can engage your attention as the rep
resentatives Of the people Is the prop
er education Of those who will be the
voters and the mothers or the next 1e"
years. South CarOllna mas indue Hidi
ed progress along educational lines
Our schools and colleges have expert, /,
enced a growth both wonderful and
gratifying. Even a newspaper which
has preached that nothing good could
come to South Carolina during my ad-
ministration, said during the last com :
mencement season: There is no rea-
son to despair Of South Carolina. New
er before in the states history were
| schools Of every degree from kindergar :
ten to university, doing a work com
parable with what they are doing now
and it is as sure as the day follows the
| night that the people and the stand
ards of their citizenship are steadily
improving" For a detailed statement
of the condition Of the states various
higher institutions of learning l refer
YOU to their annual report, and the
condition of the public schools is set
forth in the report of the state super
| intendent Of education.
MY position as to our educational IN
stitutions has been stated to you fully
so often that it hardly needs repetition
here. | favor liberal but not eXtrava-
ront support of olIr higher institutions,