Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-02-09
THE SCHOLARSHIP MATTER,
Senator Werner, Enjoying Rest,
Writes of Legislative Matters.

| nlcnlanu, rep. O.--Ed1tOr keOWoe
Courier: For three weeks have not
had time to write you word. The
Senate adjourned Friday to meet
Tuesday at 8 p. M, so l am at home
for three days, and will endeavor to
write letter that hope will prove
source of information to your
readers.
! The two measures Of most import
ance before the Senate this session
are bill to abolish free tuition and
free scholarships in the institutions
for higher education in this State,
and a bill to punish violators of the
liquor laws by imprisonment or
chain gang sentences without the al
tentative of fine. The latter passed
the Senate in its original form; the
former with material amendments
If the liquor bill passes the House in
Its present shape the man who vio-
lates that law, If convicted, III serve
time IN jail or on the roads without
any alternative. I voted against this
bill.
! The bill to abolish free tuition and
free scholar ships was amended so as
to give the State Board of Charities
and Corrections power to investigate
the free tuition and free scholarships
In all the State colleges, with power
to revoke, recall and determine all
! scholarships of undeserving students
holding such scholarships or such
! free tuition. The word "undeserv-
ing' means those who are found not
to ~e INDECENT or unable to pay. (This
does not apply to students now hold
Ing scholarships, or to those who get
free tuition for the present year,
| So, If this bill passes the House-of
which there appears to, be little
doubt-the State Board Of Charities
! anu Corrections will determine who
shall and who shall not have free tut
tion and free scholarships In this
State. 1t is to be hoped that then
| the deplorable and shocking condi-
'tions Of fraud, graft and perjury now
practiced in this State to secure these
privileges will be stopped. The
names of those who compose the
State Board Of Charities and Correc-
'tions follow: George B. Cromer, Ill.
D., president; n. II. Cody, D. d. Wal
lace, l.. 10. Carrigan. A. S. Johnstone,
A. d. Oliphant, G. *. Creitzberg.
These are men of character, and rep
resent fairly the religious, social and
political status of the Commonwealth.
and should they be entrusted with
this important branch Of our educa-
tional system, we may expect great
things OF them. Certainly all we'll
Informed persons admit that there is
great room for improvement in this
department Of our State government.
1t is interesting to know that of
the 2,400 students in the State col
leges, only 20 per cent pay tuition
that Is, where only 480 students pay
tuition there are 1920 who do not
pay, and who are required under the
laws Of the State to make oath to the
effect that they are not able to nay.
Who, with any knowledge of condi-
tions surrounding the vast majority
Of the parents Of these 1,920 free
students, believes this?
Grave charges Of corruption and
fraud have been made time after
time and year after year in both ends
of the State House. They have never
been denied by a single man in
either branch of the General Assem-
bly,, and yet this vice and scandal has
gone on and on until it's harmful and
baneful effects are only second to that
Of the old State liquor dispensary-if
1t does not really take first place in
the corrupting Of our people.
The great outstanding need in this
State to-day ia not for more money
or moro schools or more churches,
but for a higher standard Of man
hood, more honest and a moro ele-
waited citizenship. This implies a dis
honest and debased citizenship, and
who will deny that this, in part, is
true? SO true it Is that, on account
thereof, we have in this State to-day
great public distress. And "the
only cure for public distress is public
education, directed to make men
thoughtful, merciful and just" Who
sees anything in our system OF educa-
tion to make men thoughtfu1? What
thinking man with an atom OF sense