The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-12
THE ANkUALlMESSAGE. 4
GOV. MANNING REVIEWS YEARS
WORK AND RECOMMENDS
LEGISLATION.
He Urges Every Citizen to Give Patri-
otic Service to Their Country
Needs Of State Institutions Outlin-
ed.

Gentlemen of the General Assembly:
AS Chief Executive of the State,
deliver my annual message to you as
an obligation imposed upon me by the
constitution, and in conformity with
an unbroken custom. / also desire
to discuss with you measures imme-
diately affectin' our State government,
the welfare Of our people and the de-
velopment of cur nation, of which our
State is an integral part.
I extend TO you warm greeting.
This year you come from homes and
from duties that need you and your
services more than ever before. But
rs the effective operations of the State
and it's officials depend upon you and
me, together we must see that the
business of the State is carried on ef-
ficiently and economically and that the
part we should perform in this crisis
of the nation is viewed with a broad
vision.
Let us fervently thank God for our
blessings and pray to Him for strength
and guidance TO realize our RESPONSE
bilities and for courage to meet them.
The opportunity for great service to
the State and to the nation nAW
urgently presents itself, and in the
ho l>Af -
assure you of my earnest and hearty
cooperation.
Since the ge raj assembly adjourn
ed last February our country has been
drawn into the world war. but of this
and the tasks imposed upon us there
by shall speak later with definite
ness. Just now, however, let me re-
call that some Of your number are
now following the flag. With me you
honor their patriotism and consecra-
ton to national duty which prompt
ed them to go into the service of
their country, whose paramount bus
mess is war: They are Senator
Christensen of Beaufort and Repre-.
sentatives Lloyd B. Harrison ana A.
w. Horton of spartanburg. Morris e.
Lumpkin Of Richland. Elmer M Tripp
Of Beaufort, Oscar X. Mauldin Of
Greenville, F. Marion Whaley and Ed
ward P. Passailaigue Of Charleston,
w. r. Ritchie, Jr., Of Laurens, W. L.
McCutchen Of Sumter and Herbert L.
chosen represer tatives of our pco.
pie from various sections of the State
are participants in the fight for de-
mocracy, freedom and liberty against
irresponsible governments, who, in
mad lust for world domination, re-
gard not the sanctity Of treaties, who
destroy our ships and mercilessly
murder innocen4, non-combatant men.
women and children. These members
of our general assembly deserve and
have our honor and our gratitude.
In order that our State may play its
full part in cooperating with the nat
ional government, it is imperative that
we enact laws covering these objects.
Ihere are, however, other matters di-
rectly affecting our State, to which I
invite your attention. I shall speak
of some of these measures here, and
IN subsequent message will deal
with education, state institutions, fin
ance, taxation. enforcement of law
and other State matters.
Among the many urgent calls and
fine opportunities for war service dur
ing the present emergency. there ia
grave danger that the yearly internal
needs of South Carolina be lost to
view. This must be prevented at all
cost. Never has there been larger
necessity for inc ased vigor and en-.
ergy in pushing forward the construc-
tive elements of state progress The
severe strain of shaping a great de-
mocracy for war. the presence Of
three large army camps and two ma
val stations in South Carolina. the
rapidly mounting cost of living, the
oisorganIzation of transportation and
uncertainty of labor, the ever-closing
grip OF war-ruled scheme of life
all combine to blind our eyes and
close our ears TO the appeals of ed
ucatlonal, sanitary. charity and PEN
al conditions in South Carolin.
The world war is a conflict of intel
ligence and skill, for which the
schools are the recruiting ground.
These works ere internal. and unless
ahey are pushed forward our State
can not progress. The necessity for
them is greater by reason of war con-
dtions than ever before