The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-01-18

ton Whlcn Is SIMPLY d 1daelet OIL
right. and recommendations which,
since I am retiring from ONCE, can
appropriately make
The salaries Of the State officials
are inadequate The governor and
other State officers cannot live on the
salaries now fixed by law. The const--
tuition provides that the salaries OF
certain officers shall not be Increased
nor decreased during their term OF
office. The State officials elected at
the last election Will not assume ONCE
until January q. Salaries palo OH
cia:s Of South Carolina are the low
est. with one exception. OF any state
in The union. | urge that you take up
! immediately the consideration OF
bii, to provide adequate salaries TOE
State officials, and that this measure
be pressed through so that it will take
effect by the 21st Of January, lSls,
when the newly elected officials Will
assume their duties.
Sauti, Carolina IN the War and in the
Future.
NV administration Of four years
/ can be divided into two distinct pha-
! seas. TIE two first years We're taken
up with measures of constructive
nature. The second half covers that
period in which South Carolina was
called upon by the national govern
ment to mobilize for the war, and
during which the strain of the wars
heary requirements was borne by the
people OF the State.
(IIerc follows an outline of the war
work Of the State officials, Council of
Defense and other organizations, and
the results of the Liberty Loans, Red
Cross and other campaigas.)
T have pointed to the accomplish
rnents of the people of South Car
oina during the war as an indica-
ton that they have grasDed this vis-
ion OF higher citizenship. Our def
cienc:es anal our ability 20 remedy
,hem have been revealed 10 Us by
wars requirements and the manner
IN %hicn we h;iFe met them. and to
retain the lesson of sacrifice and ser
vice and duty TO usher in a day OF
broader hope and higher living by
applying them TO our State, some
clear tasks lie before US. These we
may fare with courage and with con-
fidcnce in ourselves and in our ability
to accomp piish big tasks which hither-
to may have appeared impossible. Z
South Carolina remains almost at
the foor Of tn. ladder in point Of IL
iiteracy-tfe foriy-s"venth State IN
i Union. The one State which by its
position saves South Carolina from
being at the very botton-Loulsiana
is already taking serious and far
reaching steps to climb to a higher
plane This blot must be removed
from the fair name Of our State, and
South Carolina must not longer occu-
Ipy this degraded position. She must
in education and efficiency be fully
abreast Of her sister States. We have
demonstrated to ourselves what we
ican do j. we but possess the courage
$ to go forward. The amount given by
t the people Of South Carolina for hui
$ manitar;an and relief purposes during
j the war is almost four times the
9 amount appropriated Tor educational
purposes by the State during the past
: four years.
: Automobiles and heavy trucks have
!: multiplied. This heavy traffic has cut
!; 'up our roads ana now they are dis
grace A makeshift system Of road
). work will not longer suffice. South
Carolina must adopt a. modern, prac-
: teal and effective system of high
ways. The civilization OF the State
: cannot progress without good roads.
The time has come to stop and take
: an accounting Can we, the people Of
IL
ly hudred millions Of dollars for
! the war, do the things which lie be-
3 fore US in the broad path of duty?
/ There are TO my mind but two es-
sentials-the vision and the willing
5 ness to go forward Such a pro-
, gram as our vision Of better State
.outlines will require as primary and
fundamental means the expenditure
of more money than the State has
j, heretofore appropriated for educa-
ton, highways, public health, human
itarian causes and other purposes,
and larger and adequate appropria-
;, items means increased taxation.
South Carolina's per capita tax is
s205, the lowest Of any State in the
Union save one, and this is just one
We can we'll afford to increase our
taxes in order to advance and go for
ward with the march of an enlighten-
ed world and a civilization which has
l,been made secure by the sacrifices Of
millions OF heroic and unselfish men
who were not afraid even to die for
their ideals. If there be those who
would oppose these forward measures
which our awakened public conscience
dictates because Of higher taxation,
they are, hope, that small minority
who have failed. perhaps, to catch the
vision and to learn the lesson of the
war. They have failed to grasp the
meaning Of the new AmericaniSpl,
which is closely allied with Christian
! ity.
May God give us the wisdom and
courage for these tasks.
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