Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-03-10
THURSDAY, MARCH 10. leal.
Financiering for the People.


who expected the General Assem-
bly, to respond to the demand for
a Tightening of the tax burdens
this year were nursing a false
hope. The amount the appropria-
tion bill carries for State purpo-
ses is. practically the same as that
of last year. With the exception
Of the elimination Of the two mill
levy for roads, the general levy
stands at IL mills, including the
half mill for rebuilding the ,Cita-
del. All of which forces the con-
clusion that the house and senate
are dominated by members more
anxious to accommodate the de-
partments and institutions in Co.
lumbia by complying with the re-
quests for big appropriations than
to give relief to the people who
have to pay the taxes. Inciden-
tally, if there ever was a time
when there should be a shaking
up Of the politicians of South
Carolina, that time is close at
hand. Examination of the various
items in the appropriation bill dis
closes the fact that many, thous-
ands of dollars are provided for
purposes that add little if any
thing to the efficiency of the gov
ernment, while for other purpo-
ses the appropriations are too
large and should have been ina
terially cut. A few illustrations
OF how things are sometimes done
in the General Assembly is inter
estlng: A few nights before the
session ended, the senate voted to
eliminate the item of several
thousand dollars for the budget
commission, on the showing that
the commission had failed to do
anything to justify it's existence.
When the bill finally reached the
conference committee of senate
and house members appointed by
the presiding officers to smooth
out the differences between the
two bodies, the item was put
back in the bill, much to the dis
gust OF those who know just what
the commission has done and has
failed to do. In another instance
$4,000 was allowed for buildings
at the insane asylum in the face
of the fact that more than a mil
lion dollars already has been
spent at the asylum for buildings
since the board of regents in 1915
entered solemn agreement with
the. General Assembly to complete
the building program of the insti.
tuition for 100000. For the good
of the taxpayers of South Carroll
ma there is too much effective
sob stuff poured into the ears
of members of the General
Assembly by persons connected
with the asylum, but they get
away with it and doubtless con-
gratulate themselves upon their
aptitude as dispensers of hot air.
In the opinion of The Times an
impartial investigation of the af-
fairs of the insane asylum would
disclose the careless expenditure
of great deal of money. In 1919
the management of the asylum
applied for 100000 to purchase
the 1920 supply of fuel for the in
stitution. The General Assembly
appropriated $4,000. The amount
the institution needed was $29, 900
as an examination Of the records
last fall disclosed. The house of
representatives at the recent ses-
sion cut the salary of the State
highway engineer from 5000 to
$4,000. The conference commit
tee on the appropriation bill put
the salary back to $1,000, exactly
81, 600 more than the salary Of the
governor, and allowed the secre-
tary of the commission 5000,
which is $500 more than the sala-
nv Of the attorney general or the
State superintendent Of educa-
zion. We presume the secretary