The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-02-16
OF
APPROPRIATIONS
Beiser of Sumter Writes Open
Letter
GIVES PEOPLE FACTS
Member of Ways and Means
Committee Asks Does Not
State Want to Go Backward

Z
mittee of the lower house, has adj
dressed an open letter to the people of
South Carolina on the tax question
and the appropriation bill with spe-
cial reference to the task that con-
fronted the ways and means COM
mittce. Mr.. BelScrs letter convCys
the sentiment Of a large number Of
the members OF the committee. The
letter follows:
TO the People of South Carolina:
I'm view of the general cry for
reduction in taxes and in justice to
the ways and means committee ana
TO the legislative body which has
this difficult problem To wrcstle with,
| think that it is desirable that the
people of the state be given an in
sight into the problem so that they
may be able 20 form an INTELLIGENT
opinion of their own.
1T must he realized that the men,
beiS OF the ways and means com
Initt"e and OF the house and senate
are just as anxious to see reduction
"r taxes as ia the general body of
taxpayers, but that this body is i'm
possession OF Il great deal Of infor-
nation which is not accessible to the
people as a whole.
AT first thought il might seem
mat the appropriation for the yeaf.
1919, which WAS 81, ,1O2, 900, would be
ample TO cover the expenditures nee
essary in 1921, but we are immedi-
ateiy confronted with the fact that
l"Zo was the first year the budget
system was applied to state appro-
pTiations and tha. nearly $1,000, 600,
winch before that time never went
INTO IN" state treasury, was required
~ the budget law to be turned into
the state treasury and reappro-
priated.
That meantime the activities of
TIE state board OF health have been
materially increased; that the expcn-
ditur"s for state aid to common
school education, in response to the
popular demand. have Increased from
S'o4, 900 i'm 1919 to S1,5G7, 1000 in 1921
an increase of $S63,OOO (this item
alone accounting for more than hall
of the total increase i'm tho last two
years.; that the pension appropria-
tions have increased from $3.50, 900 to
SbO' 1000; that the expenditures of the
state highway commission, formerly
paid direct from Ihe auto licenses
are now carried in he appropriation
blll, ana that the necessary Increased
expenditures of the state colleges
incident TO growth in the number of
students and thu normal growth of
other public service, account for the
balance OF the increase
IF we group the 1921 appropria-
ions, we Will find that the amounts
appropriated for public school aid.
hn Gtnt hn-
tederate pensions aggregate $1,000
ooO; that the appropriations for state
colleges are little less than $500
900; that the items In the state treas
urcr'S Office covering salari and in
tcrcst on bonded debt, $25S,OOO: the
Legislative department, $lO3 900: the
JuGicial department., $4,000, and a
number OF similar state departments,
where salaries and expenses are fix
cd by statue, are not subject to' ma
terial reduction.
1T must be remembered that with
IN the last two o. three years the
state has established by statute
number Of new activities and en-
Iarged existing activities. and that
lhcsc can not well be discontinued
without allowing buildings and
equipment to lie unused but have To
he provided for i'm the appropria-
tion bill as long as the statutes
"stah!iHhnS them continues i'm force.
IT must lc horne m mind that
the budget commission and the yayS
ana means committee were confront
ed win thc task Of reducing the re-
quest of institutions and dcpart-
thcntS supported by the state. ar
Grcgating $9,S01, 900. which the oln-
GERS and authorities in charge of
these institu' ions thought were need
ed for efficient operation Of their re-
spcCtivc departments, and that these
requests had to be- considered item
/ by item in arriving at the Hnal
hill; that tho reductions i'm the re-
quests of the departments and insti-
tutiOns aggregate nearly $500, 900.
leaving many of th' departments and
institutions seriously handicapped
under the appropriations rs carried
ia thc hill recommended by the WayS
and means commit tee.
'"fhc people of the state have said
in unmiS;akablc terms that they do
not wish the funds appropriated for
the common schools reduced, nor do
| believe, that they wish the con-
fcdcratc pension fund on the appro-
prlatiOnS necessary To maintain thc
South Carolina state hospital further
reduced.
~ lprgc portion Of the apparcnt
Increase iu the appropriations for
colleges i'm the last few years is du"
To the inclusion in the appropriation
bill of the tui ion Tees ana other col
lego receipts heretofore used direct
lay the colleges, hut now turned into
the state treasury. In this connCc-
ton ! want To call the attention of
the people of the state to the fact
That while the state appropriation
bill only carriea S1.666.0O0 for cono.