The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-15

education. A careful estimate of the
amount OF money needed to carry out
the provisions Of existing law shows
mat the state. if ii meets its obliga-
tion TO the various school districts,
must appropriate a sum in excess OF
two million dollars. This money must
be raised from some source, or it will
DC necessary for the state to take a
backward step and neglect her edu-
cational interests which is the basis
OF happy and prosperous people
IThe acceptance of the latter alterna-
i've ~ 10 my mind inconceiyable and
would mean immediate stagnation
we cannot overlook the fact that
South Carolina already occupies an
unenViabie position I'm the matter of
leuucation. Retrenchment is not only
lauVisaDle but necessary in many of
our departments and activities, but
iaiiure To provide adequate education
lai tacilitles for people is not econ
omy Dut most reckless extravaganza.
In order properly to support the best
linttrests or the public schools, YOU
must include a sum sufficient to
maintain adequately the institutions
Tor higher education. The college Is
the source of supply for the talent nee
eessary TO direct the primary schools.
Our colleges are at present over
Crowded, and unless the depression of
business shall continue for q longer
period than is anticipated, this crowd
ed condition is likely to continue.
There Is still a shortage of competent
l1eachers; the present tax levy is, as
nave already stated excessive; the
property taxpayer is justly complain
ing Of his burden: and unless we can
find other sources of revenue the in
stitutions and interests of the state
must inevitably suffer 1t is for these
reasons that I urge, with SO much
earhestness. the enactment OF addi-
tional revenue legislation at this ses.
sion.
What are some of the benefits
which the people of South Carolina
receive from taxation. The state pro-
vides education for all Of our chill
dren; college and university instruc-
tion for our young men and women;
special education for the deaf and
blind; IL provides institutional care
for neglected and, illcGitimate chill
dren; treatment for the unfortunate
insane; correctional care for the
criminal; training for the feeble
minded: practical education for our
delinquent adolescent youths; pro-
lection against the ravages of tu-
Derculosis and other contagious and
INFECTIOUS diseases: ii gives police
protection to our Industries, as Well
as the citizen, and provides (too in
adequately. 1t is true,) for our con-
federate soldiers, and, through the
fundamentally OF the courts,
means for the protection of property
rights. as well as the security OF the
person. These benefits are essential
TO the welfare OF society and are far
greater than those which we receive
from the federal government. The
poor man on whom fortune, for some
reason. has not smiled and who earns
his bread by the sweat Of his brow.
mas but one source to which he can
look for the education Of his children
and the protection Of their health,
and that source is the state. The
states ability to meet its obligation
In this respect is dependent on its
revenue.
/ have no apology to make. here or
elsewhere, to any man or woman, high
or low. rich or poor, for my unwaver-
ing advocacy of an adequate provis-
ION for the education Of our people
and the protection Of their health. I
believe these obligations rest upon
the state and that II is the solemn
duty or oil citizens to contribute to
the support Of this service In pro-
portion to their respective abilities.
I shall little later address you more
directly on the matter OF education.
Agriculture
| The condition OF those engaged in
agriculture In this state Is such as to
demand our most serious Thought.
South Carolina is essentially, am
glad to say, an agricultural state and
must, necessarily, remain so. Our ma
terial prosperity Is now, and \must
ever be. dependent upon agriculture.
Through Clemson College and the de-
partment OF agriculture, as we'll as
other agencies, the production Of our
soil has been materially increased.
We have now. more intelligent as-
r!culture. so far as production is con-
cerned. but for the past fifty years
too little attention has been given to
the important matter OF providing q
system Of intelligent marketing of our
agricultural products. Tho present
state warehouse system has undoubt-
edly been Of service to the state along
this line. The act Of congress known
as the warehouse act should be q
great help to our people IL it's pro-
visions were taken advantage Of in
a proper way.
j recommend that the present ware =
housing law be SO amended as to pro-
vide for the Standardization of ware
houses, and that no warehouse be
taken into, or allowed to remain in.
the state unless 1t meets the required
s'andard-allowing. OF course. sutil-
cient time for the necessary change
70 be- effected. This could not be