The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-08-05
WELFARE OF
STATE IN HANDS
OF LEGISLATURE
Senator Neils Chris
tensen Discusses
Tax Reform System
and the Response
bility and Power Of
Members Of Legis-
lature


propositions advanced by Senator
Christensen are of such timely ap-
phcaiion to the present situation
and Of such importance that every
taxpayer and voter should consider
his suggestions with great care:,
Mr.. w. W. smoak, Aiken, s.. C..
Dear Sir: Your letter is at hand
requesting the names Of the two
South Carolina officials criticized by
the Grifenhagen reports. and who
wrote to Georgia official a con
ldenana1ion of these reports. You
ask that reply to you through
the newspapers that carried nay re-
cent letter so am sending this 10
each paper to which my other was
sent. In my letter to Governor
Hardwicks of July 2lst, to which
you refer, I did not give names
because this whole matter should
be considered at this time by the
voters without getting led astray
into personalities.
To cure the conditions in the two
Offices mentioned. and in all the
other offices needing reforming. re-
ouires a legislature that will con-
slider the facts and act. The last
legislature made, beginning, re-
saar.lable beginning, and if the peo-
pie will elect one this summer to
complete the job we will get fur
ther.
These two officials were not the
ionly ones criticized by these reports.
There is no need to p1cla them oat.
The need is to change our sys-
item of supervising the expenditure
Of our appropriations. The legis-
i;lature, which Ecorrespond ito a
board OF directors Of a corpora
itaon, needs to have some control
of this expenditure, to see that the
appropriation law it makes, isgcar-
! ried out The legislature needs TO
have more disinterested informa-
ltion about the necessities OF !onr
jffty-odd departments and inststu-
tions. All it hears now is ex parte
statements of the heads of these de-
| partnents and institutions, exoeDt
when it has special report made
| like the Griffenhagen report. But
such a report as that is needed
only once in number OF years.
There ought to be some means by
which the legislature can constant
| " keep in touch through Its own
officials, responsible to the les1sla-
ture. You cannot expect your ap-
preparations to be made to the best
advantage until this is done.
Naturally. some officials and de-
parfments do not like, this propo-
sition.. They want to go ahead in
the old way. What was not Sc
rious matter when we we're a
backward state spending q million
year, is now decidedly serious
matter when we are a progressive
state spending over FIVE millions.
| The old ways do not work now. AS
! it is now. the expenditures can run
away with the legislature, and it
needs to establish control. The
need is for a new system to be es-
tablished by the next legislature. 1t
can save us money and get better
service. The legislature is the inn
tportant thing for the voters to think
about this summer.
/ There are some sincere, we'll
meaning men who believe that the
people OF. this state can get along
.. best by ceddhng the big money
interests. These good men urge
that if the, legislature does what
these corporate interests want it to
do then these corporations Wili i>be
good to us and give us prosperity.
This is all very well until the legis-
lature is asked to grant special ia
yors. When the income and the
water power tax bills come up, for
instance, we hear from these cor
porations. If you add to the in-
fiuenees of these great Interests
with their powerful legislative lob
bies, who do not want the burden
of taxes shifted more onto them
i;f you add to their influence, the
wide spread influence of certain
and institutions OF our
state government who do not want
appropriations cut, then indeed
YOU have an influence at Columbia
that it takes a strong legislature
to handle.
If the voters Will only see to it
that the next senate and house
are made up of9nen who haye
their hands free, who are not closely
allied to the big corporations and
who are not parttsans and special
pleaders for some, particular de-
partment or institution Of govern
ment. then the next legislature,