The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-06-21
Editor The Advertiser:

cd in the Laurens Advertiser last
week, and in this connection I wish to
make an explanation of the action OF
the Laurcns delegation in the legisla-
ture, with reference to the levy and
appropriation for running the courts,
and SO far as my individual response
Dllities are concerned as a member Of
the delegation. The Advertiser in ad-
dition to reporting what tho Grand
Jury presented and what His Honor
Judge T. b. Gary said to the Grand
Jury in open court, made an unjust
criticism. l have been informed that
the circuit judge did not use the Ian.
guage as attributed to him by the re-
porter SO far as the words Scoring"
the delegation is concerned and using
the words false economy" AS 4 mat
ter OF fact the judge would not pro-
cccd to hold the court until the Grand
jury had held Il conference with some
Iof the members of the delegation in
regard to providing sufficient funds to
pay the jurors and witnesses at that
term OF the court and the Judge did
say to the Grand Jury after they had
made their report that if the delega-
tion did not provide sufficient funds for
tAc holding OF the courts for the cOun-
ty, tho legislature as whole would
make .uch opriation, but as the
writer MAS been informed, the judge
(il M. "srDrnn tl,n IoIoo,i;> 90, ~
repeater Expressed It, And in regard
to this matter, whether it be consd-
c.ea criN2 an ty Scoring the dcloga-
ton as 4 Who,c o. Individually, I sub
''t5it that slah c:iti: :iam was uafoAud-
,ci and vneai. - the delegation. In
TIC E:st place the delegation for the
year 1922, provided FOR the pay of tho
Witnesses and the jurors; for the courts
Three Thousand Two Hundred and
One ($3,20D Dollars, which was the
precise amount appropriated for the
years 1921. 1920 and 1919, two years
before the writer was mcmbcr OF
the general assembly. And the ques-
; tion arises, why should The delcga-
ton at this late day and year be criti-
cised or scored" by anyone for not
aDpropriatinG sufficient amounts of
money 10 run the courts throughout
the entire year. The courts for the
preceding years have been running on
tho same appropriation and individ-
ually have heard no complaint OF tho
,sufliciency cf the amount appropriated
for this i.NTposo for the preceding or
present year until now. ! have been
Informed by the County Treasurer that
after the March term OF court in 1922,
there was in the treasury OF the coun-
ty, raised from fines and forfeiturcs
imposed by the magistrates and court
OF general sessions, an amount as
much as IFIight Hundred and Seventy
Five ($S75} Dollars, and the Treas
urer further stated to the writer that
there would be enough fines and for
foituros imposed at this last term OF
the court toapay the espenses of the
said court nnd / would like 10 ask why
the fines imposed by the courts during
the present year up to now, should not
be used to pay the expenses OF the
said court? Furthermore, do not
see why any official or the Laurens
Advertiser should accuse the delega-
ton of practicing false" economy
when the same amount was appropri-
ated for running the court as was ap-
propriatcd in the prior years and then
again j don't see why the delegation
should be accused OF falsehood. If
the appropriation was insufficient, why
call 1t false economy as no false pre-
tence was practiced by anyone. Dur
ing my official connection with tho
legislature have always endeavored
| to practice economy in the imposition
OF taxes, and distribution Of the peo-
Dlc's money, but never at any time
have gone so far in my advocacy to
leconomise as to cripple tho admins
tratlon of the county governments or of
the holding Of the courts, and such
criticism is unfair and unjust to the
delegation and to myself especially.
Furthermore You stated that the ap-
preparations for the Judge OF Probate's
Iofice was cut from fourteen Hundred
linen and children. The team will be
loperated by the management op +he