Year: 1877

| NouPoLo Ihc BoFCIliOI, uOMCPCi


Expresses great doubt whether any


part Of this fund will be found. Hc


therefore recommends the issue oi


additional bonds to meet tho &C
cruod and unpaid interest.


Tho next vital point is the


WHOLESALE REDUCTION OF EXPENSES


Many Offices arc useless, while others
can be filled for smaller salaries.
After all reforms are effected there
will still remain u large sum necos-
sary to defray the expenses of tho
government, which must bo mot by
taxation. On this point tho mes
sage is as follows


1t is one of our gravest difficult
ties that We have como into control
of. the government after tho period
at which taxes can most easily be
paid. Oursis essentially IN agricul.
tural community; our products arc
harvested in the lattor part of the
year and sold in tho earlier; and
the rule which has always obtained
of calling for the taxes in January
and February had it's origin not in
the arbitrary will Of tie Legislature
but was tho natural outgrowth Of an
industrial system. The late politi-
cal struggle has been protractod
until the proceeds of the past year
crop have been exhausted, and tho
present crop is not sufficiently
advanced te enable the farmer to
realize anything upon it. Every
available dollar of cash or of credit,
in tho control of the farmer, is
already applied to the growing crop
and


TIE LEVY OF A TAX


payable at an carly day would
seriously embarrass not only the
agricultural but ovory other interest
of the State. The money is not in
the country ; it could only be raised
from loans to the farmers by bank
ers or merchants md it is ques
tionable if it could be raised even in
this way. 1t is therefore incumbent
on you, while reducing the tax to
it's minimum, to arrange for it's col.
lection at such times and in such
manner rs will tighten the burthons
of the people rs much as possible
A portion of tho tax absolutely
necessary couldbe called for in June,
and the residue, which should be tho
large portion, in October, when the
proceeds of q part ut least of the
crop will be available for the pays
ment Of taxes.


THE TEN PER CENT CONTRIBUTION
called for by tho governor, under
authority of the House, was respond
eel to, he says, with IN alacrity and
u patriotic zeal most honorable to
the pcoplc; ard as an e2idence of their
confidence in tho administration,
the response was as gratifying as it
was unprecedented.


The net receipts from this con-
tribution and from Office fees
amounted to S135, ,S39.59 and tho
disbursements, as will appear by tho
books of General Hagood's office, on
account of the educational, penal and
charitable institutions of the State,
and for the Legislative, executive and
judicial departments of the governs
ment, amount to $76,6G1. 1.09-leaving
q cash balance on hand of $59,-
1889.


BY the report of the late treas
urer, dated October 31st, 1876, there
were in tho treasury at that time
S25S,050.37 but what portion of
this amount is now on hand the
governor is not aware. The use of
these funds has been enioined by
the courts, and the officials in whose
charge they are will doubtless &C..
count to the Legislature for them.


In addition to the funds named,
the phosphate royalty should yield
from thirty to forty thousand dol
lars, and there will then be quite q
large amount at the command of tho
Legislature sufficient, it is hoped,
to meet the demands of the State
until q portion of tho taxes is COLI
lected.


THE BILLS OF TIE BANK OF TIE STATE.


While on the subject of the fanan~
ces I beg to call your notice to the
bills Of the Bank of the State for
this question presents prcsonas q
difficult problem. There is wide