Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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S I ( x- SUPPLEMENT TO V N GOV. McSWtENEY'S MESSAGE TO THE MAKERS OF LAWS. ^ / Pronounced Views on the Leading Questions Likely to be Discussed ? During This Session. t PROHIBITION OF CHILD LABOR IS URGED. V Matters of Vital Importance, Which Should * be' Acted Upon Without Delay, but Act Prohibiting Child Labor Should be Conservative. CONSIDER WHITE BOYS 1HD GIRLS ; DOR'T WORRY IBOUT THE NEGROES. General State Road Tax Recommended?Valuation for Taxation Should he ioo Per Cent., not 60 Per Cent.?Expenditures by State last Year Exceeded Receipts-The State Shouldn't Borrow. Direct Appropriations Equal to That Made to Colleges Should be Made for the Common Schools. The St. Louis Exposition. ,W - r ' V. ' v -V . .. W , " '. ' Gentlemen of the General Assembly: dition of the finances of the State at You come tresh from the people to 2g^>.c*ose ?*" ^sca* 3rear> ^ec- 21, legislate for the welfare of South Carolina. There are many grave problems STATE TREASURY, S. C., DECEMBER 31, ifX>2. * CASH RECEIPTS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING demanding solution. It is a time preg- DECEMBER 31, 1902. nant with opportunities and possibili- Cash balance Dec. 31, 1901 $ 237,743 25 ties. There is demand for the exercise ^neraY'tSes mi.V. V. .! mm 22 of wise counsel and prudent judgment. General taxes,' 11)02 22-5[too 51 The office of legislator is one of great Bailroad assaaments lor railroad com- ? ^ ^ responsibility. You have the power to Income tax *413 90 i?,t towaliATi ?TxAn Vtcx Fees from office of secretary of state. 12,lt>0 02 lay the burden of taxation upon the Incorporatioil {ees 70 oo people and at the same time the power Annual insurance license fees 12,150 00 . __-_j + v,^ __+v,a Graduated insurance license fees.. .. 16,345 28 to spend the money gathered from.the Privi!ejre fe^er tax 81,749 94 people. You also have the power to Loans (borrowed Oil notes of governor make the laws by which they are to be ^..'7.'.7 7. S<4,ls" govern-'d. They have trusted you with State ^permanent school fund 2,203 62 this g' eat power and expect you to use State special school fund (dispensary) 142,755 91 it with wisdom and with prudence, Morrill fund (from U\ S. government). 25,000 looking only to the best interests of all cZ^y0nc" 8ulsme fund (ordl" the people. Whatever promotes their returned $33,860 75 happiness and welfare should be your interest on loans 1,812 20 constant concern. If all men would Agent sinking fund comrefrain from interfering with the mission 11,106 49 Rights of others or of molesting them, 4 ' ' government would not be necessary. Sinking fund reduction Brown 11-2 But, unfortunately, we have not reach- ^^'roturruki w 7* i ed that high standard of morals. Gov- interest on loans..*.*. !! 1U744 32 - - ernment, however, should attempt? to Phosphate royalty 25,715 40 do no more than to protect persons and Appropriation (account j property and enforce contracts volun- State House) 15,000 00 ^ ^ , tarily made. It is true, as a rule, that r.. 0 ~ i the least c-overned are the best e-ov- Dispensary, South Carolina ,o . least gov ernea are tne Dest gov Refunds, sundry accounts 2,6o9 o2 ! erned. : 3 In sending to you this, my last an- Total $4,214,402 76 \ nual message, it is gratifying to note CASH PAYMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING j - - ... rl * TMVTUDl'D Of KW> tne good ieenng wmcn prevails among . >?. the people throughout the State, and uSkh-e'MpenKs:.' 44,255 ? the absence of factional bitterness Educat mal and charitable instituwhich at one time divided our people. tions 297,350 94 During my administration I have en- Clemson Agricultural College^ _ deavored to ignore factional divisions Privilege fertilizer tax..$S5.'*S SO and to be the governor of all the peo- ~ Mornll f"nd.. ; w pie?to insure to each community as p?efc?ed stock. .. .. 9.266 36 far as possible the right of local self- 107,515 16 government. In making local appoint- Colored Normal, Industrial, ments I have sought in each case the Agricultural and Mechani* advice and recommendation of the rep- cal College: resentatives of the county, believing Appropnation.s,o00 oo that they were better acquainted with Morrifl fund..'.. 12JS6 93 local affairs and the wishes of their j * ' ?? 29,617 93 people than I could possibly be. If Pensions: by this course I have in any measure Ordinary account.. ..$200.10$ so contributed to the unification of sen- Artificial limbs 1,999 26 timent among our people and the trip- state ^inmt (und " ^ ^ ing out of factional linos, I am grati- State special school fund (dispensary)' 82,224 73 . fled. In this day of rapid industrial de- Completion State House (paid sinking velopment and progress there is not fund commission) 15,000 00 time for factional bickerings. Our Loans (notes of governor and treaschief purpose should be the materiai J"!")" : , ->i n?i progress and development of our State .V7. V. 7,041 02 along W ith the moral and intellectual Commissioners sinking fund (iucluduplifting of our people. ing loans) 46,606 64 The State has enjoyed an era of ma- Sinking fund reduction Brown 4 1-2 terial prosperity which is unprece- percent.: dented. New enterprises are being pro- L?iVls'Tj7 j^cted, and the building of cotton mills "VUi5C WUU,1U' 'LLmHIT 143,541 4S ! goes constantly om Business of every Erecting light plant for State House, character has been exceptionally pros- etc.. .. .. 29,477 07 perous the past year. Peace and good Maintaining militia - .. 7,f>SS SO order prevail throughout the State, and So'lt^. Carolina. Interstate and Nest at the same time progress has been Elit'ion e.^nses00'!.2l'.523 45 made along educational lines. Water for public buildings 2,000 00 FINANCES. J South Carolina Agricultural and Mc- _ ! The income to the State for the year chanical Society ^2,500 00 ending Dec. 31 was not sufficient to [?.ter?!t on Publi{" fipbt rneet its obligations. The governor and ' the State treasurer were forced to bor- Account proper Si.080,070 52 row the full amount of the $300,000 au- Transferred to school thorized by the last legislature. This fund 82.224 73 wets maue necessary oy me lact mat " " ~ -" j the last appropriation act carried with Tota] oxponditnrc<! $3,7*3.605 05 it more than the revenue from the levy Cash 31, 19,12 430,797 71 for State purposes would realize. It ' ? is not good business judgment for the $4,214,402 76 State to borrow money to meet current ? _ expenses. Knowing the total assessed TAXATION, property of the State, the levy should The constitution of 1895 says: "All be sufficient to raise enough money to taxes upon property, real and personal, meet the appropriations. Or if it is shall be laid upon the actual value of J desired to fix the levy the appropria-1 the property taxed, as the same may tion bill should be kept within the be ascertained by an assessment made amount such levy will realize. You for the purpose of laying such tax." should so regulate the two that the And in another section it says: "All State will not be compelled to borrow property subject to taxation shall be money for current expenses and be taxed in proportion to its value." And forced to pay interest charges. why not at its "actual value?" You The following statement furnished will note the language of the constiby the State treasurer shows the con- tution. It says, "shall be," not "may ' 1 i be." It is mandatory, and yet we are going- along violating this provision , every year by trying to fix some percentage of "actual value" and this percentage is different in every county. The State board of equalization, at a meeting held the past summer, found ' such inequality in the assessments that ; they decided to memorialize the legis- ; lature to fix sixty per cent, of the ac tual value as the proper basis of valuation for the purposes of taxation. : Why sixty per cent.? Why not follow ' the plain language of th"* constitution? j ' j It was found that in some counties SO ' j per cent, of the actual value was the j 1 basis, while in others it was as low j ' as 50 per cent, of the actual value, and ; ! in some cases even lower. To adopt ! a percentage of actual value would be a plain violation of the provisions of the constitution. It makes little dif- 1 ference to the taxpayer what the basis of valuation is so that all property is 1 assessed in the same ratio of value, for a certain amount of money has to be raised to meet the expenses of govern-1 ment, and if the valuation is high the j rota ic Ircw nnri vir>p vprsa Thp in equality which now exists, however, j makes the burden bear unevenly, and i the best plan is to require that the j mandate of the constitution be fol-1 lowed. If one county is assessed at 80 per cent, and another at 50 per cent, of actual value, one is paying too much or the other is paying too little of its ; proportion of the State tax. The tax I for county purposes makes little dif- ! ference. This is a question which has j ] puzzled legislators since government j has been organized and taxes laid, and the man who can devise a plan which will make the burden of taxtion bear ; evenly on all property will receive the < well done of the people of the State. j , Equal and just taxation, levied on all j property proportionately and in accordance with its value, is the product of i the highest justice, and when done to ? meet simply the demands of govern- i ment, economically administered, is < never burdensome. On the other hand, i unequal and unjust taxation is always ( burdensome. If all property were re- ] turned honestly and fully at its just j valuation the problem would be solved, 5 but so long as human nature is frail j and the impression prevails that it is j < not expected to return property at its i i value, we may not expect this result. [ ^ The plan recommended in my last j : message, I believe, will aid in getting j all property on the tax books and con- ^ tribute largely to an equitable valua- 1 tion, and I repeat it here. j Under the present system the returns < are made to the county auditor. There j i is a township board pf assessors, which j 1 meets at the court house after the audi- i 1 tor has taken the returns, and under- i takes to go over all of them in one \ \ or two days. Then there is a county | j board of equalization, which also meets j i {a# the court house and goes over the ! 1 ; returns for the entire county in one or ' 1 two days. All of this is done in some- ! ? what of a perfunctory manner and ac- j j complishes little or nothing in securing j 3 an equitable assessment of property, j i There are counties in the State in which j \ some of the land is assessed at one- i i third or one-half its actual value, while j < other land is assessed at its real value, j ( In fact, there may be two adjoining' j plantations, the one worth twice as I . much as the other, and yet under our; \ system each is assessed for taxation at! ] the same price per acre. In many cases j < it is the rule to assess live stock at so j' much per head, regardless of the fact j that one horse may be worth two or; three times what another is, even in j A the same county. And yet this is what j * township boards of assessors and the J county board of equalization under- j ' stand as equalizing property for taxa- ] j tion. This certainly is not the pur- j * jpose for which these boards are created, j ? j And yet it is impossible for a township < 1 I board to meet and spend only one day I( : going over the returns that have been j( j made, and get them equalized. It is ; * i also as impracticable for a county I 1 board of equalization to meet and in | 1 one or two days equalize the assess- j < ments upon all the property in the | i county. Much more could be accom- 11 plished if the law were amended so as i ' to require that the county auditor shall, ' j after notice in the public prints, take { \ j returns in each township, and that he < I shall not take these returns except i J j while present in the township. In case i t any taxpayer refuses or fails to make j i return while the auditor is present in j i ! the township, the auditor and the town- ; I ship board shall be required to assess ! such property, and notify the owner j < the valuation placed upon his prop- j i erty. That there shall be appointed j \ a township board of assessors, consist- i r ing of. three discreet freeholders, resi- ! s dents of the township, who shall meet! a with the auditor to receive the returns j o and assess property. That this board i#I shall be appointed by the county audi- j i tor and receive compensation for its ( f. services. That all returns shall be j c made in public in the presence of the | s auditor and the township board, and j ? that the owner of the property shall j be required to answer the questions I r as nnu- nrnvirlprl hv law. and irinke nf- ! n fiaavit as to the correctness of his an- ' r swer. If the township board thinks r the return is too high or too low it shall ? be its duty, in the presence of the r owner of the property and the auditor, { to raise or lower the return in order i s to reach the true market value of the | property. The chairmen of these j s township boards shall constitute the v county board of equalization, and this | r board shall meet at the court house j ^ and go over the returns for the county j p with the county auditor and hear com-1 y plaints and appeals, their decision to j p be subject to appeal to the State board. c The auditor shall not be permitted to n go into a primary, but shall be ap- s pointed by the governor, as provided 't by law, so as to be as free and inde- n pendent as it is possible. In this way a I believe much will be gained toward o having all property assessed equitably. j",( The honest taxpayer would much pre- ; 0 fer to return his property at its true ,, value, if by so doing he would bear ' no more than his just portion of the t burden, and the man who desires to .. evade should be made to bear his part of the burden by having his property returned at its true value. The following comparative figures for s 1901 and 1902 are taken from the comp- I " troller general's report: jn 1901. 1901 | p Real $103,258,410 $107,010,298 j tl Personal 59,020.421 01,018.560 [ n Railroads 27.044.213 27,508,203 a Total $189,333,107 $195,537,061 ! s; These figures show a total increase ' Jj in the taxable values for the past year of $6,203,952. J. The totals for 1902 are not absolutely correct, as one or two of the counties have not reported and the comptroller ! ^ general approximated the amount from i j. the reports of 1901. For further in- ,p formation in regard to this department of the State government, your atten- ^ tion is directed to the excellent and suggestive report of the comptroller general. ROAD IMPROVEMENT. It would be a. waste of words to attempt to argue before any assemblage cif South Carolinians the importance of good roads and the necessity for road improvement. Neither would it be profitable to attempt to argue before you the advantages of good roads, for all are agreed upon that subject. The question which concerns us is how best to secure them; to devise some plan by which we can. at least, begin the building of good roads. It is a business proposition, and should be taken hold of in a business way. With the ey ension of the rural delivery of mail, the necessity is upon us for road improvement, for already the department at "Washington is discussing the impracticability of extending, or even of carrying on this service of mail delivery unless there is road improvement. It has been stated that the postmaster general is to be asked tc consider a plan for the betterment of our public roads, and the request is based on the fact that only one serious obstacle stands in the way of extending and developing our free rural delivery service, and that is the condition of the public highways. Mr. Martin Dodge, director of the bureau of public roads inquiries of the department of agriculture, in his recent report said: "The circumstance that over $6,000,000 was appropriated by our last congress, largely to be buried in muddy roads in the delivery of our rural mails, while only the small sum of $20,000 was last year devoted to meeting the road problem, indicates the great need af education regarding the present necessity and demand for vigorous and intelligent road work. "As much of these large appropriations for rural jmail delivery could be saved if we had good roads, it is obrious that an amount equal to a considerable portion of these sums could oe spent to a good advantage in educating the people in the work of improving. cur country roads, and thus forever close a .large drain on our national cash box." It is not so niuch a question of education, at least with us, as it is a question of the means wherewith to build jood roads. And yet in a sense it is a natter of education. Because if our eeople could be taught to realize the ralue and importance of good roads .here would not be so much trouble to secure the means. If we could have ;ome practical illustrations of the value md the saving to our people of good oads th'-y would not hesitate to put up he money to secure them, for, though we ar-* not rich, they would then realize Vint thai.- nnt malfo n hotter nnv ng investment than money put in good ind permanent road improvement. If Lhe general government could follow the suggestion of Mr. Dodge and'spend ;ome money in demonstrating the value, md the service to the people of good *oads, and the advantages to accrue we vould have little trouble in continuing .he work. And-fis he suggests it would oe a saving to the government at Washington in extending the rural mail delivery service, and would be as legitmate expenditure of government funds is the building of dykes and the drainige and irrigation of lands, for which he government is now spending large 5Ums of money. But after all we must depend upon iur own resources for this great advance movement. To accomplish remits will take money, and the way to -aise this money is by a property tax. Under the present system of road .vorking, our public roads are almost mpassable at certain seasons of the /ear. With the one dollar commutaion tax we are going backward, because the money from this is inadeluate even to work the roads. Besides, t is not right to make the people who ive in the rural districts keep up the oads, any more than it is to make any dher class of our citizens keep up and mild any other public institution. The public road is as much the property of he county as the court house or the iail. A property tax for road building vol'.Id reach the incorporated towns and ities and the railroads and other corporations, and make them contribute .heir share to this public benefaction, ind no one will deny that they are as nuch benefited by good roads as the people of the country. The labor of our chaingangs in most counties is labor thrown away and the rionev to support them is money vasted. The chaingangs should be re[uired to do permanent road work, darting from the county court house >s the geographical centre and building mt in each direction permanent roads, f only a few miles are built each year t will be so much contributed to the general welfare. The State convicts :ould not be put to better public ;ervice, even if it necessitated selling some of the State farms. Wp ran npvpr havp anv nprmnnpnt oad work done until we change the iresent system and make provision to aise money by a property tax. and nake it mandatory that said money :hall be put on permanent road im>rovement. and also make it mandatory hat the chaingango shall be put on the ame work. The advantages of good roads and the aving to the people and the increased 'alue of land as a result of them are o patent that they scarcely need to e stated. But unless you change the iresent system we will continue to go >ackward. It is remarkable that our ieople have so long submitted to the ondition of our public roads without naking greater efforts for their subtantial improvement. As to this county at large "it is conservatively esti(rrimrnmotit nfTir>i?ilo thot -ti-.i re needlessly losing or wasting over 600.000.000 each year because of our bad nads, making a mud tax of over $2,000.00 for every working day in the year nd an individual tax of nearly $8.00 aeh year for every person in this counry." This does not include the disadantages and inconveniences and disomforto incident to bad roads. We are jsing or wasting our pro rata of this normous sum in South Carolina and haring our portion of discomfort and icon venience and disadvantage on aeon nt of bad roads, beside the less in rope.rtv values. "It is evident that, if lis stupendous question is to be rigbtly let in the spirit of economy, progress nd enterprise so characteristic of the- j eople of this country, it will be neces- j ary for our legislators to give it much j lore comprehensive and careful atten- | ion than heretofore." Good roads in a j ountrv are an evidence of its civillza- j on. If you will provide for a sniali | roperty tax so as to get the movement. J tarted in a practical way, there will j e no trouble in the future except to eep the people f.mm going too far. j here has been talk enough on this abject. The time has come for action, t is for the general assembly to take le action necessary. .?.? EDUCATION. The strength an J stability of an: community are largely in proportion ti the intelligence of that community The intelligence of the community i; j always in proportion to the edueaUoi j of the masses. The power and strengtl j of a State are not in its material ad j vance and development, however valu I able these may be, but in an educate* citizenship?an education which train its citizenship intellectually, physicall; i and morally. If our State is to keej i pace %\ ith the other States of the unio: I our people must be educated?not a fev j here and there, but there must be i i general education of the masses. Th [ wealth producing power of a country i ! ??-, nrAnnrtinn fn thf* AdiICQfinri nf it | citizens, and as we increase the effi ciency of every citizen by education, s j we increase the wealth producing powe ; | of the State. "If we should double th wages of every man-in the State, w |; should not thereby increase its wealt: ' i a dollar, but if we could double th ! | efficiency of every man in the State an ; j then double the wages we should quad 11 ruple the wealth of the State." Said Mi | Ruskin: "A piece of land which wi ; only support ten idle, ignorant, and im provident persons will support thirty o 1 forty intelligent and industrious ones. J The value of a country depends rathe ; upon'the virtue and intelligence of th people who inhabit it than upon th ! richness of the soil. All wealth has it 1 ! basis in intelligence. We should permit no child to grow u | to meet the high and responsible dutie of citizenship without at least the rud iments of a good education. "In th south 85 per cent, of the criminals ar deficient in education, while 60 per cem are totally illiterate." Statistics shot "that 22 per cent, of all the inhabitant in the south over 10 years of age ar illiterates, while in New York it is onl 3 3-2 per cent. my last annual message I en d. ..vored to show the importance o j a compulsory education law. Thirty I three States and Territories, includini ! the District of Columbia, now hav compulsory education laws. The high est per cent, of illiteracy among th native white population over ten year in those States having compulsor; i attendance laws is Wyoming with 7. | per cent., and the law has been in fore I only a few years. In Connecticut th I per cent, is 1 and in Massachusett j and Nevada only S. In States no ! having compulsory attendance th lowest rate of illiteracy of nativ whites over ten years is Texas wit! i 8.3 per cent. In South Carolina th I per cent, of illiteracy of native white ' over ten years of age is 18.1 per cent I and in North Carolina it is 23 pe j cent. In the face of these facts I d I not see how any one can oppose com pulsory attendance at school. It is no necessary to worry about the negrc He is getting all the education whicl j is provided now and could get no mor | under compulsory attendance. Wha [ we should be concerned about is th j education and the moral uplifting o , our white boys and girls. Ignoranc 1 is a menace and a burden to civil lib ! erty and the good morals of the coun j try. In addition to this, every bo; i and girl in this country has a righ | to the opportunity to do somethinj i and to be something. Suc h a law can | not interfere with the rights of pa j rents, because no parent has a righ I to make a slave out of his offsprinj i or to rob his child of the right t j make a useful citizen or to have th | opportunity to live a useful and ; : happy life. No one in this day wil ! question the right of the State to en j force compulsory attendance. We lev; ja tax and enforce the collection o | pubbc education; then why not en j force attendance so that all the chil j dren may receive the benefits and havi the money put to the best possibl ' use and for the greatest possible goo< j to the greatest number. "Individua j welfare depends on the general wel I fare. Having taken the money of on< man to educate the children of an other, the State must protect tha i man and his children from oppressioi j and dangers of illierate neighbors an< i fellow citizens." The history and ex j perience of those countries in whicl j compulsory attendance has been triec I prove its good results and refute th< j idea that it works any hardship. It i; i true that in the States which haw I compulsory attendance laws, onl] I tivn nvo oAutVt Vv<*i4- 4- ~ ~ ^ % v ?? v ?Ai v. ovr u Liici ii? UU L lllr.11 15 IIU 1 t"d5Ul ; why we should longer lag behind. THE COMMON SCHOOLS, j There is a marked increase in Ihi i interest in public education, and then : are many encouraging evidences o j improvement. Yet the bare facts o j the condition of the average schoo j in some counties are shocking. Refer i ence to the statistics in the repor i of the State superintendent of educa ' tion discloses that there are numerou; ! schools with less than a three months | term, and still more with teachers s< I badly paid that they cannot be sup j posed in any degree competent. If th< j legislature will discharge its respon | sibility to the cause of education in it: j entirety in the State, there must b< j State aid to the public schools. At appropriaion to be apportioned accord ing to the money raised in the counties is nothing more than a county taxi an increase of the constitutional threi i mill tax. Efforts heretofore made tc I pass such a law have met with th< I response from some delegations: "W< j have money enough already." The Charle. onians can point to theii j school terms and their teachers' salaries as evidence that they need little I or no money. The truth is, that f ! legislative appropriation should be made along the lines prescribed b} j the constitution to bring up the de: licient schools to a minimum standj ard. The dispensary money has beer j apportioned under a law fixing three | months of $75.00 salary as the mini; mum standard, but the educationa j sentiment of the State has passed the point where it can be longer satisfied i with this minimum. It would be little J enough for the legislature to contribi ute to the efficiency of the public | schools a sum equal to the amount 1 it annronrifltes i<-> ! A much smaller sum, as estimated Qpj 1 the State superintendent in his Zj 1 nual report, would be more than a j0S i ouate to insure a six months' term \\n I a $21 o.oo teacher to every school | the State that could make itself ?. , j serving of this aid by conforming.^ | the proper policy in its location and co | quality of its teacher. p Other prime needs of the pm-*3 ' schools could l?e more than met j the remaining fund from The l--gis. ai tive appropriation suggested. First, j these should he the guarantee of ,'g expert supervisor of schools to et te county. This is a day when no hu ness is undertaken without management. The state is a goner , tion behind the times when it und,, T takes to conduct a great business v * ing nearly a million dollars a year v^P no safeguards to insure compeA~l? management. The money wasted in' 'j* littc c?J o i prosperity, and any expenditure that > r j can make the farms more productive ! e I and farm life more attractive to the! ?1 masses of the white people In South I h! Carolina would be a blessing to the j e j present and future generations. There ! d : is an alarming exodus from the coun- j -1 try to the town. The lands are in' ". i some sections being deserted to the j II | negroes. The sturdy yeomanry who - j have been the strength and pride of ! r' South Carolina must be preserved or ! " j the character of our State may be radr' Ically changed for the worse. We e! need to make the farms not only more e | productive, but in every way possible s j more attractive to the women and ' ! children, if we are to check this migra- , j tion to town. Better educational fa- i p j cilities in the country are the great s i need, and not merely better common schools, but high schools giving traine ing for the duties of life in the coun- ; e! try and developing a taste and love ' * ' j for rural surroundings and labors. I v commend the plan for home schools s for girls and farm schools for boys ? recommended by the State superinten- J y dent of education in his annual re port. This offers a practical solution 1 - of the problem. These schools would f J be inexpensive and could be easily -! provided. There is no public expeng; diture that would bring such large ree i turns for the small outlay. If this -! legislature will seriously take up the e | matter, it may inaugurate a new epoch ' s i in the industrial and social life of ! y! South Carolina. I urge legislation ' 3 i permitting each county to vote upon e j itself a tax not exceeding 2 mills for e j such schools and providing the proper S macmnery ior uie management, tut! gether with a legislative appropriae i tion to provide the plant for the first e county voting the extra tax for the h support. i e The professor of pedagogy in South s Carolina college has addressed a com- j j munication to the hoard expressing r! his dissatisfaction with the present o j attendance in that department, and - ! urging that the scholarships be made t [ of some financial value so as to en-'; ).; able men teachers to pursue the course ; h j there as contemplated in the act proe! viding these scholarships two to a 11 county. It is in line with the urgent e recommendation of the State superinf. tendent of education in his report that e; the legislature provide supporting - scholarships for some women teachers j - in Winthrop college and men teachers y in South Carolina college, I commend : t this to the general assembly. g The conference of trustees of the t - State colleges has recommended an j - appropriaton of $1,000 annually to j 11 provide post-graduate scholarships in j g j the South Carolina college, the bene- ! 0 ficiaries to be selected by the several j e State colleges and other colleges in a the State of approved standing from j 1 among their respective graduates? t - I one from each college?making about j y i ten picked graduates to pursue higher; f I studies in Columbia. This would be - ! the beginning of a policy to coordinate j -! the work of the several colleges in e I the State, and must result in better q I understanding and more effective co- ' 11 operation. The provision of these 11 scholarships would be a stimulus to - higher learning. I can hardly think e I of a direction in which so small an -1 expenditure would be so fruitful of t j benefits. The executive committee of i ; the conference will memorialize the i; legislature giving the plan more in - ; detail. I commend the policy to the 11 approval of your honorable body. 1 j The average number of weeks of g the school term in 38 out of 40 counties, j s, was 21 for the whites and 14.27 for: 51 colored schools. | f\ SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE. I "l j This honored institution continues to ' ; measure up to the high standard ofI f efficiency which it has maintained dur- j 3 | ing the past hundred years. Its affairs I; are wisely administered, and the emi- j f' ner.tly successful, useful and honor-j ? { able careers of its graduates empha- ! j1 size the wisdom of the State in con- : _! tinuing its maintenance. The college ^; now has 2A.? students, who are work_ i ing earnestly and harmoniously with , | their professors, and there is good rea- ! ? | son to hope that this year may add ; 5 j an eminently successful one to its his_: torv. An appropriation of at least ;! $35,000 will be asked. For further and ~ detailed information I refer you to the j , | report of the board of trustees. ! * WINTHROP NORMAL AND INDUS-] \ ] TRIAL COLLEGE. _ ; There is no more important institu- ! * I tion in the State than Winthrop col- j liege. Jts vital importance consists in ?! the fact that it educates and trains the * future mothers and teachers of the ; ] State. It is now universally recognized . [ that if a people are to be educated and. j \! therefore, great and influential, the ! 1 I women of that people must be edu- j. .! cated. An educated mother means edu- i , j cated children. Women are the natuL: ral teachers of children and Winthrop ^ j college is doing a great service to the L State by giving a professional train-!, . j ing to these natural teachers. The c<>!- , ( ., lege has sent out 116 graduates in its j , j short life?earnest, devoted women.] > j most of whom are teaching in this , ( .; State and by their work and example ( [ j are elevating the tone and standard of > the common schools. The college has . ; i reached and benefited a great many; ,; more girls than this, however. Dur-; ! j ring the past seven and a half years 1 * i there have been enrolled in the depart- j * j ment of sewing, dressmaking and mil- j ; inerv Q~.fi ctn/iontc whom the ! reached at least POO homes j ut. the State. | w building has made it pes- : have practically all students r in "Pock Hill equally under , uirhority. and has enabled share equally in all college . } ties. Ti has also seined to 1 , * faculty and students into M pleasant relations. I f ct that .>i per cent, of the j ] at Winthrop last year could ; , attended any other college j ^ op had not bnaisrlit education , eir reach is evidence of the j j <i <I work it is doing" for the , , , , , . . ! < to commend the public spirit ( i the graduates and their recognition of their duty to j by t!ie organization among society for the improvement j ttntry schools of the State. 1 way miL. be a large per cent, of the 7 total expenditure. It would be in the i ~ interest of economy to expend $1 000 1 a year in each county to insure the j s proper supervision and direction of all < i the money that is now being expended ' < i in schools. This advanced step to * - ! bring the country schools into system -'cannot be taken except through State I I action?the result of the combined j s ! financial and intellectual power of the y J State. I commend to the general as- '; p ! sembly the plan of county boards of ed- j ' r. j ucation and expert superintendent of \ v | education set forth in the annual re- I a | ucation and expert superintendents of e I education. s j We have long felt the need of bets; ter methods in agriculture in our State. I - : "Carmine- is still the chief basis of our i The State was a long time in seeing the necessity for such an institution for its girls and in doing them and itself justice, but now that it has started in this great and long neglected educational work it is meet that it should make Winthrop the equal of any similar institution in the country. CLEMSON COLLEGE. Clemson College opened last September with a matriculation list of 519 students, which number is very near the limit of its accommodation. The character of work done by the students is much in advance of former years, and the institution is rapidly growing in favor with the people. And justly so, for it is doing a great service to the State in sending out such a large number of young men with practical training to take charge ui pursuits looKing 10 maienai oenent to the people in developing the resources of the State. The various departments are being steadily developed, and the facilities for work are being rapidly increased. Clemson receives no direct appropriation through you. For detailed information as to its financial condition and in regard to the different departments I refer you to the annual report of the college, which will be submitted to you. SOUTH CAROLINA MILITARY ACADEMY. The report of the superintendent of this institution will be submitted to you. The school is doing a good work for the young men of the State, and is run economically. The board of visitors will ask for an appropriation of $25,000 for maintenance, $1,000 for repairs to buildings and $250 for additions to library, making a total of $26,250. It should be remembered that the Academy educates young men from each county absojutely free out of the appropriation asked, and I recommend to ypu the request of the board of visitors as entirely reasonable. THE INSTITUTION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB AND BLIND. Thp annual rennrt r?f tha snnerir tendent of this institution gives in detail all necessary information in reference to the work being done by the State for the education of her blind and deaf children, and also fully sets forth the amount of appropriation necessary for the maintenance of the school for the ensuing fiscal year. The superintendent asks for an appropriation of $24,000 for support, and $500 for general repairs. This request has the full and unqualified endorsement of the board of commissioners. The reputation established by the management of this institution for conservative estimates, and the economical expenditures and the increased attendance, are a sufficient guaranty that a less sum than asked for would not suffice for the proper maintenance of the school. COLORED COLLEGE. The Colored Normal, Industrial, Agricultural and Mechanical college will JMmi ask for an appropriation of not le? fSiB than $10,000, half of which amount wjm needed to finish and equip the br; industrial building. This building h fjBj been in course of erection during tl fjaM past two years, and should be com |$Si pleted at as early date as possible |j?i The other $5,000 asked is for current Ji? expenses. The institution at present having more than 600 students, it is a very reasonable amount. This college," WR since its foundation in 1896, has be.n H run on economical principles. The |lj total appropriations received by it our- ||| ing the whole period of its existence l| amount to only $62,500, an average of less than $9,090 for each year, received || from the State. if MEDICAL COLLEGE. 1 The Medical College of the State of fj South Carolina, located at Charleston. | continues to place at the disposal of | the governor the privilege of appoint- I ing to scholarships, good for one year, : seven young men or young women, one from each congressional district of the State. The appointments have been made each year, and the effort has been to secure deserving and ambitious young men and young _women from among the applicants, Tne lioeraiity of this institution deserves commendation, for by giving these scholarships it has aided many young men and young women in their efforts to fit themselves for their life work. CHILD LABOR. A compulsory education law would help very much in the solution of the child labor question. In fact, the adoption of a child labor law will necessitate compulsory education. This question must be met and solved, and the sooner it is done the less difficult of solution it will be. England, France, Germany and all the manufacturing States in the north ?f our own country, after thorough in vestigation and long experience, looking both to the mental and moral uplifting and the material advancement of the people, have decided to prohibit the labor in mills of children of tender age. We cannot longer avoid the responsibility. That the State has a right to interfere, no thoughtful citizen will question. No one can successfully controvert the position that this labor of long and constant hours is injurious to the child, and, therefore, affects the citizenship of the future. This being true, the State has a right to come in and say it shall be stopped. We have rapidly grown into a manufacturing State, and are being forced to meet strong competition from other sections. Viewing the question from this purely commercial standpoint, to meet this competition we must have skilled and Intelligent labor, and this crann,?n,1 in tVw-i nnnrfi L<tli *U1 1J *** . v?.v.^of the future by the education and preparation of the children of the present. And the children of the present cannot be educated and prepared for their duties and for pood citizenship if they are required to labor constantly in the mills during their tender years. It is a duty which you owe to humanity. and to the citizenship of the future, to protect these children by prohibiting" their labor in our manufactories. Those who oppose the measure will argr.e that it is an interference with family government. This is a fallacy. The child is not a chattel or an acci3ent. but it has rights in the divine plan which even the parent must respect. Tt is here for a purpose, and should have the opportunity for the best possible training and education to fit it for rho accomplishment of that purpose. Then. too. it is sometimes a inestion whether the State or the corporation shall say what is to be dono iVith tho child, for many times the parent who lives in the mill community must be governed by what the mill nvner says, and cannot always send pis child to school, even if he desires to do so. if the labor of the child is teeded in the mill. It is a perplexing question, but it is a question of such vital importance to the State that it should be settled