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Special Courts have been petitioned for and ordered under this Act; In the absence of any other uvailable'fund I have paid the salary and expenses of the special judge as provided by this Act out of my contingent fund, lt seems to me that if these Special Courts are necessary, and are tobe held/that the General Assembly should provide a fund out of which the salary and expenses of the special judge should be paid. \ - ... There is no doubt that there is need for relief, for in many of the Counties the business of the Courts is very much congested, and the delays which are occasioned in the termination of suits very often cause parties to compromise and settle rather than go into the Courts. I know that it is frequently argued that the present ma chinery is ample, and that the delays are caused by the judges not pressing eases to trial, and- on account of lawyers not being ready ; bul we should remember that thc number of Counties has been in creased. Causes which arc of sufficient importance to be carried into Court should be considered with deliberation, and without undue liaste, so that justice may be administered. In Spartanburg County alone there are now provided by law five regular terms of the Common Pleas Court and six terms of the Sessions Court. Thai; is an average of nearly one Court to the month for this County alone. It seems to me that it would be in the interest of economy and of the dispatch of the business of the Courts to increase the number of circuits rather than to be holding these extra and special terms. The addition of one or two circuits would not materially increase the cost and would add very much to the speedy adjudica tioir of causes that are broughc for trial. Under the present arrange ment the circuit judges atv* V* pt on the circuit the greater portion of their time, and have ve.-y little time left for the preparation of opinions. . This is a matter which deserves and should receive your serious consideration. LOCAL LEGISLATION. Tn my last Annual Message I directed the attention of the Legis lature to.the inhibition contained in the Constitution against the passage of local or special laws concerning certain subjects, and called their attention to the expense and evils of such legislation. I desire again to call your attention to this subject, and also to a recent decision of our Supreme Court, which has declared one of these local laws unconstitutional. The Court in delivering its opin ion on this subject in this particular case says : "In order that a law may bc general it must bc of force in every County in the State, and while it may contain special provisions making its effect different in certain Counties, these Counties cannot be made exempt from its en tire operation." It has been the custom of the Legislature in many instances to pass a general law and then add a proviso exempting certain Counties from its operations. Almost every County in this State is an independent republic, with a separate and distinct County government law, and at almost every session of the Legislature changes and amendments are made, so that it is difficult to know just what the law is in any County. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. At the last session of the General Assembly two joint resolutions were passed submitting to the electors of the State two proposed amendments to thc State Constitution. The one proposed an amendment, to be known as Article i of Amendments to the Constitution, to authorize and empower the General Assembly to provide by law for thc condemnation and equitable assessment of lands for drainage purposes, to read as fol lows : "The General Assembly shall provide by law for the con demnation, through proper official channels, of all lands necessary for the proper drainage of the swamp and low lands of this State ; and shall also provide for the equitable assessment of all lands so drained, for the purpose of paying the expenses of such condomna? * tion and drainage." The other to amend Section 7, Article VIII., of the Constitution, relating to Municipal Bonded Indebtedness, by adding at the end thereof the following words: "Provided, That the limitation im posed by this section and by Section 5, Article IV., of this Consti tution shall not apply to bonded indebtedness incurred by the cities of Columbia, Rock Hill, Charleston and Florence, where the pro ceeds of said bonds are applied solely for the purchase, establish ment, maintenance or increase of waterworks plant or sewerage system ; and by the city of Georgetown, when the proceeds of said bonds are applied vsolely for thc purchase, establishment, main tenance or increase of waterworks plant, sewerage system, gas and electric light plants, where the entire revenue arising from the operation of such plants, or systems, shall be devoted solely and ex clusively to the maintenance and operation of the same, and where the question of incurring such indebtedness is submitted to the free holders and qualified voters of such municipality, as provided in the Constitution, upon the question of other bonded indebtedness." Both of these proposed amendments were adopted by a majority of the votes cast in the general election. In the latter there seems lo have been a mistake made, and in stead of referring to Section 5, Article X., the amendment is made to refer to Section 5, Article IV., of the Constitution, which reads as follows: "Section 5. A Lieutenant Governor shall be chosen at the same time, in tlie same manner, continue in office for the same period and be possessed of the same qualifications as the Governor, and shall, ex officio, bc President of the Senate." It was the purpose of the amendment to have relation to Section 5 of Article X, of the Constitution, which, so far as it relates to this subject of municipal indebtedness, reads as follows : "The bonded debt of any County, township, school district, municipal corporation or political division or subdivision of this State shall never exceed eight per centum of the assessed value of all the taxable property therein. And no County, township, municipal corporation or other political division of this State shall hereafter be authorized to in crease its bonded indebtedness if at the time of any proposed in crease thereof the aggregate amount of its already existing bonded debt amounts to eight per centum of thc value of all taxable property therein, as ascertained by the valuation for State taxation. "And wherever there shall be several political divisions or munici pal corporations covering or extending over the same territory, or portions thereof, possessing a power to levy a tax or contract a debt, then each of such political divisions or municipal corporations shall so exercise its power to increase its debt under the foregoing eight per cent, limitation that the aggregate debt over and upon any ter ritory of this State shall never exceed fifteen per centum of the value of all taxable property in such territory as valued for taxation by the State: Provided, That nothing herein shad prevent the issue of bonds for thc purpose of paying or refunding any valid municipal debt heretofore contracted in excess of eight per centum of the assessed value of all thc taxable property therein." Whether or not this error is fatal to the amendment proposed is a matter for your consideration. I have felt it my duty to call the facts to your attention, for in order that thc proposed amendments shall have the force of law they require ratification by your honorable bodies. A year ago I sent a Message to the General Assembly, trans mitting a memorial of certain citizens-Messrs. Edward McCrady, T. R. McGahan and others-in regard to the draining of our swamp lands. The message and memorial were referred to a special joint com mittee of tlie two Houses, but no action was taken directly upon thc subject, because, a? it was understood, it was found that under the Constitution there was no power in the Legislature to tax or assess lands for drainage purposes. Inasmuch as an amendment to the Constitution for this purpose has been approved by the people, and is how before you for final action, I earnestly recommend this matter to your consideration, and should the amendment to the Constitu tion of which I have spoken be approved and finally enacted by you at this session I again recommend, as I did last year, tho establish ment pf a commission to take the subject ink) consideraci?n, to study it thoroughly and to devise and suggest ia scheme, if practicable, commensurate with its Importance, to inaugurate and carry out this great work. As I said last year, the matter which has thus been broached should no longer be allowed to rest. These low lands must some day be drained, and this areu of miasma and death be converted into a rich and healthful agricultural area, thus adding immensely to the taxable property of the State, and affording a section which will in vite the immigration of industrious and frugal people, who will see1? it alike for the salubrity of its climate as for the fertility of its soil. I invite your attention to the memorial upon the subject which you will find in the journals of the last G?n?ral Assembly. APPORTIONMENT OF REPRESENTATION. Section 3 of Article III of the Constitution provides that, "Thc House of Representatives shall consist of one hundred and twenty four members, to be apportioned among the several Counties ac> cording to the number of inhabitants contained in each. Each County shall constitute one election district. The enumeration of the inhabitants for this purpose shall be made in the year 1901, and shall be made in the course of every tenth year thereafter, in such manner as shall be by law directed: Provided, That the General Assembly may at any time in its discretion adopt the immediately preceding United States Census as a true and correct enumeration of tlie inhabitants of the several Counties, and make the apportionment of Representatives among the several Counties according to the said enumeration." Under this provision of the Constitution it becomes your duty either <o order an enumeration of the people of this State for the purpose of apportionment, or to adopt the enumeration as made by the United States last year. For your convenience I give herewith the population of each County according to the official count of the returns of the Twelfth Census, taken as of June 1, 1900, by the United States Government: Abbeville.33,4oo Greenwood.28,343 Aiken.39,032 Hampton.-.23,738 Anderson.55,728 Horry..23,364 Bamberg.17,296 Kershaw.24,696 Barnwell.35>5<H Lancaster.24,311 Beaufort.35,495 Laurens.Z7>3&2 Berkeley.30,454 Lexington.27,264 Charleston.88,006 Marion.35,181 Cherokee. .. ..21,359 Marlboro. ..27,639 Chester.28,616 Newberry. .. .. .. ., ..30,182 Chesterfield.20,401 Oconee.23,634 Clarendon.28,184 Orangeburg.59,663 Colleton.33?452 Pickens.I9?375 Darlington.32,388 Richland.45.5^9 Dorchester.v. 16,294 Saluda..18,966 Edgcficld.25,478 Spaxtanburg.65*560 Fairfield.29,425 Sumter.. ...5i>237 Florence.28,474 Union. ..25,501 Georgetown..22,846 ^Williamsburg.31,685 Greenville.53,490 lYork.. ...41,684 INSURANCE EXAMINER. In nry last Annual Message I calle^the attention of the L?gisla ture to thc importance of an insurancie examiner. 1 repeat the recommendation then made. Fire and life insurance have taken deep root with our people, and thousands of dollars are paid out every year to insurance companies. These corporations obtain from the State the righi to do business in thc State, and the State has thc right to inspect and supervise their work, and thus secure protection to the people against bogus concerns. All reputable companies would be glad to have such inspection. That you may have an idea of the extent of this business I desire to call your attention to thc fact that there were, in 1899, 118 fire, life and accident insurance companies doing business in the State, and the license fees paid to the State amounted to $22,485.58. The total amount collected from the people in premiums amounted that year to $2,210,990.67, as you may see from the report of the Comptroller General. The figures for the past year cannot bc given, inasmuch as the report has not yet been completed ; but they will be no less, and possibly more. GEOLOGICAL STATE SURVEY. . The importance and value of a good Geological Survey in connec tion with thc development of any State can scarcely be overrated ; it is, indeed, indispensable to a complete utilization of all thc natural resources of any State or country. Men arc ever ready to take hold of and push forward any industry of promise that may be incidentally or accidentally discovered. But the natural resources of a country are not always apparent, certainly not always on thc surface-and even were they, the average man would seldom observe them. Especially is this true in the case of mineral deposits, lt has been estimated that in Pennsylvania, previous to the establishment of its Geological Survey, enough money was expended in searching for coal and iron in the ordinary way of individual effort to have paid more than the entire cost of several Geological Surveys of the whole State. A thorough knowl edge of its geology has been secured ; all its mineral zoilos, and gas and oil belts, have been accurately mapped, and men no longer grope at random after what can now be secured by the intelligent use of thc simple results of the State survey. They know definitely where to expect oil, gas, coal or iron, and thc drill is not sent down as a mere experiment, nor are money and time wasted in haphazard risk and adventure. What is demanded today in the successful conduct of any business is systematized labor, and everything must proceed upon the basis of preconceived, well-studied plans. It is no less necessary to a proper development of a State's natural resources. The mineral industries of this State are now receiving consider able attention, and a good Survey would undoubtedly prove of in calculable help and encouragement. The State of South Carolina is by no means deficient in mineral wealth, but just what unexplored treasures it holds can never be known unless an intelligent, vigorous, authorized survey be made. Aside from the resultant monetary value of such Survey, facts and statistics would be placed in the hands of the people that would enable them to recognize and utilize much natural resource not now even known to bc in existence. An impetus would bc given to mineralogical and geological study and work in our schools and colleges, where as yet they are considered rather insignificant and of minor consequence ; and the coming gen eration bc prepared to take an active personal interest in the devel opment of their native State along this line as they now arc inter ested in its mercantile, and agricultural, and manufacturing progress. The United States Government furnishes any State as much ad ditional money toward State Surveys as such States themselves put into thc work-in most cases considerably more-and thc question -S Ju of State expenf?ures or increased State (ax could not, therefore, conflict with popular desire. I submitted this matter to the last Legislature hr a Special sage, and the importance of the subject is such that it deserves con sideration at your hands ; and if you do anything looking to the accomplishment of this work it will be a valuable contribution to the development of the natural resources of the State. THE SOUTH CAROLINA INTERSTATE AND WEST IN DIAN EXPOSITION; Ry a concurrent resolution adopted at trie last session of the Gen eral Assembly of this State the South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition was heartily endorsed, and the advancement of the great project was earnestly commended and urged upon the entire people of our State. Encouraged by this spontaneous action, the projectors of the enterprise went to work with great energy, and a chartered corpora^ tion was organized, with a proposed capital stock of $250,000, of which amount nearly $200,000 has already been subscribed. The Exposition has been extensively advertised throughout the United -States, and the indications are that it will be largely patron ized. It has been officially noticed in the recent Annual Messages? and (Otherwise by the Chief Executives in several of the States of thc Union, and it is hoped will receive substantial encouragement from those States. A bill appropriating $250,000^ for a Government exhibit at the Exposition is now pending in the Congress of the United States, and has passed the Senate. Not only will the industries and resources, of our own and neigh boring States be brought to public notice, but those of the Wetft Indies as well. It is intended especially to afford to the agricultural and manufacturing interests of our State an opportunity such as has never before been enjoyed, of publishing to the world their extent, "value and importance. A very eligible site, embracing some one hundred and fifty acres, on the shores of Ashley River> in the City j of Charleston, has been secured, and the work of construction has been commenced. The plan and scope of the undertaking has been made so familiar to all that it is not necessary to enlarge on the $ame at this time. Application has been made to t*?e State of South Carolina for an appropriation Of $50,000 to assist in developing the Exposition, ?rid. I commend this appeal to your favorable consideration. The State of New York voted the sum of $300,000 in aid of the Buffalo Exbo . sition; and the State of Nebraska appropriated $150,000 to the Omaha Exposition; and thc State of Tennessee voted the sum of $50,000 in aid of the Nashville Exposition, and the amounts so ex pended were returned manifold to the people of the above named States in the results attained. In view of the fact that our State has heretofore made liberal appropriations for the Expositions held at New Orleans and at Atlanta, the appeal in behalf of our own Expo sition comes with great force. MEDICAL COLLEGE. The Medical College of the State of South Carolina, though not a State institution, lias again placed at the disposal of the Governor several scholarships, one from each Congressional District, which carry witli them free tuition. Thc appointments were made by nie ; and I beg to commend the liberality of this institution and the good work it is doing for the State. PHOSPHATE DEPARTMENT. 1 The royalty received by the State from the phosphate beds is not so much for the past year as iv was for 1899. In 1899 the State received $34,928.69. In 1900 the State received $21,331,36. This doesj hot mean that there fyas beery less rock mined, for .the.L\sp?c?: tor's, report will show to the contrary, but.is' owing to theinabiiily of thc companies mining to secure transportation for the rock, as there are now about 70,000 tons in the vicinity of Beaufort ready for shipment. There have been a number of inquiries to the Phosphate Inspector from capitalists out of the State, asking about the location of the phosphate beds, and especially of the river deposits. A map showing the State's phosphate beds might be worth a great deal to South Carolina. I would recommend that you appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 for this purpose, to be expended under the direction of the State Board of Phosphate Commissioners, and that you appro priai e the sum of $300.00 to pay the per diem and necessary expensea of the State Board of Phosphate Commissioners. For further infor mation regarding the Phosphate Department I would refer you to thc full and complete report of the Phosphate Inspector. - SINKING FUND. Your attention is directed to the report of the Commissioners of tlic Sinking Fund. Thc following summarized statement shows the amount of Sinking Fund assets, and how invested : Statement of Assets of the "Ordinary Sinking Fund" on Dec. 31, 1900: Dec. 31, 1900. Loans at 5 per cent, to Counties.$35,500.00 Dec. 31, ?900. Cash Deposited in Banks, Dec. 31, 1900, belong to Escheated Es tates.$ 1,697.00 . Dec. 31, 1900. Belonging to Sinking Fund Proper....13,374-83- 15.071.83 ??* vV-. Dec. 31, 1900. Amount, of Assets of "Ordi nary" Sinking Fund. . $50,571.83 Statement of assets of the "Cumulative Sinking Fund" on Dec. 31, 1900: Dec. 31, 1900. Permanent investments in S. C. 4 1-2 Brown and Blue Stock.$ 35,728.56 , Dec. 31, 1900. Loaned to Counties at 5 per cent, in terest.106,942.83 Dec. 31, 1900. Loaned to Commission for completion of 1 State House at 4 per cent. 5,500.00 Dec. 31, 1900. Deposited in Banks at 4 per cent, in terest, payable monthly, but unse cured, except by the credit of the Bank wherein deposited. ,... :.. "". 241,030.84 - . _. Dec. 31, 1900. Total amount of assets on Dec. 31, 1900.$389,202.23 - .. ?S Attention is called to the manner in which the character of the ; Sinking Fund loans have changed with the raising of the rate of interest from 41-2 per cent, to 5 per cent. The reports of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fund from 1896 to 1900 as to tlie Cumulative Sinking Fund show : That on Dec. 31, 1896, there was loaned to banks, at 41-2 per cent, interest, and secured not only by the credit of the bank, but also by a deposit by the bank with the State Treasurer, as collateral se curity, S. C. Brown 41-2 per cent. Bonds (of face value same as amount of loan), $173,984.22, and deposited in banks at only 4 per cent, interest, unsecured, except by the credit of the bank wherever deposited, only $2,c. ?6.03. On Feb. 25, 1897, thc law was changed authorizing the Fund to be loaned to Counties at 5 per cent., which was also the rate of in terest on all loans. At the time of the passage of this Act nearly all the Fund was loaned lo banks at 4 1-2 per. cent,, secured not only by m