The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, March 01, 1907, Image 1
VOL XLIV. NqO. 18. NEWBNRRY. 0. FR[I)AY. MARC E 1; 1907. TW.OE A WEEK. $150 A YEAR
of
$1
NOT ON VELVET 1
COMPTROLLER GENERAL JONES i
MAKES OALOULATIONS. us
Appropriations Too -Large-The In- tr
come is Exceeded by Probable
Expense# by Over Two Hun- 0
dred Thousand. 0
50
The State. f
Comptroller General Jones declared
: yesterday that as..near as he can fig- t
ure it the appropriations this year
will exceed the income $180,4441 Had
the levy been fixed at 5 mills the ap- 50
propriations would have been $58,000 00
in excess of income, and a levy of
5 1-4 mills would have left the state
but $7,046 over all expenses. is
Mr. Jones fixures that the appro- h
pi;iations aggregate $1,454,229.79 and
his figures are verified by calculations
made in the state treasurer's office.
In eight years -the appropriations
Phave increased half a million dollars
in round numbers. The income has
increased but not so largely. ab
The taxable property of t-he state
i $249,500,000, which at 4 1-2 mills b
will produce .a revenue of $1,122,750; a
at 5 mills it would have been $1,247,- b
000; at 5 1-4 mills it would have been on
$1,309,875. This is the ad valorem ml
tax. The indirect taxes amount to th
$151,400, estimated. The total in
come this year is $1,274,150 at a 4 1-2 ho
mill levy, while the expenses last fO
year were .$10,000 in excess of that er
amount and to last year's expenses Jo
have been added $170,000. wt
Last year the Hampton Ionuiment "
was paid for, the Jamestown exposi
tion appropriation was made and the
general election expenses were met. 1
None of these things are provided for w(
in the appropriation act this year. fu
The increase has been general, all ti
along the line. Mr. Jones' only fear dc
is that he may be held responsible "'
because he did not give sufficient sug- of
gestion and advice to the general as
sembly. This lie endeavored to do. re;
he
There Was Information.
In part explanatory of the above d
Repe
Representative Aull of Newberry cc
rites the following statement: as
I notice in the News and an
urier and the State of some days h
ago a statement in regard to the ap- co
propriations by the legislature for to
this year and the insufficiency of the
)evy in whichi it is said that the ap- t
propriations exceed the income $180,- a
444.00. It is further stated that t1%
Comptroller General Jones' only fear Ia
is that lie may be held responsible, th
because lie did not give sufficient sug- by
gestions and advice to the general as- bli
sembly.
As a member of the general assem
bly and also of the ways and means
'committee, I desire to say that I am
satisfied there was no lack of suf- !
ficient in formaition and suggestions
from Comnpt roller Gleneral .Jones, and1)
that the menmbers of the general as
semb)ly were in possession of suf
fieient in formation in regard to the
appropriationis for them to have act- ti
ed intelligently.
I stated t-he fhrures contained in the an
appropriation bill as it left the house, el
and also the probab)le incomne from tiC
lie levy fixed by the house, on the PI
oor of the house once or twice wvhen le:
ertaini bills were being considered ai1
wlich carried applropriationis, lit
I went to the troublle 'to make a m"
alof the appropriation bill as it ""
ssed the house, and from the infor- to
;ation given by Mr. Jones hiad the iv
roh0le~ income when thle lev was "
edat 4:1:2 mills. h
(he app)Iropri'alion bill, as repJortLed
the ways and mneanis committee, ~
ied i oundi( numbfller.. $1 ,324,040, s
a~d.~ith certain changes made by the
~ 6sas it was sent to the senate car- C
' & total in round numbers of $1,- s
18,87' This change was duo large-s
to thme fact that the house took off a~
7,000 of the amount to the immigra-t
oan department as fixed by the comn
Ft N'-"the information given by )
ompt roller General Jones, the in- a
omne from a 4 1-2 mill tax was esti
atied at $1,125,000 to wvhich was
addthe income from license arnd
cees in the secretary Qf state's offiee ne
$160,000, making a total income' of
,275,000. This, it will be seen, was
0,000 appropriated in excess of the
obable. income, but it was estimat
that at least $50,000 of the amount
the appropriation bill would not be
ed and would be,recovered into the
3asurv.
III the appropriation bill, as it left
0 house, was not included the $50,
0 for high schools and the $15,000,
r state house grounds, nor the $3,
0 for the entertainment of the Con
Jerate veterans at their annual re
ion. These three items make a to
I of $68,500, and with the $7,000
iic was put back to the immigra
In department, make a total of $75,
0. Then there is an item of $13,-,
0 inl the appropriation bill for the
mipletion of the state house, none
which will be used this year, as it
a- loan from the sinking fund and
e first payment of $5,000 is to be
ide out of the taxes of 1908.
It was known at least to some of us
at the appropriation bill was con
lerably in~ excess of the probable
7ome, and for one, I felt that prob
ly it would be well for Whis legis
;ur, with its extravagant ideas, to
confronted at the next session with
,hortage, and I suggested to a mem
r of the free conference committee
the supply bill that a levy of 4 1-2
Us as fixed by the house, be left, at
at figure.
My purpose in writing this card,
wever, is to say that so far as in
rmation. from the comptroller gen
i's offlice is concerned, General
lies need have no fear that it was
imting, and it was given to the
m11bers of tlie ways and- means com
btee and the house and to the free
tiference committee on the appro
intion bill and the appropriations
re lixed and the levy was fixed with
11 knowledge of the income and of
D amount of appropriations. It
es seem to me, however, that there
is a tendency among the members
this legislature to extravagance,
d that appropriations were voted
.;ardless of an increase, wihich will
necessary in the tax levy.
I have never been regarded, and
not feel, that I am a niggardly
momist, but I did endeavor as far
I could as a member of the ways
d means committee and of the
use and of the free conference
innittee on the appropriation bill
hold down the appropriations.
The free conference committee on
e appropriation bill reduced the
iounts as put in by the senate some
enty-five or thirty thousand dol
:s. I do not think, however, that
P shortage will be as much as stated
eGneral Jones, for it is not proba
3 that the whole amount of $50,000
11 be used for -high schools this
ar, and it was stated by members
the committee on state house
itunds that it was not probable that
of the $15,000 for that purpose
mIld he used(1 t his year, but it is
ohable thant the dleficit. at thie end
this year will be from $100,000 to
25,000.
It is true1 t here was no appropria
mi this year for thle Ilamptoni monu11
mnt and the Jamestown exp)osition
d oniy a smanll amount for general
3etions yetf.t this sessioni it was
cessarly to ap)prop)riate '$7,500 on
rchase of police station in Char
tonm a. provided by Iast legislature;
increase was necessary for the mi
ia on account of the Dick law ; an
arease of $25,000 was givecn to pen1
ims; ten thousand dollars was given
build professors homes at the UJn
rsity b)esides an incre'ac in salaries
(1 necessary replairs .andh insurance;
Iy thousand for high schools; fif
m t housand for state house
(,ind1s; ten thIousand for Calhoun
itueo. These are all new items.
I want to say in conclusion that I
nide(1r Comptroller Gleneral Jones
c of the best informed ryen in the
ite as to the finatnces of the state
d one of the most officient officers
at the state has ever had, and that.he
.ve intelligent and accurate infer
ation on all matters pertaining to
e tax department when called upon
the commit tees of the house or by
y individual members.
It mighyt be truly said in this eon
etion that all our efforts to get the
ople to assess their property at its
t.nnl value or to increase their na
sessments will be sfutile so long as the
legislature does not reduce the levy
as valuations increase.
With $250,000,000 of taxable prop
erty the levy is as high as it was when
there was only $175,000,000. The
people will argue that it is impossible
to trust the legislature, that the more
property we have to tax, the more ex
travagant will be the appropriations.
If we could only get to the point
where the levy would be reduced and
the appropriations made to come
within the levy as assessments in
crease, the people would- be more in
clined to assess their prope-ty at its
actual value, and instead of the $250,
000,000 of property, we I.night have
$400,000,000 on the tax books.
Any proposition in the recent leg-.
islature to reduce appropriations was
met by a statement that the people
were prosperous and that more ion
ey was need to meet the demands of
the state. This is true inl a sense, and
it seems to me that there are some
places where increases- might have
been made properly; for instance, the
cost of living is much more than it
was a few years ao, and it would be
but justice to increase the sal'aries of
our state officers, for no mai, who has
not some other income, and who has
anly business which lie must give up,
can well afford to take a state
oflice at $1900.00 per year.
E. H. Aull.
GIBSON CONVICTED
Aged Defendant Was Pitiable Sight
on Witness Stand-Will Take
Appeal.
Greenville News.
Columnbia,S. C., Feb. 27.-The con
vietion of Thos. J. Gibson, on the
clarge of knowingly receiving th(A
stolen bond1s taken from the treas
urer's office by Dainiel Zimmerman is
one of the saddest cases in the re
cent criminal history of the state.
Half a dozen of the best men in the
community swore to his good reputa
tion 'yet the jury of twelve good men,
feclin: it their duty, promptly con
vietetd him and no (oubt on account
of his cxtreme ill health and age re
commended him to the mercy of the
court.
Tom Gibson is now beyond the age
of 74. He is bent with age and pal
sied. His mind is clear and active,
perhaps it was too active today, and
his frivolity on the stand may have
operated against him. Solicitors Dav
is and Thurmond w,vho handled the
case of the state did so with ju(lg
ment and force. In the first place
they narrowed the chargm. (lown to
two specifle bonds of which they had
the complete history and with these
two1bonds handled in one sale, they
avoided any confusion.
The evidence against Mr. Gibson
was in the main that of Daniel Zim
merman who alleged that. Gibson sug
gested tie plan to him but today two
lit tle things developed in his testi
mony that oper'ated agains-t him. One
was that he went ouit and1( bought for
Zimlmerman couphonis. These coupons
were p)resumlably to be used by Zim
merman to cover upl the amount of
coupons that would have come in at
t-he apploin ted initerest period(. Anmd
thme second( incidlent that hurt his
cause was that a Chaiirle. ton cl ieiit.
discovered a mistake of $120 and sent
thme money to Mr. Gibson to lie rne
funded1 the state anad instead of re
funding' thme $120 lie used it and stat
0(1 that lhe did so because lie wvas in
need( of the money and iinteinded to
repay it and1 has done so in part to
Capt. ,Jennings. The statuate is not
(cleair as to I le pmunishment, excepit
that it makes it a misdemeanor and(
leaves the sentence to thle dliseretioni
of the jud(ge. Mr. Crawford wvho
had made a suplerb tight for' hiis client
gave notice of an app)eal and will no
doubit take the ease to supreme court..
The people of the community are
unliversally sorry for' Mr.' Gibson's
two daughters who have wvatched the
trial with the keenest- interest and
sorrowv.
The verdict of the jury was per
Iaps a surprise to many and part icu
larly the promptness with which the
jury rendered its judgment. ..
Small talk is the gene?dtor of
many big troubles.
-THE LABO RPROBLEM.
As Seen By a Colored Man-Some
Sensible Remarks On The Ques
tion.
To the Ed(itor of The Herald and
News: ''liere has been no little com
plaint ol late inl Newberry county
partilularly concerning the greati
searcity of laborers among the color
ed )eople, anmid the reliability of such
laborers, in the minds of some of the
tWore conservative white people has
becomei an open question. Great dif
ficulty has been experienced in pro
curing washerwoien, edoks, and
nurses as well as farm laborers.
This scareity of laborers has been
explainied in this way: that wages
paid now are very much better than
in former years, and as the average
colored person must have so much
money each week, if he can get it by
working hour (4) days in the week, he
is sure to loaf around for the remain
ing two (2) days. Now, I cannot con
vinee mNyself that such workers are
representatives of the average negro
laborer. It appears to me that these
represent (lie little withered crop of
dudes, and not the average negro la
borer.
legarding their reliability as to
how lonl' a time they may stay with
their employer, it does seem to
me that there is some truth in many
cases, but not in the majority of them.
It is claimed that a colored man when
he has agreed to work for his employ
or, and has really worked for some
days, will leave without giving any
proper notice of his intention to do
so, and wilhout assigning any reason
and if lie 'ive anly reasons for leaving
his employer, he will almost always
give some other than the real cause.
He will say lie is sick, or something
of that sort and keep back the real
cause. The real cause may be and
sometimes is that he finds lie cannot
support himself and family upon
wihat his employer is giving him as
wages.
Now the plain diuty of such a man
who finds honestly and by careful
scrutiny that he cannot support his
family 111)011 the wages paid hilm-his
plain duty in such a case'is, on fiid
ing this, to go at once to his employ
er, and tell him calmly and deliber
ately that he has a family, and that
his labor is his capital to give them
and himself honest support anid that
by strict economy and careful inves
tigationl lie cannot (10 this with his
present wages. For this reason, he
asks that lie be given an increase of
wages that lie may honorably live as
any other honest and honorable man.
If the employer is a man of consid
eration and sane judgment, Ie will
surely appreciate such a course on the
part of his employe andi in nine cases
out of tenl, if tile employe las proved
himseltf to be honest, indulstrus, and
worthImy of trust lie will in most cases,
T'think, get an increase in his earn
ings. I have in my miind now a case
ini pintii. [t is thliis: A co(loried man
dlecidled to leave hiis em plover, not
for any cause of comiplauint onu his
palrt , mnor onl the parit of hiis employer
about hiis work or about his pay. iIe
simiply decided toI leave for other
caumses that entirely justified him, lie
wen~ t to his emloyer and1( gave hiim
several 1d'ays notice beforehand. On ihe
day beflore lie intended leavinig, his
empilolyeri told him t hat alt houghi lie
had not asked increase ini Ihis earn
ings lhe wvould gzive it to him if lie
woul slay on withI him. This ini
eca-e a mounited to more thIian he
wvould recive f'rom his new em ployer.
But lie would not st av as he hamd gir
en his word to his~ new emlo(yer that
he w.nbll serve him. Thodlay, withI t wo
miniutes notice this man can get wvork
wvith his former emphloyer.
Thiis man cert ainly purmsu ed the
prpe course. No man should leave
his emiployer wit hout giving him
pro~pr niotice, anid assigninlg thle real
rea soiis for it and t his should b)e done
sumeliently long beforehand to give
tme to th'ink (lie mattr over or get
somei( oilier. one to take his la(ce. lie
should not leave before a similar
course is taken eveni if his new emi
layer' slhul give him tw~iee as i meh
a.4 he had fornierly received as wages.
Thi- course will avoid all embarirass
mient and inconveniences so certaini to
come ahout by any imn)roner course.
I think in those cases where such
a disregard of strict honesty occurs,
it is not meant to be dishonest,
but it really is so. We must all re
member that a bushel of good inten
tion and good meaning plus a littlo
fraction of sincerity will never equal
strict honiesty.
If our employers will have patience
and foresight, and think a little ser
iously about the families which their
employes have, and also of the posi
tive demand upon all men to live lion
a,tly and honorably, there will be
very few cases of this kind with the
average negro worker whether wash
erwoman, cook, nurse or farm labor
er.
There is one thing which has caused
the scarcity of negro workers, the re
sponsibility for which scarcity I must
place at the door of the white people
themselves, and I think you will' all
agree with me.
Here is a farmer who hires a man
for a year. He has him to sign a con
tract, which he thinks is a guarantee,
certain and, sure that the laborer will
serve him for a year without regard
to future conlsideratioll and colse
quences. The laborer has actually be
gun to work, aindl has worked for sev
eral days. Maybe he has not worked
at. all, but at the time he signed your
contract you advaiced to him $5, $10,
$15, $20 or $25 as the case may be.
Now that man has taken your money
and spent it, and lie does not feel as1
much obligation to you as lie Would
feel if lie had had no advancd nion
ey. Yoi feel as if lie is bound and
consistent with your feelings you treat
him so. le feels jns( the other way.
le feels thati( he is loose, and con11sis
tent with his feelin-s lie acts so. 1le
certainly has the advantag.e of you
here for he iats youir $25 or ias had
it. 1 (1o not, believ'e that the employ
ei himself inl the majority of cases of
advanced money, feels safe in doing
so, but lie advances his money because
lie is a cheap mann i a;d, somehow, lie
hopes to hobble through his crop with
this cheap inni. Thiscea man almost
invariably turns out to be the dearest
1111111 you have ever had on your farim
after all. Of' eourse, this mani ought
never to treat his employer in that
manner. le is dead wrong for doing
so, and I, for one, have 11t sympathy
with him at all; but do you not see
that lie employer lias committed the
greatest error and the bigest blunder
at all in advancing his money when
it is tle next thing to an absolute eer
tainty thatl he will surely lose li.
money? It seems too plain for hon
est questioning. Now I really think
this advaleed money system ought to
I done away with. All experience
teaches that it is productive of had
restilts. Of course you send (le 1111111
to tlie county chain gang for 40, 50
or 100 days, but that is poor pay (or
the farmer while in this particular
case for such a worker, it is lie prop
er place for him. The farmer himself
is poorly compiensatBed for he is out of
$25 whiichi lie unever gets iaaii; more
v'e r, he is payintg th at iit for every
day~ lie w~or'ks for the county' when lie
needs him so much 4on his fairmi.
Th'le wayf to doi it. it seeums to ime, is
to hire a numn st raiJtoml . Take him
uder ai contrmact it yout want to.
There is certanintly no objectuin fto
hat. A contract rarely, if ever,
hiurts an honest mani. Pay lhin pre'
cisely as agireed upon whiietIher byv lie
day, week, month Ith(iree muonthIis or
year'; but this cheaap manl and t his ad
v'anced money man, it is well andi~ best
to 1let him i go on hiis way' reci n ng.
For the common lalborer, thle me
elai:'ii( and( the prof'essional iman, I
ha:1ve long~ bel iev'ed thait thle soiuth If
1(er, thle very best opp1 ortutnily, Hie
'irtiiinly shirts with this advantnge
Ilhnt he has t he great masses oif his
oIwn people withI him, a thiing that
will be thle ease for thle next .1,000
yearis despite any eff'ort s to thle con..
trmary. lie has also a great tnumber
of friends amlotng the whtit es who will
surecly hlp hlim to make thle most. and
best of' his opportunity. It will niot
alw'a ys be charged to thlese friends
ha't thley' have been cowa rds, anud
Ihave allowed1 thle r'owdy' 'it izenls to
hiold swa y, f'earingu if they rhuotild
protiiest, t hey will be k nown as dhe
fenmidi ng thle "'niggers.'' Thiis cert a in
ly wuill ,not alwauys he charged to
4hem.
Udrany andl all nhoe no mis
representation or wrong of wlhatover
sort, it is the plain duty of the negro
to seek advice and help and coopera
tion of the best white people in the
south, and in doing so, he will pro
mote and advance the interests of
both races, and most certainly those
interests of his own. I plead for a
better understanding of boti races.
Wie have been too far apart. This
surely will relieve much of the pres
5ure now experiiencedand greatly sim
plify what has long been known as
the "Negro Problem.''
13. Levister.
''Everybody Works But Father,"
Howard Webster's Iatest musical
comedy, bid's fair to become as popu
lar as the song that inspired it. The
play is enjoying the same success on
lte road as, it did during the months
of its excellent openilg. Tihe music
is cateliy and popular, the numbers
are beautiil and entrancing, the hu
mior is infectious and the whole idea
and purpose of tle comtedy a bril
liant eftort. inl play construiction. Mr.
Iliarrison (ireene, as a comedian,
nleeds no0 int(roduet.ionl to thleatre-ro
ers, and il's acting of, the (lerian
fatiher in this parlicullar play has
beenl filvoriably compared witi tihe
work off Loulis Manli and by some
ctriies, as eVeil i 1unnier initerpret'a
tion. There is a laugh in every line,
and throughout 0he eitire play. (le
i0rg(eoIIusIiess of, tle stage pictires
and beauty and grac of thie Iiialny
prelly girls, coulpled with tle iimelody
aind catcily sonl.gs and efleetivenless of
its many musically nuibers and elev
trical dances hol one spellbound
witi tie possibilities of thlie comeidy
a111d beaulty (W its voniceptionl.
"l'verybody W iors 1h1t Fatiher'
will be given iil tle opera house on
Saturday, March 2.
MR. THOMAS HOYT DEAD.
Former Resident of Johnston, This
State, Passes Away at Ameri
cus, Georgia.
News aid Cmurivr.
Coluibia, February 26.---News was
received here today of Ile deati of
Mr. Thomas P. Hoyt at his home ini
Amieriit s, (ia. h'lle news was not a
sirprise, as his relatives here had
been apprised of Ile fact that Mr.
Iloyt suffered a troke of paralysis
several weeks ago and tlat there was
little hope of his recovery. lIe died
at 10 W'clock last Iighit.
Mr. Iloyt was lie second son of the
late (of. J. P. Iloyt, who lived i'or a
iinmber of' years at lIanreis, S. C.,
wihere Air. TlIomas P". Iloyt spent hlis
hovhlood. 1e was a broliher of' the
lale (,ol. 'James A. Iloyl, of (1,ireen
ville, and, like his brollier, learned
lte prinier's trade inl hiis Yoiti and
speit Imolt of* his life in Ilie nlewspa
p' bu4sin1s. ilr the last sevi- l
year s lie hand lived at Ameirieiis, whiere
lie was on thle edhitor'ial sI afY of' lie
Timieis-Wi''order. Previouis to thfat,
iimelie lived at Fort \'aley amit at.
A iulustaI.
AIrm. 11loyt was I wit'e noirried . II is
irmst wife was Al iss MJat tie lieady,
danuighteri of Dr)u. IHeady, of' dohnistoin,
E'dgefield counity,~ aiid I hjr sons of.
I his iiarr'i a e suri'v: M Iessi's. Tholm
is 1P. 1 loyt, Ji'., JIohni P'. lloyt and
W. II. 1 leyI, all of' who'm live at Jhni
stoii. 1 is first, wife died a inmber of'
yearis ago and lie suibseqpientfly mar
ried Miss FaniieI lioebiiek, of near
Auiguistai, (Ga.. whot survivyes lim t.
As a bouy Mir. H-oyt vo l unitevi'ed f'oir
service iin te Confed'('Ie'rate arimy and
wen'it ouit ith IiIhe miliftia near the
close of' hostilities, Ile wais about (13
yeariis oif age ait thle t im' of' his dleathI.
The body will be broiighit to thle
formei' hiome of' Mr. I Foyt, at Johni
st on aind the funiei'al will t ak pwlaceo
at 10 o 'clock fomoirrow mnorninig at
War.d 's cemiet cry.
J. 1I.
Th'le rea soil a bachielori never' enjoys
hia vinig a good ti met is becausie he can
have it whenver lit wants to.
Wise is lie w hot kinows just. whati to
say--an w1h leni tto sany if.
Them 'mor'e a man11 knows at twventy
iem leux lit' is ..nt ino mi,mw at lvivy.