Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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vOT. \'T MAINNING, S. C. I WEDNESDAY, JANUAi2 196. .____ NO. 26. THE GOVERNOWS 1 ESSA(E. HIS VARIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. An Exhaustive Presceatation of the Condi tion and the Needs4 of the State, Govern ment. The annual message of Governor John Gary Evans was read to the Senate and the House of Representa tives, at the opening of the present session, as follows: GENrLE3IEN OF THE GENERAL As SE3IPLY: The past year has been a mo mentous one in the history of South Carolina. Much has been done to the glory and renown of the State, and much has been done'that might well have been left undone. For the first time since IS6 S your deliberations will be governed by an organic law framed by our own peo ple. Under the Act passed by your honorable body calling and providing for a Constitutional Convention, dele gates were duly elected by the people, and the Convention assembled on the 10th day of September, and adjourned on the 4th day of December A. D. 1895, having framed the present Con stitution, whica went into effect on January 1, 1896. I deem it unnecessary to give you more than a cursory v,-tiew of the ef forts made by a few whiteomea and the negroes to defeat the holding of this Convention, and but for the sake of history I should not do so at all. After the primary elections for State and county officers last summer an action was brought by Matthew C. Butler, ex-United States Senator, aganst W. T. C. Bates and W. H. 0llerbee, State Treasurer and Compt roller-General respectively, to enjoin the payment of the salaries due to the Supervisors of Registration of the State upon the ground that our elec tion laws were unconstitutional, null and void. The result was a victory for the State, but the decision not coming in time to suit the plaintiff's a new tack was taken, and a case made against the Supervisor of Richland county. A ready tool was found in United States Circuit Judge Goff, a Republi can from West Virginia, and one, to use his own wordswho felt that "duty mingled with inclination" compelled him to declare our registration laws unconstitutional, and to enjoin the officers from executing them. While this crisis confronted us I felt impell ed to issue an address to the people of the State preparing them for tbe issues that might confront us, and I had no fears of their ability to meet them. In this address I gave pen potraits of the judes and their co conspirators and it is unnecessary to portray them here. F e e are enabled to ap peal to the United State Circuit Court of Appeals in time to reverse Judge Goff and conduct otr election for del egates under the registration law now of force. In this connection I desire to express my high appreciation of the ability dispiayed by the Attorney Genera and his assistant and the val uable services of Messrs. McCrady, Barnwell and Mower. These gentle men voluntarily offered their services to the State in over throwing the tyr any of Judge Goff, but I was unwill ing to accept them gratis, and upon the request of the Attorney-General I re tmned Messrs. Mcorady and Mower to assist in the management of the cases. I trust that your honorable .body will grant them such remutneration as you - may think just aud equitable. In spite of all efforts to defeat it, our Convention has met and adjourned and given us a good Constitution, and we.can well afford to let bygones be bygones and deal with the present as we find it.. . Many changes have been made in our system of government, and 1 feel it my duty to point out to you the most important, as I deem them, for your immediate consideration and suggest the legislation required of you to make them effective. RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE. The most important Article com mu t~ing your attention is that of the "Uht of Suffrage." This matter should be given the right of way, and let it be the first law enacted by your honorable body. There are many reasons for this. First, the people are anxious to know how and when the right to register is to be had; second it is of vital importance that a full regis tration of electors should be had be fore the next general election. The .requirements of the Constitution are '"residence in the State two years in the County one'year and in the poll ing precincts in which the elector of fers to vote four months, and the pay ment six months before any election of any poll tax due and payable. Ministers of the Gospel and school teachers are entitled to vote after six months' residence in the state. (b) Registration which shall provide for the enrollment of every elector once in ten years and also and enroll ment during each and every year of every elector not previously register (c) All male persons of voting age applying for registration who can read any Section -of the Constitution submitted to them by the registration officers, or understand and gplain it when read to them. These are the requirements up to January, 1898. Afiter this time a per son applying for registration, if other wise qualified, must be able to both read and write any Section of the Con stitution submitted to him by the reg istration officer, or can show that he owns and has paid all taxes collecti ble during the previous year on prop erty in the State assessed at three hun dred ($300) dollars or more. The pay ment of all taxes, including poll tax, is a prerequisite to voting. It will readily appear to you that different legislation is required for the period up to January 18%S, from that thereafter. I would suggest, however, to your honorable body that all the provisions of the Constitution and your legislation in~ reference thereto be comprised in one statute, as it is exceedingly desirable that it should be thoroughly circulated among the citi zens of the State. D~esigning demna gogues are already at work filling the ears and heads of confiding constitu ents with false impressions concern ing the provisions of the Constitution, and there is no safer plan to set at naugh such falsehnds than by allow ing the people to see and read for theniselves. It is your duty to provide for the issuing to each duly registered elector a certificate of registration, and for the renewal thereof when lost, muti lated or destroyed. I am satisfied you can do no better than to adopt th6 old form of registration certificate and the provisions of the statute now of force regulating the same, expunging such provisions as conflict with the new Constitution. which will readily pre sent themselves to you. This, how ever, is a matter for your own good judgemnt and wisdom. Any person denied registration shall have the right of appeal to the Court of Com mon Pleas or any Judge thereof, and thence to the Supreme Court. It is made your duty to provide by law for such appeal and for the correction of illegal and fraudulent registration, voting and all other crimes against the election laws. I would suggest that as little red tape as possible be placed around this right of appeal, and that you shall amply provide against defeating it by technicalities. There should be also as little expense attached to the right as possible. Un der the provisions governing this right of appeal to the Supreme Court now existing in civil cases, I fear very few cases of denied registration would ever reach this stage if the same were made applicable. The persons com plaining in such cases must necessari ly be of the poorer and less intelligent classes; but this is a sacred right under our form of government, and they are entitled to every test allowed un der the Constitution, consistent with rule of inteltigence, without unneces sary hardship or expense. The sever est Punishment should be prescribed by your honorable body for frauds in registration or voting. There was a time when the ends would seem to jus tify the means in this particular, but the necessity no longer exists, %nd the day is past when anything but the will of the intelligent majority freely and honestly expressed at the ballot box can govern in South Carolina. Certain persons convicted of crime, the insane, etc.. are disqualifed from registering or voting. I would re spectfully recommend that you pro vide for a list of all criminals in each county, to be filed in the office of the Supervisor of Registration and also with the Clerk of the Court, in order that they may be forever barred of the privilege of registering or voting. It is incumbent upon you to pre scribe the manner of holding elections and of ascertaining the results of the same. There is no necessity for any change at this time in our law in this particular. Our people are accus tomed to the eight box law, and there can be no just or valid objection to the manner of obtaining the results of elections. We have been served with notice that this aiticle in our Consti tution would be tested before the Uni ted States Supreme Court: and while I have no fears as to the result, and am fully convinced of its constitution ality, still should another Goff come along, whose "inclinations made it his duty" to set aside our registration the -day before election, in such an emergency our eight box law would be some "protection. I, therefore, would respectfully recommend that you leave this statute as it stands, and in future, when our status is thorough ly settled. such action can be taken as may be deemed expedient. The poll ing precincts of the State must be changed so as to make every incorpo rated town a separate polling precinct. This is necessary for the following reasons: Section 12 of Article II pro vides that electors in municipal elec tions shail possess the qualiaications and be subject to the disqualifications herein prescribed. The production of a certificate of registration from the registration officers of the county as an elector at a precinct included in the iincorporated city or town in which the voter desires to vote is declared a condition prerequisite to his obtaining a certificate of registration for munici pal elections, etc. There are many in corporated towns in the State that do not include polling precincts, but are included within such precints. It is, therefore, necessary to have such towns include such a precinct in order for the electors therein to vote in mu nicinal elections. You are also re quired to provide for the registration of electors in municipalities; but this should be done in your general law for such corporations and as near uni form with that prescribed for State electors as practicable. OTHER ARITICLES. The Governor then proceeds to pre sent, and very briefly expound the provisions of the new Constitution on the following subjects: Legislative de partment, executive department, j udi cial department, jurisprudence, coun ties and county government, munmci pal corporations and police regula tions, corporations, finance and taxa tion, education, penal and charitable institutions. EDUCATION. On the subject of education, as pro vided for in the new Constitution, the Governor said: The people are to be congratulated upon the liberal manner in which the Constitution has provided for the com mon schools of the State- It is incum bent upon you to provide the machine ry for carrying out the provisions of the Constitution. and to this end you are given absolute power in the elec tion or appointment and control of all school oflicers. The School Commis sioner is no longer a constitutional of ice, and you may abolish the office or cotinue it as you see fit. Great dis satisfaction exists as to the competen cy and ability of the School Commnis soner in sonme of the counties, and it would be well for you to prescribe the qualifications of this oficer, so that in his election or appointment some re gard may be had as to the character, itness, and ability to perform the high duties of the office. If this is not done, in mly judgment the office should be abolished and the entire management of the schools be placed in the hands of the county board of examiners and the local trustees. in some cases men have been elected to this oilice who culd not read and write, and certain Is were unable to write a sentence cor rectly, and whose moral character was not well calculated to elevate the tone o the teachers or pupils under their supervison. The common schools of the State are required to be separate and distinct for white and colored children, and pupils of either race are- prohibited from attending the schools so set apart for the other race, The County' authorities are rel ui red to levy a tax of three mills on' the dol lar upon all taxable property in their respective Counties, which tax shall be collected at the same time and by the same offiersva o ther taxes. It is made the duty of the School Trustees to expend and disburse this tax as the General Assembly may provide. I would suggest that you leave this to the Board of Trustees as in their wis don may seem best for the interests of their several districts. Local self-gov ernment in this particular is greatly to be desired, and better results will be obtained than by any effort of your body to prescribe rules and regu la6ions to meet the conflicting condi tions that necessarily exist in the va rious school districts. The people who pay the tax can better judge as how to apply it to their own interest than the General Assembly. with all due re spect to your body. The manner of selecting trustees need not be uniform, and cannot be throughout the State if intelligence is to govern in such selec tions. The Representatives from the several Counties are the judges of how to select these officers, and their con clusions will no doubt be accepted by vour body. A supplementary tax is provided for whenever the amount raised from the three mills tax levy fails to provide a per capita of three dollars upon the number of pupils enrolled. With this, however, you have not to deal, as it is made the duty of the Comptroller General to levy the supplementary tax if needed. It is within your province to prescribe the number of months during which the free schools shall re main open, and in case the taxes here tofore mentioned are insufficient to maintain them ycu are required to levy such additional tax upon the property of the State as may be sufli cient for such purpose. To provide a term of less than six months would be a failure upon your part to satisfy the great demand of our people for better common schools. Unless our youths are better prepared in these foundation schools the thirst for higher education will be slaked, and our system of colleges will become top heavy and fall of its own weight. All the net income to be derived by the State from the sale or license for the sale of intoxicating liquors, all gifts to the State where the purpose is not designated, all escheated property, the net assets or funds of all estates or copartnerships in the hands of the Courts of the State where there have beea no claimants for the same within the last seventy years, and the direct tax fund, are set apart as a permanent school fund, to be~ securely 'invested, and the annual income shall be appor tioned by the Genei al Assembly for the purpose of maintaining the public schools. This sum will be a large one, and it will be necessary for you to prescribe the manner in which and by whom it is to be invested, as the Constitution leaves this doubtful. It is made the duty of the General Assembly to provide for the division of the Counties into suitable school dis tricts as compact in form as practicable having regard to natural boundaries, and not to exceed forty-nine nor be less than nine square miles in area, etc. It is impossible for your body to do more than leave this matter in the hands of the County Boards of Exam iners and other County .,cnool author ities, enjoining .1pon tneur tMe exec a tion of tius provision. OUR1 OLD SOLDIERS. It is made the duty of your honor abie body at your first session after the adoption of the Constitution to pro vide such proper and liberal legisla tion as will guarantee and secure an annual pension to every indigent or disabled Confederate soldier and sai lor of this State and of the late Con federate States who are citizens of this State and also to the indigent widows of Confederate soldiers and sailors. I feel that it is absolutely unneces sary for me to say one word in refer ence to this matter to enable you to realize your duty . Most of you are Confederate veterans, and those who are not are sons of Confederate soldi ers. If there is one thing dear to the hearts of South Carolinians, it is the memory of the lost cause. A State that exhausted her all to maintain it cannot be ungrateful in her hour of prosperity to the indigent and disabled veteran who stand as a living moun ment of the principlee which must finally prevail to perpetuate this re public. Let your appropriation be, as the Constitution directs, proper and liberal. SUMMARY OF NEw LAWS. Having thus gone over ln a cursory manner the various Articles of the Constitution, it will be seen that the legislation, required of you at this ses sion of your honorable body may be classified as follows: 1. An Act to regulate the right of sutfrage and for regulation of elec tions. 2. An Act defining and protecting the homestead for heads of families and for persons not heads of families 3. An Act to provide for the incor poration of cities and towns and for changing, amending or altering the changing, amending or altering the charters thereof. 4. An Act to provide for the incor poration of railroad. telegraph and other trausporting and transmittmng companies. 5. An Act to provide for the incor poration of oanking institutions. 6. An Act to provide for a more speedy administration of justic (Coun ty Courts, or increase of Circut Judges) and for the interchange of Circuits among Circuit Judges and for change of venue. 7. An Act to provide for the appoint ment or election of a Comminssioner to codify the laws and detine his duties. S. An Act regulating the formation of new Counties. 9. An Act to provide a uniform as sessment of property for taxation. 10. An Act to provide the manner in which claims ag2.inst the State may be established and adjusted. T1here are other matters not so urgent that may well be continued until your next regular session. THE PAST YEARl. The Governor then reviews the transactions of the State gove-rnment for the past year. He notes tihe fact that at its commencement there was a deficit of ji5:,000 when lie came into o1!i'e-which, however, has been paid ol in full. The receipts, from all sources, for the fiscal year ending Oc tober 31, 1S95, were 81,9I71,892.29, to which is added $203, 25t.24, balance on hand October :31, 1894-making the funds available $2,175,4.53. The total expenditures have amounted to ?t.90252.52-leaving a balance im tie ircasur v October 31. 1@5, of ?$272, - 1:1.01. After certain receipts andl dis bursements during Novemiber and De cmber, 1@:5, there was a cash balanice Dec. 31, lt-:n, of $22:,:972.70. THLE PHiOSPHIATE iRoYA LTY. The following is a comnparativye state ment of receipts from the phosphate 1S94. January. .......3,273 61 February....... 1,008 94 March .......... 5,05829 April........... 1,950 00 May............ 2,500 00 June ........11,864 34 July ........... 6,609 50 August....... . 3,565 50 September..... .11,454 53 October......... 3,390 52 November....... 5,698'60 December....... 7,524 57 $63,89S30 1895. January.........2,8S5 25 February.......11,171 50 March..........12,120 50 April........... 3,46050 May......... 5,540 74 June ......... 5,240 00 July............14,107 00 August......... 5,129 00 September...... 9,066 05 October.........11.364 59 November....... 3,127 33 December.,..... 8,320 00 91,532 97 8155,43127 The State starts the new fiscal year without a dollar of indebtedness. 'The change of the time of its commence ment to the 1st of January leaves a period of 14 months to be provided for by the present general assembly. The Governor next considers the ways and means of running the State govern ment for the present year. lIe shows that we are entirely dependent upon a direct tax to raise funds to meet the ordinary expenses of the government. I am satisfied, however, we will be able to meet all demands with the same levy as for the past year. with the exception, howevor, of the two months additional. Had the funds of last year been left applicable to the ordi'nary expenses, the levy for the next year would not have exceeded 3 mills. The total taxable property of the State for the past fiscal year is .169,448,941. This will be greatly in creased another year by the large number of manufactories now in pro cess of erectic'n, and it is to be hoped by a more uniform system of assess ment, necessary to be devised by your honorable body as required by the Constitution. Your present levy will be upon the assessment of 1SS4-95 for State purposes, but this is not true as to county and schools. The funds aris ing from taxes of 1894-5 for county and school purposes were expended on contracts made against them before they were even collectei. This condi tion is unfortunate for the creditors of the counties who are school teachers and contractors, who are compelled to discount their claims at exorbitant rates. To meet the difficulties arising from such a condition, I would re spectfully suggest that all contracts due or to become due, after expending the revenues of the year 1894-95 from any lawful cause prior to January 1, 1856, for county cr school purposes be declared past indebtedness and the county authorities be allowed to issue bonds to liquidate the same. The bonds could be made payable, say in 1o0 7 a m-an VIuvW1SIn or the r'e tirement of a given number each year. The counties of the State would thus be placed upon a cash basis and teach ers relieved of great hardship. Much complaint has been made . by the comptroller general against the pres ent system of assessing the property of co:porations other than railroad. I think the complaint well founded, as justice and equity demand uniformity in this particular. We have in one county the stock of a bank that pays 10 per cent, dividend assessed at 75 cents on the dollar. In an adjoining county a bank that pays S per cent. dividends assessed at l08 on the dollar. I would respectfully suggest to your honorable body that the State board of railroad assessors be given jurisdic tion over all banking and manufactu ring companies in this respect. We would then have one central authority with no local influences that could be brought to bear upon it. The same difficulty exists as to the method of taxing insurance companies. I would respec:fully recommend that in lieu of the present system of taxing pre miums received in the various coun ties, which is almost impossible to get at, a fixed per cent. of such gross pre miums be required to be paid direct into the State treasury, and, if neces sary, the proportion adjusted between the several counties. Under the terms of the new Consti tution the general assembly is author ized to impose a graduated tax on in comes and on professions and business occupations. .[t is hardly necessary for me to argue to your honorable body the justice of an income tax. It has been advocated upon every stump and throughout the- entire Union as the most equitable system of taxing the rich in proportion to the poor. It is impossible to devise a system that will secure a just return of personal property. It has been the dream of legislators and statesmen for years, and we are no nearer a solution of the problem today than we were a century ago. I believe an income tax will greatly assist in solving the problem. The present time will be known to history as the great bond era in the history of our country. As wealth becomes centralized its power is brought to bear, with -dl of its cor rupting influences, to obtain non-tax able securities. The citizens of towns and cities and corporations require more protection from government than the rural population, and it is but pro per that they should bear a greater proportion of its burdens. U nder the law money invested in State and United States bonds is ex empt from taxation. The stock of banks and corporations is exempt in proportion to the amount of their cap ital invested in State bonds. This was intended to encourage the banks to as sist the State in refunding her debt, and yet not one would come to her rescue at the critical moment and we were forced to sell the banks in foreign markets. SINKING FUND). Under the refunding act $75,t)I per annum of the receipts from phosphate royalty is required to be set apart as a cumulative singing fund. I foun d cash on hand to the credit or this ac count fronm the last fiscal year %25, 275.231 invested and drawing no inter est. The governor, State treasurer and attorney general were made a c~onfl mittee for the puroose of investing taii fund. After trying the markets of the State and the principal cities outsideC of the State it was found that the State bonds could not be purchased for less than 106 and subsequently for 110. This fund being cumuilativ" and the commission having no authority to cancel the bonds as purchased. 1 deem ed it unadvisable and unwise to pur chase securities whose price was high lose so much of the sinking fund as was paid out for premiums." I imme diately arranged with the banks in which this fund was deposited, requir ing them to pay 4 per cent. from the time that the deposits were placed with them until checked out by the committee. We have since received from the phosphate royalty during the fiscal year just closed $93,308.71. This is in the bank subject to the check of the commission and drawing interest at the same rate. PHOSPHATE INTEREST. This industry has never recovered from the cyclone -of 1893 and I fear never will. We have no longer a mo nopoly of the business, and the dis covery of phosphate rock in Florida, Tennessee and Algiers has made com petition very lively. The report of Phosphate Inspector Jones is gloomy anid discouraging, but I fear Mr. Jones takes too pessimistic view of the situ ation. The State received from January 1894, to January, 1895. $63,898.30, which was placed to the account of the sinking fund. From January. 1805. to January, 1896, the receipts were $91, 532.27, which was also placed to the credit of the sinking fund. Besides, thei e was $4,158.92 received in Novem ber and December last, which was placed to the credit of the general ac count in the treasury, making in all $93691.19. There is now due and un paid by the phosphate companies the sunm of $14,019.55 royalty upon rock actually mined and sold. This added to the above amount gives $109,710,74, the amount that should have been re ceived from Jan. 1st, 1895, to Jan. 1st. 1896, representing an output of 219,420 tons. The phosptate royalty received for the fiscal year ending Oct. 31st, 1892. was $152,28G.40. This upon a royalty of $1 per ton. Uponthe same royalty we would have received for the. past fiscal year $219,421.48. Unless the situation has greatly changed since my inspection of the phosphate interests last spring I am satistied it would be unwise in your honorable body to accept the recom mendation of the phosphate inspector to reduce the royalty to 25 cents per ton. I have heard of no complaint from the phosphate companies on ac count of the royalty, and I am satisfied it is low enough for the present at least. STATE PENITENTIARY. The report of the superintendent and board of directors of this institution shows it to be in a healthy, successful and sound fluancial condition. The number of prisoners confined during the past fiscal year is se.venty-two less than for the previous year. This is due to the sentencing of short term con victs to the county chain gang. It is to be hoped that the number so sen tenced will increase to such an extent as to all convicts sentenced to the pen itentiary to be employed within the wall or upon the farms operated by the .State. The practice of leasing con victs to private parties is objectiona ble to the people of the State and lia ble to be abused. In one case in the ,,,~.of Ocone. 1ws comnelled to -6r eoutte Militia br the parpose of protecting a convict who had been assigned to a private contractor, with in that county. The people became indignant at the liberties allowed a convict, who deserved the severest pun ishment. I .Iesire to say however that this was caused by a guard acting without authority and not from any order of the superiniendent. When called to the attention of the authori ties of the penitentiary the convict was promptly conveyed to and confined within the walls of the prison. I re gret to see a want of harmony among the board of directors as will appear to you from the minority report submit ted by Mr. Willoughby. The matters submitted in such report were called to my attention and I met with the boaral in order to see that every means and such information as the books af forded were given the board for their direction. Mr. Willoughby was ap pointed a committee of one to enquire into the contracts made by the super intendent and to correspond with dealers throughout the United States with a view of obtaining supplies for the institution at as low a price as pos sible. I have not received his report on account of my inability to attend the last meeting of the board, but I am satisfied it will be upon the minutes duly recorded. I would respectfully recommend however that your honor able body appoint a committee to in vestigate the affairs of this institution in deference to the request of Mr. Willoughby and make their report at this session. By reference to the report of the su perintendent it will be seen that the institution commences the new year with $15,095.87 in cash and supplies. DEAF AND BLIND ASYLUM. The institution continues to be ad mirably conducted and with less com plaint than any institution under our government.- The remarkable record as to the health of the students made by the institution may be well considl ered by the management of other insti tutions in the State. the cost per cap ita for medical attention, etc., being only 33 cents per capita. Not a single case of serious illness having occurred during the entire year. This is attri butable in a large measure to the kind attention and motherly care given by the miatron of the institution. EDL'CATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. The South Carolina college is enjoy ing an era of prosperity in excess of any heretofore in its history. During the past year there was an enrollment of 18t0 students, for the previous year there was an enrollment of 160, and for the year before that an enrollment of only~08. Thus it will be seen that in a period of three years the institu tion has almost trebled its enrollment. This is due, in a large measure, to the rivalry of other State institutions and to the exertions of the alumni who seem to have awakened at last to the fats that the institution must live on patronage and not sentiment. The college has also been fortunate in se curing a faculty that will compare in ability and intelligence to similar in stitutionls in any State. 1 must com mend the spilrit and patriotism that las actuated the various members of the fae-nlty to place themselves and the institution in closer touch with the neople. The dormitories of the college are taxed to only one half of their capaci ty. Your honor-able body has seen fit to open the college to women and dur ing the collegiate year thirteen young ladies availed themselves of this priv ilege. and I am informed by members of the faculty that in their examina tion they have stood in the front rank of their'classes. I am satisfied if one of the coilege dormitories were set apart for the accommodation of young Lades suitable nrovision made for a .mtrn ndatntaes necessary for such purpose the college would soon contain as many young women as men. I regret to see a disposition on the part of some of the oflicers of the college to keep this feature in the back ground, and while openly offering no opposition, give it no enconragement or publicity and thereby defeat the will of your body. The committee appointed by the board of trustees upon the finances of the institution have made the follow ing estimate of expenses for the col leiate year: balaries of president, nine profes sors, one assistant professor, chaplain, instructor in elocution and director in gymnasium, $24,000: for all other pur poses. $10,000. Total $34,000. To meet this you are asked to ap propriated $30,000, the amount of fees. tuition annual, being estimated to supply the remaining $4,000. Iat tended the first meeting of the board of trustees, at which a reduction was made in salaries and expenses of the institution and this amount is in ex cess of the estimates then made. I am satisfied that an appropriation of $25,000 will be ample and sufficient for the maintenance and support of the institution together with the fees expected, and respectfully recommend the appropriation of such an amount. CLAFLIN COLLEGE. This institution as a part of the South Carolina university I regret to say is the only State institution that I have been unable to visit during the past year. I am entirely dependent, therefore, upon the report of the board for information concerning its manage ment. The enrollment for the year was 570 students, which shows a large increase to that for the previous year. You are familiar with the fact that Claflin college and Claflin university have been united for many years and the two operate as one institution. Under the new constitution, it is in cumbent upon you, as soon as practi cable to wholly separate Claflin college from Claflin university and provide a separate corps of professors and in structors therein, representation to be given to men and women of the Negro race. The new institution shall be the Colored Normal, Industrial, Agricul tural and Mechanical college of the State. It will be impracticable for you to establish this college or to effect the separation at this session of your body. THE MILITARY ACADE3MY. I have never been a great advocate of miliary education but it has great fascination for a large clase of our citi zens and young men. This institution is one of the oldest in the State and on% : round which clusters many his torical events. During the first part of last year it was my pleasure to visit this institution, as a member of the board of visitors, and to personally re view the cadets and the work of the faculty . I have visited many military institutions and there is no cause for any South Carolinian to be ashamed of his. The work of the professors is well done, considering the poor equip ment with which they have to do it. I was surprised to find many of the a roonm ILaaequaLely iurisneac and in most cases hardly better than the crossroad school house. If the academy is to be maintained it should be done in a manner worthy of the State, if not, it should be abolished. There were upon the rolls during the last collegiate year 146 cadits, of which 68 were beneficiary and 78 pay cadets. The per capita cost of maintenance and support of the beneficiary cadets was $293.89. This includes clothing, and in fa'ct everything necessary to support the student in becoming style. No other institution in the State fur nishes the articles included in this sum, so no comparison can be made as to relative amounts of per capita for support. The amount asked by the board of visitors for the maintenance of the institution for the year is $21, 400. You will observe thaat for the last year no appropriation whatever was made for repars. In my judge iment $20,000 will be ample to support repair and equip the institution. CLEMISoN COLLEGE. The governor is not a member of the board of trustees of this college, but I am grateful to the president, trustees and other officers of the institution for information in reference thereto. I visited the college last spring for the first time since its erection.- It should be a matter of pride to any South Carolinian to witness the successful operation of an institution of such magnitude within the State. The col lege compares favorably with any in stitution of like character in the Unit ed States. The institution opened its first session with over 600 students. To one who is familiar with the capac ity of the buildiae it would readily appes' that this number is far beyond its capacity, and I am glad to see that the students have reached such a num ber as to enable the institution to do justice to each and every one. During the past collegiate year the total en rollment was 372. The amonnt of money received from the State was as follows: Special appropriation....35, 000. 00 Privilege tax, less expenses. 25,941.29 Interest on Clemson bequest. 3,512.36 From old agricultural de partment................. 791.69 From experiment station fund for repairs..........S83740 Balance of insurance....... 0,15 1.43 Land scrip fund........... 5,754.00 Total..............S2.788.17 Besides this amount the fol lowing sums were re ceived-~ Hatch fund...15,000.00 Morrill fund...1,000.00) 25,000.00 Total income from all sources ....... ....107,7S8.17 Of this $50. 256. 79 was spent for en larging, rebuilding the main building and equipping recitation room, dairy, insurance,library, construction and re pairs, tools and machinery, leaving for maintenance and support $57531.38. to which must be added 10, Gs days of convict labor at 40" cents per day mak ing $4,272, a grand total for mainte nance at $61,80:3.38. The amount re quired of each student for clothing. board, medical fee, washing and inci dental fee is $101.U6 per annum. Add o this $166.11 the amount per capita appropriated by the State and we have $267.17 for per capita support. It must be remembered however i.hat the State receives more than the mere sup port and education of the students. The experimental staation and the du ties heretofore performed by the State agricultural department are per formed by the otlicers of this instiutiou and are paid out of this total sum for mamli tenance. The State has been liberal in its ap propriations to this insuitution and I am sure she feels fully recompensed liberality, however, I trust will be ap preciated and not abused by the au thorities of the college. I have reached the conclusion that it was unwise to appropriate the entire privilege tax fund, which is necessarily an uncertain quantity to this institution. Whilo it amounted last year to $30,000 I am satisfied that for the next year it will reach upward of $50,000. There has already been collected from this source over three times as much as was col lected for the corresponding time last year. It will thus be seen that this fund alone may be more than sufficient to run the institution, yet there is no way in which the surplus could be di verted to the support of other institu tions of learning in the State. I would recommend to your honorable body such legislation as you may deem wise to remedy this apparent encourage ment of extravagance in expenses. Much has been said in official circles and many rumors published in the press of the State as to the improper management of this institution and a lack of harmony among the board of trustees and the inefficiency of service in some of the departments. While I give no credence to such reports yet in justice to the board of trustees, the faculty and students on the one hand and the public on the other, who are entitled to know the truth I would re spectifully recommend that a commit tee of investigation be appointed by your body to examine into the work ings of the institution and forever set at rest such damaging reports. I regret to see the old homestead of Mr. Calhoun and the relics connected with his memory being desecrated in a manner that is unworthy of a people to whom he devoted the best energies of his life. The old homestead instead of being made a dwelling for a profes sor or attache of the college should be converted into a museum. and restored as near as practicable to the condition in wnich it was left by the great ad vocate of State sovereignty, a principle so dear to our people. The relics ncc huddled in one small room with a care lessness and lack of appreciation that is appalling to the visitors ahd admir ers of Mr. Calhoun. WINTHROP COLLEGE. On the 15th of October last the Win throp Normal and Industrial college for women was opened with appropri ate ceremonies, with aa enrollment of 304 students. Since that time it has in creased to 310, the full capacity of the institution. About one hundred ap plicants for admission have been re fused by reason of lack of room in the dormitories. Nothing has occurred to mar -he harmony and good manage ment of the institution. The spirit with which the young ladies entered upon their duties and the facility with which the institution has been con ducted is a compliment to both stu dents and faculty. Through the management:and finan cial ability of President Johnson the cost of maintaining a student is as fol lows: Board, including furnished room, lights and washing, $S.50 per month. Thk, with all nthab 'xpenses, not - cluding tuition, which is remitted to all who are unable to pay, makes the total cost $86.50; the total cost with tuition is $126.50. The students, are required to be in uniform, which if desired, is supplied by the matufac turers at a cost not exceeding $25 for the entire year. This includes two ordinary fatigue suits, one dress suit, one gymnasium suit, one hat and one pair of gloves. I venture to assert that the board and other expenses necessary to obtain an education at this institution will comapare favorably with that of any in our country. The State is now doing for our young women as much as for the young men. A chief aim of this institution is to furnish teachers for the common schools of the State, and it is fortu nate that the ample provisions for the support of these schools made by the new constitution will afford better re ward and offer more inducements to this class of students. The young men of this generation are to be congratulated upon having such a class from which to obtain fu ture wives. The amount of the ap propriation asked for by the board of trustees is $55,000, of which $22,000 are for past indebtedness and liabili ties incurred which were absolutely necessary for the opening of the college and $32,000, are for support and main tenance, equipment, repairs, insurance etc. During the past year the strict est economy has been practiced and the salaries are lower than any other institution in the State. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. The annual report of the superin tendent of education shows the public schools of the State to be in as prosper ous a condition as the funds devoted to this purpose would warrant. The enrollment for the year ,was 103,729 whites, 119,299 colored, aggregating 223,031I, a decrease from the previous year of 3,745. Of this number, how ever, 3.019 was in the county of Beau fort, which leaves the _average atten daace in the other counties about the sam? as it was for the previous year. The p~ast four years will be known as the gr-eat educational era of our State There seems to be a general enthusi asm among our people of all c'.asses in this great work. There has been a gradual increase since 1S90 in the length of the school term and it is contidently expected that when the new constitutional provisions are put into operation the school term will be increased to at least six months. With this accomplished the educational sys tem of South Carolina will be a com plete and efficient as that of any State of the Ujnioni. The total amount ex pended during the last fiscal year upon the common schools was $563, 74:3,66 which is three and one-third per cent. of the entire taxable property of the State or as much as any State in the Union in proportion to wealth. The average length of the session is four and three-tenths months or nearly twice as long as the average lengtn for 1888. Eighty-eight special school districts have increased the ta~x levy for school purposes and in most of not all of th.ese the school term in over s~ x months. THlE MILITIA. The militia of the State is in better coniti-m than it ever has been since the war-. This is d ue in a large mieas ure to the enlistment a.ct passed by your body at its last session. Under the order- of my predecessor several commands of the State were suspended for re-asons fully setdforth to your body 1 have restored several of these comnpa nies to their original status upon first requuing, however, that no soldier who refused to obey the orders of his captain~ or commanding oflicer during the Darlington riots should be allowved to enlist. I had occasion four times during my administration to order out the miliian in different parts; of the State. They have invariably re sponded.promptly and have performed their duty as becomes well organized militiamen. I have in compliance with the law remunerated them for their services out of the governor's contingent fund. RAILROADS. The railroad situation in the State has been changed aud greatly im proved by the reorganization of all roads in the hands of receivers and the release from the actural guardianship of the United States court. The entire mileage of the State may be divided up among three corporations as the minor lines are either owned or con trolled by them. They are the South ern railway, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line. These three may be said to be rivals for the ccntrol of the interests in South Caro lina. The greatest and most powerful among them is the Southern railway. This is a foreign carporation and ex actly what its status is as to this State or the United States I have never been able yet to ascertain. This much is certain, however, it is becoming a most dangerous monoply for the Southern States. It owns and con trols over five thousand miles of roads and it is still grasping for competing rivals. Under the constitution and laws of our State no foreign corporation cs.n do business or own or control other rilroads in. the State without first becoming a corporation in this State. I am satistied that this company has no legal status within the State and I am determined to use every means within my power to present its further absorption of our domestic corpora tions. WILL FIGHT THE P. R. & w. C. SALE. My attention had been called to the recent sale of the Port Royal & West ern Carolina railway company and its probable absorption by the Southern octopus. The time has not yet arrived when I can take a hand in the matter. If however I find the road being oper ated or controlled in violation of the constitution of this State I shall feel impelled to interfere. I would urge upon your honorable body the appoint ment of a commission to examine into the status of the Southern system in this State and if necessary to release the roads now under their control within this State. I would respectfully recommend that the charters of all such roads be immediately repealed. The in vestigations of such committee should not be confined to this corpora tion alone, but to any foreign corpo ration conducting or exercising un constitutional powers or business with in this State. Several years ago the general assembly repealed the charter of the Port Royal& Augusta Railway company for the reason that the same was owned and operated by foreign corporations against the interests of the people of this State. The case has been in the State and United States courts ever since and I am satisfied that ulterior motives are keeping it there. I have conferred with the at torney general and agreed upon a line of policy which I hope will result in a speedy determination of the cause and the restoration of this important arte ry of trade to our town people. The railroad commission has recently made an effort to relieve the people of the unjust and exorbitant rate charged upon fertilizers by the roads in this State. They have been governed by a sense of equity and justice to both par ties and have fixed a rate no lower than that in other States who ship less than South Carolina. I regret to see the old disposition on the part of the railroads to break out afresh and an effort to defy the State authorities by ana appeal to their old friend and ally, the United States court. Judge Simon ton has recently issued an order of in junction restraining the commissioners from enforcing the order. I am satis fled that the position of the commisdin will be sustained, and this litigation is p urely vexatious and intended to de feat the people from obtaining the bmnefits of the reduction until the fer tilizer season is oyer. THE DISPENSARY. On account of the great demands it.ade upon me for information and statistics in reference to the Dispensa ry law coming not only from our own Sate, but from all parts of the world, I have concluded to treat this matter in a separate messag~e which will be daily transmitted tob your honorable bodies in time for your careful consid eration. COUNTY GovERN3IENT. The system of county government which was inaugurated in the year 1894 was regarded as an experiment and in order to see with what success the law had met I had prepared and forwarded to the various counties of the State the following circular letter the answers to which are herewith g:.ven for your information. THE CHICAGO EXPOSITION. Chicago will hold an exposition in that city in September, 1896, to be k~aown as the Chicago and Southern Sates Cotton exposition. The object o: the exposition is to show to the West the extent of the development of tranufacturing in the South and the natural advantages possessed by the South for further development in this line thereby encouraging direct trade between the South and West and a u aion of these great agricultural sec tions for mutual preservation. I am s-e.tistied the success of such an enter prise would mean a good deal for the South and especially South Carolina who now leads in the manufacture of cotton goods. To this end I have di rected our exhibit to be shipped to Chicago with a hope that it will be buat a nucleus of a greater exhibit of our entire resources. I would sug-gest that suitable resolutions be passed by your body assuring the people of Chi cago of your appreciation of their ef forts to unite sections and of your hearty co-operation in their efforts. Efforts have been made to obtain our exhiibit to be placed in Philadelphia a id New York. but I can see no good results to come from this course. The intere~st of this section is so antagonis tie to ours andl their greed for bonds so great th at I fear we could expect notAing save financial bondage. CoIPLAINTS AGAINST FACTORIES. Various complaints have been made to me during the past year against cotton factories working their opera tivyes longer than the time prescribed by statute. In each case I have dis patched a special officer to investigate the facts and if warranted to arrest the party. The report has been that while the operatives are worked often longer than 11 hours a day, yet they did not exceed the sixty-six hou rs aweek pre scribed in t he act. I would recoin meud that the law be amended so as to require only eleven hours a day with no provision for working longer dur ;CONrIS.n ON PAGE FOURi.j