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schools to become to mchanical and i:ieuo-:w. t e :ilritv in attendance at the cotntry schools renders i: :nossible to have graded instruction or s.snmazic work. inCe th: tate offers free education in order 1t:a: .ts 1eo'pe may be :e] Ior mheutnsetcit izenship. it is wOrhy , e rin u whether. within pr per limits of term and age. It : i re ini ttendanice at the schools. The ideal i:s a weCl -t ei ystem extending from prinary grade t, c ,ege: at eat i wc equlpped school in every comn: nitv, actessibl o every citiz en of school age: a term of at least eight m:orths>. and t e requirement that. within reasonable limits. the comnmtnity aail itsel' of the advantages ofiered by the public: a Couny ,oard of Education. removed from local prejudices, charged with the (luty of assigning teachers to vacant schools and of inspecting the schools. At a later period each school should be equipped with a circulating library. and should be prepared to give technical training in the industrial arts. We are far from the ideal, but our schools are making gratifying progress : and the whole sub ject has been much embarrassed by the race problem. We should address ourselves faithfuly to the development of the system. "The glory of fAunding educational systems cannot be ours: but the effort for im:pr vemet. I\ bybuld:ing \VIse practice upon sound the ory, is within ti e reach of each one of us." Whatever you effec tively do for the improvemV'.ent of our educational system will be so much wise!v contributed to the welfare of the State and the ad vancement of civilization. The report of the State Superintendent of Education will acquaint you fully and in detail with the condition and needs of our schools. This report contains a full and minelligent discussion of the whole subject of the common schools and those things which are neces sary to make them more efticient. In the estimation of the State Superintendent one of the most pressing needs of the country schools is better supervision of the work done. This is a very im portant matter and cannot be too strongly impressed. To secure it, however, it is necessary to have and to spend more money, so that men trained for the work could be crployed. The salar, of County Superintendents ranges from S3oo to S6oo, while the town Super intendents receive Soco and u)wares and their fields of supervision are incomparably smaller and far less complex, and hence their re sponsibilities are less. And yet unless the selection-of these County Superintendents could be made on account of merit and regardless of personal or political affiliations and not be subject to change upon the political whims of a changing pubwic sentiment. increased pay would not be a guarantee of efIciency in the management of the country schools. The manageihent of our schools should be as fat removed from political influences a.; possibie and men should be put in charge who are devoting their life to the work. The office of County Superintendent of Education being an elective office, only as the people come to realize the importance of efficiency and com petency as essential qualifications in the man who fills it, can we hope for or expect good results. Very few men have the courage to run counter to public sentime:t and all are more or less influenced by those things which affect their own interests. Provision should be made as already suggested for a County Board of Education se lected in such way as not to be influenced by local or political pre judice who would have the duty of inspecting the schools and ap pointing teachers to vacant schools. There is no more importan: subject to demand yotr mst careful and earnest attetion than the education of the chil(lren of the State. The country common schools for white children were kept open on an average duri.'g the past year for 21 weeks and the negro schools for 15 weeks. The previous year the white schools averaged 19 weeks and the colored schools 1./% weeks. The enrollment in the white schools during the past year was 126.289; in the colored schools, 155,602; total, 281,891. For the previous year the enrollment was: whites, 123.398; negrOes. 146.477; total. 269.875. 1t will be seen. that we are making progress slowly. The town schools in nearly everv case run for 36 weeks. It does not seem to nie that the cotn trv people should be satisfied with less for their children. The ex penditures for wvhite schools during last y'ear wver'e $700,540.60. while during the year previous they were S576-353.26; for the negro schools last year, $2o2,178.93. and the year previous $193,461.39. This shows sonme gain in the matter of expenditures for common school education. But when we consider that the enrolment is con stantly increasing, thus calling for the e"'ployment of more teach ers, and when we consider that our schools now run only 21 week.s when the regular school term throughout the country is considered to be at least 36 weeks, it is borne to otur minds that we have vet to spend considerably more money on our schools if we would bring them up to what our people expect and ought to expect. There were 3,270 white teachers and 2,294 negro teachers in the schools last year over against 3,ooo white teachers and 2,oo3 negro teachers the previous year-a gain of 270 white teachers and 29: negro teachers. Our State Department of Edtucation is too mtuch cramped for quarters. The State Superintendent is at present occupying con' mittee rooms of the Legislature, and the space is not ample for the duties which are required of this department. The Superintenden: of Education is guardian of a number of important records and it 1s necessary to have the space to keep these. The department of edu cation should be put on the same basis as the other State depart ments. The Summer School vwork has assumed such large propor tions and the correspondence and other clerical work of the State Board of Education has so much increased within the last y'ear that the duties o'f this office have been considerably enlarged. Moreover. there is a statute requiring the State Superintendent of Education to collect in his office books, school apparatus. furnitture. appliances oft various kinds for inspection by teachers. school officers, and trus tees. This cannot be done unless the Superintendent has sufficient room to display them. The reports of the various State Colleges will be presented to you through the Annual Report of the State Superintendent of Educa tion and for detailed information as to them you are respectfully referred to this report. It is gratifying to aote that the attendance upon all of these institutions is good and the nmanagementt wise and satisfactory. Exercises at Clemson were temporarily suspended mn December on account of the appearance of scarlet fever among the student body but it was not of a serious nature and the regular vwork at the college will be resumed with the beginning of the year. At Clemson a textile department has been added in which i: taught, in addition to the usual instruction in mechanics, mathemat ics and English. the manipulation of cotton machinery. aiesigninig and dyeing. and the textile sttudents are also taught to weave- v'a rious fabrics. At the South Carolina College there is pressing need for a new steward's hall. The new dormitory at W\inthrop is nearing comnple tion. The South Carolina Military Academy will ask a slight in crease in the appropriation given to that instittution so that the price for pay cadets may be reduced from S300 to $250. In order that yotu may intelligently act upon the appropriations which wx'il l be asked for these vario-: State colleges it is v'ery im portant that you should acquaint youu izves wyith their needs, and this vou can do only by: a careful study of the reports which will be submitted through thte >uperintendent of Education. It will be impossible for me in this connection to take up a discussion of ah deman ofeah college separatelv. It is your duty to guard careiully the i'uie treasury, but it is not always wise ecouomy if an institution is to be maintained by the State, to make niggardly ap propriations which will cripple the influence and the good work of the instittiton. It is your duty to make these appropriations with ninte!getin ght im h 1) needs 11n(1 deman(ds of the institution. WA)E L.\t( OR. ille (uCsti m of child labor in our cttni is one that has been attracting a great deal of attemil recetiy. and properly so. Conditions in this State have chang e very i:uch in the last few years. We are no longer simply an agriculural eople. With the rapid growth in manumacturmng enterprises we arc aread, :i large manilacturing State. ITe relation bCtwveen' the labor that iS Cii ployed in these cntcrpr:ses and the emlpoyCr is not merely one 3f master and servant, but there are rights and privileges and duties, obligations and opportunities. on both sides which should be care fully guarded. 'Ihere has been no conilict between employer and laborer in this State and nothing should be done to disturb the ami cable relations which now exist. Government recognizes the fact that it is the duty of the strong to care for and protect the weak. It is certainly the right and the privilege of government to provide for the insnectIon of any and all enterprises or corporations deriving their life from the State and to see that they do not impose upon the weak. Of course this should be (lone with a proper regard for the property rights ci the corpoirations. Thereis no doubt the eimplo\ nent and constant labor of children of tender age in our factories is injurious to them and will result in untold injury in the future. To interfere with .the government of the familv by legislation is dangerous. And on the other hand unless some!fthing is (lone to protect the tender children of vampire parents who spend their time in idleness and live off the labor of their little children wiho are required to work in our mills from year to year without tile advantages of school, the situation for thle future be comes alarmig. To force these children ont of the mill and make no provision for their attendance upon school but allow them to spend their time in idleness on the streets presents almost as alarm ing an aspect as to crmit them to labor. In a great many of our mills the officers and managers have provided schools and teachers and libraries and churches at the expense o f the stockholders, and some of them will not employ children under twelve years of age and they require the parents of such children to send the children to school. This is the tendency in all the mills in this State. These children should be protected, but it is not well that thev should be idle, and I doubt the wisdom of a rigid law laid down by the Leg islatuire prohibiting absolutely their emn1ploymeint. It would be bet ter rather that all children between the ages of seven and thirteen rears whose parents or guardians work in a textile .manufactory should be required to attend school during the school term, if this can be done under our Constitution without extending compulsory. education to the State. This would permit them during the vaca tion to relieve older sisters or brothers and give them a little rest and not take the means of support from the family.and at the same time accomplish the end sought-the protection and the education of the children of the mill districts. But better to have a prohibitory law as to child labor than that nothing should be done for the protec tion of these children. The mill owners themselves realize the dan ger of child labor and are doing what.they can to force attendance upon schools and to keep the chiidren out of the mills, and a law maiing attendance upon school compulsory would have their coop eration and accomplish the desired results. With our present manu facturing interests and their constant increase this becomes a serious question and deserves your most. earnest consideration. It should he considered without prejudice or passion and by counseling with those who are interested I am sure a wise.solution can he reached. THE DISPENSARY. The Dispensary has hee) well managed during the past year. as the statement of the Board of Directors and the State Commissioner, which will be submitted to yotu, will show. The Dispensary system and the management of the liquor ques tion hare occuipied much of the attention~ of each Legislature since the system wvas inaugurated. The Dispensary has also been an issue in every campaign in the State since it was passed and has been more strongly olpposed possibly than any other law that was ever placed on the statute books of this State. Every argument that could be brought to bear against it has been presented by some of the ablest intellects of the State, and yet after a thorough canvass of each County and a presentation of the case to the people the system has been endorsed by decided majorities on four different occasions and the principle is incorporatedl in our organic law. Under the Constitution the Legislature may license individuals or corporations to sell tunder the rules and regulations governing the Dispensary, or it may prohibit the sale and manuifacture of liquors. Both of these plans have been thoroughly and exhaustively argued and advocated before the people and the verdict every time has been diecidel' in favor of the Dispensary under the management of the State. This reference is n-ade to emphasize what seems to me to be the dluty of every patriotic citizen who loves his State and believes inl democratic doctrine and republican institutions, and that duty is to submnit to the voice of the people and go to work earnestly and conscientiously to improve and perfect a law which has received so many endorseiments from those whom it directly concerns. The Coturts have held that under the police regulations the State has a righlt to take charge of the sale of whiskey. The question when re duced to its last analysis is not one of principle but of expediency. What is the best method of dealing with this evil so as to secure the best results. That is the question. The present system, as it may b~e improved from time to time, is tile best solution vet dievised, and is goewing in public favor ;mtuch of the prejudice that has existed against the law is being removed. and many of those who oppose the system are in favor of the enforce ment of the law. As public sentiment grows in its favor it will be easier to enforce it. The mayors and intendants of the towns and cities of the State. in response to a circuilar which I issued during November, state that tile law is well enforced and that the sentiment of the towns is for a strict enforcement. The exceptions arc the cities of Columbia and Charleston and a few Counties in which the sale of whiskey is prohibited by law. In fact in those Counties in which no dispensaries are established it would conduice to a better enocement of lav: and there would be less illicit sale of whiskey if .:i;ens.ries were established. In the cities named the Dispensary Iam be rigi dly enf ;rcedl s. long as public senti~nent upholds vio lators of the law and grand ines fail to lind true bills andl petit juries to conv:et w:ocn caus remae and tihe evidence ftirnished. As putbleC seiument gr*vws i i r eith law in these cities and the pre judice against itd vs wa convictIOns frviolations wil be hiad and it can then 1e :n.r rigilly enforced. .sa rule, howeverm. h law has beeni wel: en:forced. and it has been with a smial consabul'ay f orce but with the aid of the municipal ofticers. .\ll !awy is violated. li there wvere no violators of lawv and~ this were an lieal country there wvotild be no need of law or cotirts to try and peunish offenders. The United States Government with its illimitable resources has failed to stop all violationls of the revenue laws. The prese::t law mght be mnade a little more explicit in some par ticntars, tor in some respects it wvill take a judicial dleliverance to die te,-,ie w~ha beeon renealed and wvhat re-enacted byv the amend lent adopted last year. and yet in its practical operations the law has werked very well. While it is Iimportant that the law shall not be violated by illicit sale of whiskey, it is equally important that those charged with its administration shall conform to its requirements. Ti this were more rigidly done public sentiment would grow more rapidly in support of the system. I doubt if there is a dispenser in the State who does no' violate the law every (lay, not with any criminal intent. The law re quires that. "Before selling or delivering any intoxicating liquors to any person a request must be presented to the County Dispenser, printed or written in ink. dated of the true date, stating that he or she is of age. and the residence of the signer, for whom or whose use it is required, the quantity and kind required, and his or her true name; and the request shall be signed by the applicant in his own true name and signature. attested by the County Dispenser or his clerk, who re ceives and files the requests. But the requests shall be refused, if the County Dispenser filling it personally knows the person applying is' a minor, that he is intoxicated, or that he is in the habit of using in toxicating liquors to an excess; or if the applicant is not so person ally known to said County Dispenser, before filling said order or de livering said liquor, he shall require the statement of a reliable and trustworthy person of good character and habits, known personally to him, that the applicant is not a minor, and is not in the habit of using intoxicating liquors to excess." The County Dispenser takes an obligation to the effect that he will and another afterwards that he (oes comply strictly with this provision and all of the other provis ions of the law. It has become customary for County Dispensers to sell to any one who applies to purchase without being identified or without signing the application "in his own true name and signature" and without stating "for whom or whose use it is required." Ample provision is made for the course to be pursued for violations in the administration of the law. The County Dispensers are responsible to the County Boar ds of Control and they are appointed by th'e State Board of Di rectors on the recommendation and with the advice and consent of the Senator and Representatives from each County. That brings the case right up to the door of the members of the General Assembly. This is a business matter and as careful and as prudent business judgment should he exercised in the selection of those who are charged with the administration of the law as a prudent business man would exercise in the selection of those whom he would place in charge of his private business. Politics and partizanship should have no part in the selection. I again commend to you the advisability of abolishing the County Boards of Control and of devolving their duties upon the Mayors - or Intendants of the towns, and the County Supervisors of the Counties, in which Dispensaries are located. The towns and Coun ties are directly interested in the proper management of local dispen sries, and the duties thus imposed would not be onerous. I also recommend that County Dispensers be elected by the people as other County officers are elected, for a term of two years. They would then be responsible to the people for a proper conduct of the business placed in their hands. In the management of the Constabulary it has been my aim and purpose to secure men of discretion and judgment, who would per form their duties without fear or favor, and at the same time without causing conflict betweeen themselves and the citizens; and it is a source of gratification to me that there has been no conflict. I sub mit herewith a table showing the number of Constables employed, the total cost of the Constabulary, and the number of seizures for each month during the past year, including eleven months, inasmuch as the fiscal year has been changed to end November 30. Nmeofseizures r~ A.mount of gallons. 8. 'for this month. If in bottles give No. of doz. here. Q ~ If in kegs give No. Sof gallons here. Nube-o-colivictions for i vioiation of Dispensary Number of cases sent up tol _ Circuit Court and not re ported in column for con-r ___________________ victions. ~ ~S Amount of fines imposed. 8 88888888 ~t;8: ~4: 8 Amount of fines paid. 8 888: 888: 88I Number convicted w hi o - . - M awent to jail or' chain - e u ' o u o o gang and paid no fine. From the r eport of the State Boarda of Directors it will be seen that the net profit to th e School Fund from the business for the past year, after expenses are paid. is 8176,012.18, and to the towns and counties. 5298,166.28. This report covers eleven months, as the fiscal year has been changed so as to close November 30. In dealing with this <;uestion Ifel sure that you will be guided by a love for your State and an earnest purpose and a sincere desire to do that which wiii h e for the best interests of the greatest num ber, and not be actuated byv prejudice or partisanship. STATE HO(.SlMTAL FOR THE INSANE. The issue of theC Seventy-seventhl Report of this institution calls attention to the fact that it is one of the most venerable of its kind in the LUniterd States. Begun as an experiment by the State. it has long since demnonstrated1 its importance and usefulness. The growth of the instim.tion,. however, appears to have been confined largely