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tiVjiw t-L> r' "r'i~ rY. \ I'~ i". :! 1 " ." I rl \. a;g 1$ { ~ A AL A ESTABLISHED 1865 NEWBERRY S C ANIIAIRY i3 $03 6 :~~~~~~~W C AF WEEKY .C,'J \ ,, . ,815 ER By Gov. McSweeney to the General Assembly. AT SESSION BEGINNING JAN, 13th. Chief Executive tilvas Some Sound Advice to the Law-Makers of the Palmetto State. The following is in substance the annual message of Ion. Miles B. Me Sweeney. Governor of South Carolina, read in, both houser of the General Assembly: fentlemen of the General Assembly: You come fresh from the people to legislate for the welfare of South Carolina. There are many grave pro'bens demanding solution. It is a time pregnant with opportunities and possibilities. There is demand for the exercise of wise counsel and pru dent. judgment. The office of legis lator I one of great possibility. You haave the power to lay the burden of taxation upon the poop!e an at the aan}a time the power to spend the money gathered from the people. You also have the power to make the laws by which they are to be governed. C'hey have tsit.eil you with this groat power and expect you t, usw it with wisdom and with prudence. lookhg only to the best interests of all the people. Whatover proimotes theitr happiness and welfare should be your jonstant concernb If all men would refrain from interfering with the rights of others or of niolesting them, government would not be ne:essarl: . But, -unfortunately, we have not reach ed that high standard of morals. Government, however, should attempt to do no more than to protect persons and property and enforce contracts voluntarily made. It is true, as a rule, that the least governed are the best govc'; ned. in sending- to you this, my last an nual message, it, is gratifying to note the good feeling which prevails among the people throughout the State, and the absence of factional bit terness which at one timo divided our people. Du'in'g my administration I have ende'avored to ignore factional divisions and to be the Governor of all the people-to insure to each com munity as far as possible the right of local self-government. In making to cal appointments I have sought in each case the advice and reconienda tion of the representatives of the c:ounty, believing that they were bet. ter acquainted with local affairs and the wishes of their people than I could possibly be. If by this counrsr I have in any measure contributed to the unification of sentiment among our people and the wiping out of fac tional lines, I am gratifled. It the <lay of rapid industrial levelopnte,t and progress there is not time for factional hickerings. Our chief pur iose should he the material progress and development of our State, along with the moral and intelletial uplift n.r hg of our people., The State has enjoyed an era of m, ter!al prosperity which is unprece dented. Now (nterprises are being projected, and the buitldin, of efilolto mills 'goes constantly on. Business of' every character has ben viexcep),oo)l ally prosperous the past year. Peace "4" and good order prevailhroughout the State, and at the same time piro gress has been madle along educ(ationI .al lines. 1'NACS The income to tihe State for the year' endinag Decembher 31 w vas nlot suf Sfileent to meet its obligiations. The Governor and the State TIreasurer ~ ere forced to borrow the full amioau. ' of the $,300,000 authorized lby the last egilatre.This was made uneces vr by the fact that the last A piro )4riation Act carried with it more thman 'the( revenue 'romn the levy for' State puriaposes won. realize, It Is 1not goOd binesfl5s judgmaenat for the Sta'Ir *to borrow money to meet eurirenat ex N enYs<s8. Knowing tile total assessedl piroplert y of the State, the levy shoul b e suflieienlt to raise enlough money tomet the appropriations. Or it' it -desired to fix the levy thei Appro priation 1Bill shouild he kept withain the amount such levy will r'eaal,e. You should so regulat.e thte t w(o thatl the State will not lie comipelled to hor) row money for current expenses and be forced to pay interest charges TAXATION. The Constit.ution or 18%5 says: "'All oitX48 upon pr'operity, real iad plersonl al, all 11 be laid upona the actuali valuie oif the Property taxed, a1s the samie may be amceratained by an assessinealt mlade 'or' tile puirpios of haying suichi tax.'' Anld in anotiher sectlion it says: "All proper'ty subjiect to tax atiom shall lie taxed in praoortion to Its vah."lQ' An'd whiy niot at its "nec tual value?'' You wvill note the lana nge~ of the ( Cnst itutioni. It saly. "iuhall he,' " ot "'may lbe.'' It is man amtory. and yet wi iare goling along viohlating this provision every year- by tr'ying to fix some perdenlt age of "ne.c taual value" and this piercentage is diif ferent in eery'~ 'ounaty. TIhe State Biorard of Equllizatlonm, at a meietor;g held the piat salumnm'r, found such(1 in ('quality in tile als~(sssments thaitt they dlecidled to memorial ize the I a'gish1C tutro to fix sixty per' cenIt. of the a1' thai Value as; tile prioper basis of vaO lu ation for the purpocse of taxation. Why sixty per' cenat? sixt y iper enIt? Why niot f'ollow the pilainla ngage of the Comu-tit ution? It was found that ill Home (counIties4 eighty lper Vent, of thet ac(tal *val:e wasl th-:e hah;, wile in1 of the actual value, and in some cases, even low'or. To adopt a percentage of actual value 'lid be a plain viola tion of the isions of the Consti tution. It makes little difference to the taxpayer what the basis of vuit ation is so that all property is asesb ed in the same ratio of value,' for at certain amount of money has to be raised to meet the expenses of the governnent, and if the valuation is high the rate is low, and vice versa. The inequality which now exists, how ever, malkes the burden hear unevenly and the best plan is to require that the mandate of the Constitution be followed. If one county is assessed at SO per cent. and another at. 50 per cent. of actual value, one is paying too much or the other is paying too little of its proportion of the State tax. 1'he tax for county pttrposes makes little difference. This ia a queetiot, which has puzzled legisla tors since government has been organ ized and taxes paid, and the man who can devise a plan which will make the burden of taxattion .bear evenly on all property will receive the well done of the people of the State. 1Equal and just taxation, levied on all property proportionately and in ac cordance with its value, Is the Iro duct of the highest justice, and when done to meet simply the demands of governmcnt, t rnomically administer ed, is never burdensome. On the other hand, unequal or unjust taxation is always burdensome. If all proper ty were returned honestly and fully ai its just valuation the probler, would he solved. but ao long as human na. ture is frail and the impression pre vails that it is not expected to return: property at its value, we may not ex pect this result. 'lie plan recommended in my last message, I belfeve, will aid in get ting all property on the tax books and contribute largely to an equitable vial flat ion, and I repeat it here. Under the present system thse rc tuins are mlade to the County And tor. There is a Township Board of Assessors, which mets at the court house after the. Auditor has taken the returns, and undertakes to go over all of them in one or two days. Then there is a County. Board of Equali zation, which also meets at the court house and goes over the returns for the entire county in one or two days. All of this is done in somewhat. of a perfunctory manner and accomplishes little or nothing in securing an equit. able assessment of property. Thete are counties in the State in which some of the land is assessed at one third or one-half its actual value, while other land is assessed at its real value. In fact, there may be two ad joining plantations, the one worth twice as much as the other, and yet under our system each is assessed fcr taxation at the saute price per atcre. ROAD IMPROVEMENT. It would be a waste of words to attempt to argue before any assemn hInge of South Carohnians the inipor tattce of good roads and the necessity for road improvmenut. Neither weuld it be profitable to attempt to argue before you the advantages of good roads, for all aro agreed upon that subject. The question which concer-ns us is how best to secur\s them; to devise some plan by whicn we can, at least, begin the buildlig uf good' roads. It is a business prop usitioii, and should be taken hold of iin a buintess way. Witht the extension of the rural de livery of mtai, the necessity is upon01 its for ro:ad impr1ov'ement,. for already the diepatmentiiut at Washington is dis etussinig the impracticability of extendi lng, or even of carr.ying on this ser' vice of mail dlivory untless there is road( improvement. It has beent stated that thte Postmaster fieneral is to he asked to consider a pilani for the bet. termttent of our lilicl roads, and the r-eques0t is based ott the fact that only one serious obstacle stands in the~ way of extending anid de&veloping Our frece ruriial delivery service, and that is the ('on-lttion of public Ihighways. EDU)ICATION. TIhte streCngth and( sttability oIf any comnmnity are lar'gely in propor-tlon to the intelligence of that commaunity. Thle intelligence of the community is always in pr'oortion to the ('duen'tion otf the masses. Thte poweir ando stu Itgth of a State are' not in Its muaterial aLdvanice and development, however' valuable thtese may be, bult it anl diducated cit.izenipi1-.an educa(' lien which trains its ('ltizenushtip intel lectually, physically atti nd orally. If, 011r State is to) keelp pace with the othei' States of thte UnJtiont our people mut he edenated--not. a few here' andr ther'', bu11t ther mu,0Ittst be a gen eral educnat ion of thte masses. The weal th prodci lng power' of a Couniitry is ini proporat ion to thIe edutcation of its (-It izns. and as we increase thIt ([licientcy of every citizen by ed uen tionl, s0 we incre'aise the wealth pro dulcng l)'poe ' thle State. "'If we shoul(1d doiible thle wagesa of every itmani in the St atIr. we shoul1 d not. thby inucreaseo its wealthi a dol lar, bui i i w/e could double thle dileieney of 0-,. cry nman in the State aindo thten double the wages we shiotiuhltiuadruple the w'a llth of thle St at'." Said( Mir. Ruis kin: "'A piece of laud wIhichi will onily supportit tent idlle, ignorantt, andit improv le-t ltersonts will HiuppIort thirty ori iorty intelligent. andl iduistriouis onea."~' Th'e v'alute of a coutntry die 11onds tathe upt T Ioni thte v irtute and int tllig~entce of' the pteople whto itnhaubit it t han11i 1 upo the'i- riihnes of t he soil. A\ll wvealI lt has its baasi:; in inat.eli W\e shionhl petrm iftna (-hild to gqrowv tin If) tee. ih.,' l:400 jala' ,ii I.-. c,' mlents of a good education. "In the South 85 per cent. of the criminals are (leficieut in education, while 60 per cent. are totally illiterate." Statistics show that 22 per cent. of all the inhab itants In the South over ten years of age are illiterate, while in New York it is only 3 1-2 per cent. In my last annual message 1 en deavored to ahow the importance of a compilsory education law. Thirty three States and Territories, Including the District of Columbia, now have comImlsory education laws. The high est per cent., of illiteracy among the native white population over ten years in those States having compulsory at tendance laws is Wyoming with 7.3 per cent.. and the law has been in force only a few years. In Connecti cut the per cent. is 1 and in Massa chus:etts and Nevada only .8. Ii States not having compulsory attend ance the lowest rate of illiteracy of native whites over ten years is in Tex as with 8.3 per cent. In South C'cro lin. the per cent. of illiteracy of na tive whites over ten years of age is 18.) per cent., and In Nort.k Carolina it is 23 per cent. In the face of these facts I do not see how any one can oppose compuilsory attendance at ,ehool. It is not necessary to worry about the negro. He is getting all the education which is provided now and could get. no more under compulsory attendance. THE1: COMMON SCHOOLS. There is a marked increase in the interest in public education, and there are many encouraging evidences of improvement. Yet the bare facts of the condition of the average school im some counti-es are shocking. Refer encce to the statistics in the report of the State Superintendent of Educa tion discloses that there are nunmer ous schools with less than a three months' terl, and( still m11ore with teachers so hadly paid that they can not be Gupposed 1i. n.1ny degrre conlpe tent. If the Legisiat.ie will dis. charge its responsibility to the cause of education in its entirety in the State, there must be State aid to the public schools. An appropriation to be apportioned according to the mon ey raised in the cotinties is nothing more than a county tax-an increase of the constitutional three mill tax. Efforts heretofore made 'to pas:, such a law have muc't with the respcnlse from rome delegations: "We have money enough already." The Charles tonians can point to their school terms and their teachers' salaries as evidence that they need little or no money. The truth is, that a legisla tive appropriation should be mnade along the lines prescribed by the Con stitution to bring up the deficient schools to a minimum standard. The dispensary money has been appor tioned under a law fixing three months or $75 salary as the minintun standard, but the educational senti ment of the State has passed the point where it can be longer satisfied with this ninimumn. It would be ht tle enough for tha Legislature to con tribute to the ef;lciency of the public schools a sum equal to the amount It appropriates to the State colhlges. A much smaller sum, as etitlatced by the State Superintendent in his an nual report. would be more than ade quate to insure a six months' term with a $210 teacher to every school in the State that could make itself deserving of this aid by conforming to the proper policy in Its localtion and the qualiflcation of its teac"her. SOUTH CAROLINA COLIGI. This honored institution colntinues to Imleasure up1) to the high standard of rfticiency which it has maiintaillel ditr ing the past hundred years. Its al' fairs arc' wisely administerced, ant the emi11neatly3 succesful , useful anad hionor able c-areei-s of its gr-adutat es, emph)Iasizes the w:sdolm of the St ate in cont Incuing its mialntenanlce. The Holg ow has 20:: stuldents., wvho arie wvorking earnestly and har-monlo.usly with theli- profes-sor-s. and Ithere 1.a good reason to hlolpe thaIt lthis va 11- acdd an emimently suicc(ssful one t< its hlistoriy. An aLpproprl)iation of at. I. ist $35,000 will he ask(ed. l"or- uri Ituer and1 detailed Informtion I Ee. .yoiu to the r-eport o)f the hoard of '-rustees. WfNTH1IROP NOlUMA'i, AND INIDUS 'fTRlA L COLLEGEc. TPhei-e is no0 more imporlt alnt istitu tninteSlate than Winlthrop (Col (ege. tsvital imipor-tance, :onilsts ini the fact that it edueates and trains the lutuire mothers andic teachers of thle State. It is no0w unliversally recog nizsed that if at people ar-e to be (educ (at-d and, therefore, great and intluc entiaul, tile wVomenC of that people miuc,u lhe ccdiuca ted.- An ecducat ed molcthler meanlis ('Idcated chilbiren Womeni arec t he na(1tuiral teachers of childlrent ana1 Winthrop Collcge is doing a gu-eat 3er-vice ICo the Stale by giving a pro fessional1 training to Ithiese naturalI tenacher's. "'he college has seat oust 4I1 1' gr-aduatles ini its shoit ife'-ear. nest. dlevot,ed womien. miost of wvhomi arie teachIng in thiis State and by3 thir wvorki and examleIr ar-e elevating (lie tone' and st atular-d of the c commo)01 schoold)s. The college has reachled and Ithaln tisI, howeverl. Duirinag the paust sc;enu and a half yeais there ha ve bdeen enrolled ini the' d parltmncit ofi -iwing, drlesmakling. and miilliii*-y !56 stuld en ts, th rough whonm the wvork has reached at least 900) hiomae thrioughiouti the State. '('le newv 1)11uIdIng has mn-ud It poni. ble~ to have practically all atoldeats nut Ii vinlg in liock 1Hill equually umilri ( Ilege auathor-ity3, andc has (enablled th emi to shaie equally in all collg po.. timuitic-s. It has also ser-vedl to) lin g I ihe faculty' and steudentLs into closec adilc pleasant relations. Tie fact that 54- per cent. oif tie students at. Winthrop inst year- could not) have atitendedc any other eol legc if WIinthIiroll had not brougMi end 11ion with in thlir I reamch1 is ehlececC of thle mhii n''eded workl it is coing 'i-. I hie State. GILMSON COLLLQE. Clemson College opened last Sep. tember with a matriculation list of 519 students, which nuttlhor is very near the limit of ittr accommodation. The character of work (lone by the students is much in advaace of former years. and the Institution is rapidly growing in favor with the people. And -justly so, for it is doing a great service to the State in mrnding out such a large number of young menl with practical training to take charge of purMuits looking to material bene flt. to the people In developing the resources of the State. The various (tepartments are being steatily (level. 4Ad, and the facilities for work are being rapidly increased. Clemson re. celves no direct appropriation through you. For Retailed informuation as to its financial condition and in regard to the different departments I refer you to the annual report of the college, wtich will be submitted to you. SOiT1 CA11OllNA Mll'1'AT iX' ACAD10MY. Tite report of the Siperintendent of this institution will be submitted to you. The school is doing it good work for the young men of the State. anr is run economically. The Board of Visitors will ask for an appropriation of $25,000 for maintenance, $1,000 for repairs to buildings and $250 for adl (Ittions to library. making at total of $26.250. It should he remembere-I thr.t the Aendemly educate; young; men from each county absolutely fre"' out of the atppropriation asked, and i recommend to you the requetiest of the Board of Visitors ns entirely reason able. 'I'HE INSTITUTION FOR THiE I)t(;. CATION OF Till, DEAF AND DUMH ANDI TilC BI AND. 'I'he annual relor"t. of the superin tendent of this institution gives it detail til lnecessary information in reference to tle work being dtoie by the State for the eduention of her blind and deaf childrlen. and also fully sets forth the amount of appropriation necessary for the maintenance of the school for the ens'hig fiscal year. The sllperintendent asks for an ap propriation of $2.1,000 for support, and $500 for general repairs. This request has the full and tulI(lualified endorse lent. of the Board of Commissioners. 'l'The reputation established by the management of lhis iustitution l'or conservative estimnates, anmd the eco nomical expendittres and the in creased attendance, are a suilieienitr guaranty that a less sitnn than asked for would not suffie.- for the proper iaintenlance of the school. COi,Oi1EI) COLI,x;Ej. 'I'he Colored. Nornal, Indtistrial. Ag rieultural and Mecha(lical College will ask for an appropriation of not 's than $10,000, half of which amount is needed to finish and esquil the bricl industrial Building. This building has been in course of erection during the past, two years, and should or completed at as early dat( as posSi ble. The other $5,000 asked is for current. expenses. The institution at present having more than 600 sttadlents it is a very reaason(able amount. Th-is college. since its foundation in 1896. has been ruit on econ1omical prinel ples. TIhce total appropriations r"e ceived by It during the whole period of its cxistcce amount to only $62.. 500, an average of less than $9,000 for each year, reeeived from the State. MECI)1CAL, CO0,IJs(;l.. 'Tle Medical College of the State of South Carolina, loit(Ad at. Charles tonl, continlles to place at the cjisposal of the Covernor the privilege of a. loint.ing) to scholatrshlips, good for onc. 'ear, seveI young mwn or young wo mlen, one from each Congressionla I D)istrict. (If t he State. The atppoint :me.nts have beeni madtte eh year, am t :he effort hits bieen to~ s!curie deserv m(ig and amitio youngi~ mien antt foug omn rt amiong I the apli i ('ants. The liberality of this lnst itu t ion deees s XCiit (ommenHtt ion, for i 51iingI these schola ripis II it hs ablte's 'nanty young mnen atnd young wtomten in I teir t'Irits to tit. i he iisil ve for thbetr life work. ('.111,D L4ADOlt. helpIi very- i ch in thle soluition (If the ''hild( labor quesation . Ini fact, the aidoptioni if a ('hild( lablor law will nec ('essitate 'ompuitlsoty (Ptlien:tion. 'i'his~ due(stionu niust. lht met andti s;olved,. and( the sooner it is done the less difficult. of schiitioni it, will lie. EIglatnd, F'rane, Germany, and all the manutfetintg States hii te north oft our country, af-ter thboroiugh InvatcMI gationi and( bng (tex('itje. ioi liothI to th li ntal(t an mora(11111) f upftg andu thte material audvancemntent (if t pople, have decided to proi bit t he labor ini mills of ('hilldren of tem:ler age. W' (!annot loniger avoid thle re sp)onibhillty. Thait the State has a right1 to interfere, no thou01ghtfuil citi zeni wiili (iuestion. No onet cant ste (:(ssfuiliy conitrovert the piosittion thtat th is lar fi lon g aitd ('ontstant. bouris fore, affects~ thec ci tIze.( ohip (f thIe fiturie. Tiis being true,' the State htas a right. to (omi in andiu say it shall lie WVe haive t(apilly grtownt ito at manuil tr soetions. It, is aigued that. thii St ate hias ia right tot( (otr oIl, I t a ea - 5(onable ex tenit, th itouriois (If litbot' of the chtild, In view of thle fat that the res;ponsibil11ty for (:rim1e amil ignto anioe rests iiplon the State. P'AItiDONfNG: iOA iII) '.The Censtituotion (If the St ate iro . Videi t hat thei( (overnior "'shallI have .towerto granS t riet(ves, ecommtutta * Ions, antd ipardolns * * ini Stuh man ter, on such tiams, andijnu gjetg*.ii iest rietions as hte shaltl fthinlk Iropiet-'' lcie t eq ired(5 to repiort atl Il ardlotn andt( commuitationst to the GeneralI As. s"mb lly. It Is also p)rovidled t hat ('v (Ky, pet it 11ion may firsit he retfpere to 1 Hoard( of Pardons, to lbe provId ed by I the Genteral A osemb ly, wvhi ib I oardtt a~i'll hear aIl such peti,c-t under such rules and regulations asw the General Assezu>ly may provide. The Govel'nor muay adopt the recom 1endation)t, of such Board, bit in Case he does not he shall subm it. his rea sons to the General Assembly." The Board of Pardons has never been pro vided by the Iegislature aud very lit tile good could be accomplished by such board, for . the respontiliity , is at last on the Governor. and he mIutt meet. and bear it. NIW MANSION. No one who has had opportunity to look Into the matter or who has thought on the subject at all. will question the fact that the State of South Ca.rolina should havv a new and modern home for its chief nagi: trate. It Is urged that a proper nan si6n should h)e creeted( for the cvu pannev of the State's Governor. SPECIAl, CO(lTS. Tho Legislature of 190) passed anl Act. providing for special courts andl the manner of obtaining them. 'Thes pay of the s1eCil judge was fIxed, but no fund wits provided out of which iot Pay hin. The' atintion of. the Leg inlature of 1901 was cnlled to this miatter. The per diem of these spe (1al judges has blen pid out. of the contingent fund of the Governor, andoph up1 to thle JIm st y*eartt t.his hats been done~ withlout e'xhau lst ing4 this fundi. The past year. however, the demandit' for special courts has been so heavy tltt. the contingelt fund was 'x hrtusted, and claims for rewards aid other iatfers to the amount of $1. 761.2r hnve not been paid. These will be placed before the (otmmit.tee on Clahms andt(1 I ask that you make pro vistion for thwir b a.'1m1ent, a8 it will not he right. to ehar"ge them io Ith next contingent fund. In this liha there are claims for special judges amounting to $1,247.14 and I have pail already for this purpose $1. 305.09. If the law proviling for spe". clal courts is to remain in force az fund s:houlld be providel for the pay ment of the judges. It Scems to mte, howevci'. that there are vases in which special courlts are asked where I he:' is no neeessity for them, for I have obsei vVcd that. in some inatances at ter the special court. had been held the regular term was called oft. 1?. however, t.hero is demand for th,e extra courts. and the demtand is in creasing, it, would ble better to 1. er(ase the number of circuits and (o away with the cnll for extra courtx. INSU]RANCI, I1ICNSIDS. I trust you have examined the in. St1lunc' report. lsueld from the of re of tli' Comptroller General and have read the recomtmendat ins made by that officer. Tha1t. it is right and proper that the Statl should do all it. (ann to care for the deserving and needy Confederate soldier, no one will cttuestion. It. should he the patriotic (1i1Coern of nil true citizens of the State to see to it that no man1 ) who upheld the cause of South ('arolina in the troublous t.ilct; from 'dl to 'It. Shall be sent. to Ilie c'tnnty home, but, that all who necec) ie help of tht State have It. still' itntly to make their deelining years free from worry and enre and full of all Iit l1-essligs it, is possible for the State to extend. The Southern I oatise wits not uiphcld by hirelings of slaves or those wtho fought from Iler cenary motives. 'TIhe Southern sol. dlitr went to hattie for a c"ause he lI iieved to he right. and just. and b)e vaause of his love for Iiis lome and his fireside. But for Ithese patiiotic suistatlinug m1otives hec never- coul.d htave put ui the fgit. which he did against. such ods of ainmhers an)ld rc .ourcs. ft. iv not. the purpose of ti:' pentsion laws ft pentsion al.1 whIo wereI diei'erig Con fed era:te sold(1 irs, bu1t only, I hose whoI( ar(e needy. WI' sItart - Ie ( w Vith In appr Iliopriat ion of $30,(x00d andl lastI ye~ar it renehmed $2(00,(000. Tlhatl tere( rle' many)3 on the r'ols who do( nlot n1eeri Ithe assist.ance of' ii. Staite is a amaItr whih 1(1is aIt tjag the Ilotice of many13 Confederate s(o1. d irs themsel8(1vCs, andth liis faetl is a violation of' thxe intintioni foir whiJeh our penslion Ilaws wecre ('lnnet(ld. Thei trouble1 lies wit h thle Cotity boardsh . it to 00ofteni ii han1(11s that thlese bioards a rgiue that r ho Stat"' appIIropria.ont is going to be0 expen'lied, and1 the mIol'e they CInn get foxr thieir cotuniti the .1( better, and thu the1 l y pt. on the irollIs those who. t hotugh t hey ('(n)me wihhi thle st ric't litte o~ f the law, tuulder it., intentloll shohil 11ot lie there. Ad. ('ord1ing to thie repJort. (of the Conipl trolle G~'eneralI thtere are( now 7,75(1 on the piensin rIlll'I s of thle Stati e. TlO N. At the ( last session of the' LegIs ly turie, thle Appr110priiatloll i11111 cariecs andi( anly untexpxend(edi111( blce of thEl apprioprition"' of the Aet to Provide for' ihe "S'outh CarOolixna Jnt er-State an \11 Vest 1( Inian Cxplosition1,'' for t' purp'Jose 0' preIs1rviung (le( exhiit of sition, andiu 81u(h ('ounty E!X1lit a mxay he( p laed unIder' thle ('fre of thxe (ominhissioI, 8(1 as 10r formi lil (l-h,i a ,t the I C3ls811ana Puri chase FCxpos81ion 'ix hi lICxpositioni will 11ot. he0 held( untgi S9(i4. T'he commrissionl fox the S(utth lIxpolitioni hiave anl ilnexpeeleed hls 'anee of ablouit $1,0(00. A dlet aile-d IslateentII of t hiir tranlsatction, 8sh (. Iin~g thlie exhat balatnc, will be Suhrnmxit. ted I o you.-'' 3(e JprieenIt om li ssio haltve also handI(Ed in Itheir reasgnlt.a l It will be necessary013 fro YOt t( )I Vile for thle aippoIlutment oif a ar (omission801 if it. is de sire'd ItoI ha;tv. anl exhibit at St. i,ouls. TPhis hprom-x ises to be one of (lie lairgest Ex J11: 1m1anly oif th e SItte will ibe rep,-e a full exhib,it fr'omi South Car-oiila i .1 tak~e mtor-e mxoney Ia 1111 InOlolii now in Ithe handtts 0f th lcom(liliisjt andt~ it isl foir you3 1o (leItermjnIe whetht'i aitionI for' rhix r13,,-hI RAILROAD COMMISSION. The twenty-fotrth annua report of the Railroad Connisionoa will he found upon the desks of the imumbers of the (e'ral Atsaembly. t. c,ontains a very complete syioupsitc of thw rail road sittintti in the 8tat. TIlE STATE MIlLTIA. ,It is gratifying to be able to give t.peia I comlmendation to the military uepart'tmnt, and to noto thew interest and elergy diisplaye(I by tho beau of the department. in hitt efforin to build ult and energize the mlitda nyateni of the State. TI': 1)ISl'NNtARY. For the first time since the .i7lispeu sary Law was euc"tetAl, It was not an, issue in the political ca'mllpilgn fot. the (ov(crnor'ship the pant year, as all of the(. eanlidateu for Governor were pledged to its support anl to the strici clnforcemaet. of tho law. The grt'atest opposition to the systein of Stnte con iol of th e salt' of li(juti's is in tIe larger ('itlet: if the State. As a re stul. thl-re is Illicit. :sae o1' liquor in lthse s t i1(5, an1d t1h1 er wilt continue to be until puhlic svnt.iment. in th.'s;e comitntnaies grows mnore strongly in favor of the I)is1i nst(ry system anud .lurors regaurd mtore saurvdly thelr < aith snl' cone-i(t pwrs;. t,-m who are provcn gmilty of the v"iohutionl of the la.w. Spe chi constables enln neromplish hut little where stch (condit.lons (.xi:st, l''ortunately, howev"er, thesic commuuni ties ;are the excep)tion. 3and in the Stat.e generailiy t he law is enforced and thr guilty are eonvicted and pun isIs'l. Tie systemi is a goxi ort for tIhe control of the salh of likuor an I that, it. is viohited In some localities is n1O valid Argmtient against t:he law. The business the past yl-n.r its inl creased,. which may be taken an in t, ide(' that the people urv beoming nore and itire in sympathy with the law, rather thaln that. the ")mtnump tionl of whis(key is increaaling. 'le aniu ot to the eredit of the School 'und n(i Novemtbe"r 3tl, 190'. Was $652.829.22. acecording to the quarterly rel,ort. of the l,q,;lslat.ive C'omilttte', but not tvallable, as It was in satock. Under tho Act of t.ho last Tlegsla1 ttire rc(iuiring the directorn to pay t) the State 't'reasure' quarterly thw proflits to the credit of t.he School Fund. three paynents have been imadle aggregating $92.755.1: The samo Act. requires( that the prt itts to the credit. of the School Pund carrie,l as stock shall be roduced by seit iannual paylentts to $400,006 by Iih first of .Tanary. 190.. Under thits re quiremlent. $100,000 have boen paid to the State ''rensurer the past year. This makes a total paid to the credit of the School Fund during 19102 it $192,755.91. The following flgtres show the to tal net. prolits for the yenr ending No vonbler" 30th, 1902, from the snle of liquor and bte.r: li-onm whiskley to towns and ('oulnt ies . . . . . . . .t.. }{Keg .;(l; F"rom beer to towns and cotis .. ..........;015.40 $413.198.71; Net ruft to the State... $1 23,t;99.07 T otal net. profit. . ,. .. ..$566,897.83 lroni t he flgtires qunted above thre was on hand to the credit. of the School Fund Novenler 30th, 1902. $1i52.82s.22. and ile tital a.mount ear. rl(d in mietrchandisd' was $730.518.17. It. appears that wit lithe easy facililtes of tIransl,rtration and the frequent ttrhase5 which are made flint this uminscu catrried in mePrc"handise cossld be mter1111ly r.edluced1 withont detrl -ment to the busineas, and yet hi.e di 1ector: claim, as you will sere from I teir reporut, that It. Is ImpossIble to uni so h'rige a butsinies oin any less sto(ck than11 is now eiiT. I.5iii. he remembenl,tred tht. thero are'( abouCt one' hltred and twent.y-Iivo local Ills. Pens.f ' ars ini thei, St a!e, anid wh en lth,.t stol'kI is dividedi aitong them- It does not giv~e 'ach a vi iy large amout. It iths. apipears I.'omi thle 5ta1tetnen(t 0f thie I A'gis lit iv' investligating C~omi inittee, t hat. ott Noveimbet' 3th, 19112 t.' I Saiisnsay owed for sutpplie. whisk.-y. etI.. $252.5273;. Ih be jpan yearp has beent a most sue.. r'ssftil onte ini the hilstoiry of this lnst I tiit.i(on, as th e: aitt nnualreport,. which lI181TOltCAL, 1t'C(1OR).. No. Sba in thte 1litnlon htas mande morie hiist (iry or mi'nore gloionus hintory, (than Soth (IC arolinua. Nor- has there ben a St a tt whih hei ias paid les~s at I ntlou toe resei~ rva I on of that his toryi'. Then re'ordt bookts and istork.-aI 1papIers h a ve been pretser-vedl, bit until1 On ne(Cout,t of th' le conition bitn which the y were kept.. Th'le work of Iide'xin.g and1( of lprop.erly atrrain gIng the m, Itow - Cveri, Is now donICiie, a tch bla1iiItor-lea! dat a ofr great 1 valuu l. binig brouightt to lIght. C'ONCIA;MION. date of th Consoits!111uti t evlew theii Cepartminenits of gov~ern mentI nmid to r1nak0 suich suiggest Ions as hav. seitmed to mlt iiprCper. In I ak inig Ileav~o of you)l youi will per m It me11 to u-ay tha:t. roy Cari if pr'ayer shiall alwa17ys ho fotr hie wehure ii of aill thCe peoptIle of Saith Car' (ditt. I triust that. your' delhiraitiotns may3 inflect c-redi(t pon youri jiudgmientl anid thai:t what.evCer youi di imay rCedoCi. to) th goC LCd of Cth(le Slato we all loyo SCo wel. I amli stire yo u will Ihave (te In arty 'ooperationr amni iympiathy3 oIf tmy suiccessor it al I thing .mM teid to prtomoC,te CivIl lbety,3' high ideals itf n I,s anil pr'os p''rity o f th peliople. Y on shouid lay aSii ail personCifal In.. I Pr'ests and113t l it'urbs Cefforts he i reeledi C tito innttaisn ig a govternmitent thati wil brting jtenti,o to M h'people; (li! hat il in-;tllI a love of toitry: that wil dIeveh>i) Ilhe hilghtes, typet of Itrte manhom.Ctl, aund (Iht wIll "'eonformit to .\L i. .\: ,eN c 0 IVCwY)1.