University of South Carolina Libraries
Ill By Gov, iRcSv*eiiey to the General? Assembly. ! AT SESSION BEGINNING JA\ 4M,.| Cbbi Executive (ilws Some Sound I Advice to the Law-Makers of tho, ir)<iim#ien vf itA TH'- following Is in the ' ttVnvt message of Hon. V.iies B. Mr<?" /enoy. Governor of FUnUh Carolina, j *: del in both houses of the General ( Assembly; Gep.tett*ii of the General Assembly: ir?a romo fresh front the- people 'o , fcejSS'late for the welfare of South ' Orolina. There are many grave * problems demanding solution. U <h n 'nt pregnant with opportunities a" d i possibilities. There is <?v>man<l for; the cxereise of '.ytse etmnrcl and pru dent judgment. The office of legis I.itor is one of. uveal, possibility. You Save the pr.tver to lav the huodvft of taxation njfteu the people and at the | sim." tinv the power to spend the i money fathered from the people. You ! also v avc the power to make the lavs by '.vbich they 'are to be governed. : T7.ey have tjusted you with this great > *. nwer and expert -on to psr it with wisdom and with prudence. looking fftly to the best interests of all th-1 i people. Whatever promotes thou ; happiness and welfare should be ypviv ! constant eoneern. If all inert would r-'frairi from interfering with the rigMa of others or of molesting thnn. igaverument. would not be neeessar;. | unfortunately. we have not reach- i *%d that hUh standard of morale, i Governmejtt. however, should attempt I ? -? do it'4 more than to protect persons and p.v-.perty and enforce contracts volriy arily made. It is true, as a ' ul?, that the least governed are the ! . governed. m sending to you this, my last an-; V.k;1 inersagc. it is gratifying to note .he good reeling which prevails ruicttg th:- people throughout the i end the absence of factional hit- ; torne.-s which at one time divided oil1* j 1# ople. During my administration I i V'.ve endeavored to ignore factional divisions and to b<> the Governor of all the eeople?to insure to each community jis far as possible the right of; M'hI self-government. In making lo Appointments I have sought in; **' rase the advice and recommenda li' a of the representatives of the ' ?vnty. believing that they were bet- j t . acquainted with local affairs and 1 .110 wishes of their people than ! 1 r'-'M possibly be. If by this course ] } have in any measure contributed to 1 ti*1 unification of sentiment among ! r.r people and thfc wiping out of far- j "uonal lines. I am gratified. lr. this' day of rapid industrial development t and progress there is not time for j f?rtitmal bickerings. Our chief pur- j fceac should be the material progress j and dKelopment of our State, along i "" The "State has enjoyed an era of raa-1 tteria! 'prosperity which Is unprece- j dented. Now enterprises arc being projected, and the buildin^ or j mills ^ocs constantly on. Business of every character has been e..u-ally prosperous the past year. Peace j and good order prevail throughout: the State, and at the same time pro- ; g:?ss has been made along educational Iir.es. FINANCES. The income to the State for the j ''ar ending December 31 was not suf- j fl? iont to meet its obligations. The i Governor and the State Treasure-1 " ere forced to borrow the full amount i of the $300,000 authorized by the last | legislature. This was made ncces- | xsry by the fact that the last Appro- j prlation Act carried with it more than 1 the revenue from the levy for State ' P"-poses would realize. It Is not ood business judgment for the State to borrow money to meet current exV^ns's. Knowing the total assessed property of the State, the levy should b" sufficient to raise enough money to meet the appropriations. Or if it Is desired to fix the levy the Appropriation Rill should he kppt within Th? amount such levy will realize. You should so regulate the two thrt the State will not he compelled to hoc row money for current expenses an.i be forced to pav interest charger. TAXATION". The Constitution of savs: "All taxes upon property, real and person-, al. shall be laid upon the actual vainof-the property taxed. as the sua;mr.y ho ascertained by an assessux.v made for the purpose of laying such tax." And in another section :* savs: "All properly subject to taxation shall be taxed iu proportion to Its value." And why not at its "a< teal value?" You will note the la;-, gnage o? the Constitution. It says., "shall be." not "may be." It is man <la;ory. and yet we are going along violating this provision every year by trjing to fix some percentage of "actual value" and this percentage is dif ' feront in every county. The State Beard of Equalization, at a ineclinr: held the past summer, found such in equality in the assessments that they decided to memorialize the Legisla-, ture to fix sixty per cent, or the actual value as the proper basis of valuation for the purpose of taxation. Why sixty p-r cent? sixty per cent? Wic not follow the plain tanguars of t!" Constitution? It was found that ir. i some counties eighty per <"ent. cf the; actual.value was the baris. rbi!*"!.; others it vas as low as fifty per <ei:t. A Holiday Life. Life is a riddle? A wild game o' chance; T ine up de fiddle. An' join in the dance! )L ight eyes are winning. With joy in each glance: Life's just beginning? Toil, in the dance.' "Ah. I knew 'high balls' would !. my finish." sighed the wild goose as a li'iv bullet struck him in mid-air ?;u,i .4' ?-t?H biln to the : t til tslHte?Judge. IBM. <no actual value. ???'! ill sonVe | cvi'n lower. To a.(lopt a perventn^r o\' I actual value would W "a viola t/OQ of ihe Vrt^t^ibViiv of tho Constl- ; n niaKf:; ihiiq ninrrnn-': iu | the taxpayer what the basis of vahv; r.iiou is so that all property _i? eii in the same r^ilo of 'aiue, for a ; r jrtr.iu nmnu*? "a money has \o b , Va V?n-ei the expenses of the *VWhjhent. apd if the valuation is Vigii tliQ rate is low. and vice verM.; The thequality which now exist*. iiOy ever, makes the burden hear uiV vehiy and the host plait i* vu veqe.ire that the tu&ndat'- 'M the 'Constitution be j f.illo\or*?. if otie county is assessed , ?.t NO per cent, and another at ?> ?k':- | cent, of actual valpe. o'n'e paving i too much or the \ither is paying too ; little of it* proportion of the State j r?v The tax for county purposes makes little difference. This U , -1 i question which has iegisla- j tois since governputM HAs hern organ ized and fax** ^uid. and the man who 1 can a plan which will make the ; buyden of taxation bear evenly 011 a'l , nronertv will receive the well done of < the people of the Stato, . Equal and Jn*i ISxatiou, levied on ; all property proportionately and in ur- | eor?!?lh('p with its value, is the pro- j duct cf the highest justiee. and when ! done to meet simply the demand* 01 government. economically Administer- j ed. is never hUru'C'Visonir. On the j other 'unequal or unjust taxation j in Always burdensome. If all proper- j iy were returned honestly and fully at j its just valuation the problem would j he solved, hut *o long a? hlMMit ha , ture is frail and the Impression pre-1 vails tliat ft i* ftot exported to return property At its value, we may not ex- I pert this result. The plan recommended in my last , mopsage. I believe, will aid in get-j ting all property on the tax books and : contribute largely to e,n equitable vol-j uation, and I repeat It here. rnder the prtacht system the r - j turns are fiiade to the County Audi- j tor. There is a Township Board of; Assessors, which moots at the court: house after the Auditor has taken the ! returns, and undertakes to go over all of them in one or two day*. Then there is a County Hoard Of Equali- i zation, which also meets at the court ; house and goes over th*1 returns for j the entire county in one or two days. ! thie- 5c clnno in enniotfKol nf ;i i perfunctory manner and accomplishes j little or nothing; in securing an oquit , able assessment of property. There j are counties in the State in which some of the land is assessed at oticthird or one-half its actual value, v. hile other land is assessed at its real value. In fact, there may be two ad-1 joining plantations, the one worth | twice as much 8s the other, and yet under our system each is assessed for taxation at the same price per acre. ROAD IMPROVEMENT. * It would be a waste of words to attempt to argue before any assemblage of South Carolinians the importance of good roads and the necessity i for road Improvement Neither j [argue vantages of good agreed upon that s^PIBHHIfcstion which concerns us is bow best to secure 'tnem; to devise some plan by which we can. at least, begin the building of good roads. It is a business proposition. and should be taken hold of in a business way. "With the extension of the rural delivery of mail, the necessity is upon t rs for ro.id improvement, for already the department at Washington is disrupting the impracticability of extending, or even of carrying on this service of mail delivery unless there is road improvement. It lias heen stated that the Postmaster General is to he asked to consider a plan for the betterment of our public roads, and the request Is based on the fact that only on? serious obstacle stands in the way of extending and developing our f-ee mral delivery service, and that is the condition of public highways. EDUCATION. The strength and stability of any community are largely in proportion to the intelligence of that community. The intelligence of the community i.s always in proportion to the education of the massrp. The power and sirength of a State are not in its material advance and development, however valuable these may lie. but in an educated citizenship?an education which trains its citizenship intellectually. physically and morally. If our State is to keep pace with the other States of the Union our people he educated?not a few here am' there, but there must be a genr *-n ! tnn /\t t Th .. ? ?ii rwutaiiuu ui iiiaooc>^. 1 i.v rr.lth producing power of a country is in proportion to the education of citizens, and as wo increase lh< efficiency of every citizen by education. so we increase the wealth producing power of the State, "if v.-e should double the wages of every man in the State, we should not thereby increase its wealth a dollar, but n we could double the efficiency of every man in the State and then double the wages we should quadruple the wealth of the State." Said Mr. Ruskin: "A piece of land which will oni; import ton idle, ignorant, and improvident persons will support thirty or forty intelligent and industrious onr-F." The value ot a country depends rather upon the virtue and m :Il!gonc* cf the noocle who ir.hah't 1' than upen the richness cf the soil. At' wealth has its l:asi; jn inte.'bgence. M'c should permit no child to grow up to meet the reopen.ritle duties c: eitisiuship with cur. ar. tc.'st thv ruJiA" Literary List. 'i have a little holiday Ls; lu re, my dear." said the author':) wife. "Read it," said the a uiior. sternly. "Here it is: You are to write a son- ; ' et for a turkey: a beautiful little lyric for a ham; a short stoly for a sad: : < t flcttr: and a fine Christmas ode for 1 ttie rent, and if you're real good. I'll let you buy me a new cloak and pay the gas bill!" K'nd Old l.ady?You'e the dainties; . I'**.'*- in -In v. r.<crowd. Hov. it .: s.tfej. > ... it.;a? ( jtictHr pf a fro*-* V'ucation. "In the i Snath So per cent, yf the criminal? are rtcfnent iij education, while '10 per eent. ar?* totally illiterate." Statistics show Vfi&t 25 per cent, of all the inhab rr.nls in the South over ten years of age nre Illiterate, while in v?ck !< I? bitiv " 1-2 per cePVi? . i in my last, ; ujLe^sttge I t-nd?-pvnv-'.t ? j i-ii'ow the importance of a compulsory education law. Thirtythree States aqd Territories, including the District of CV>l"r?i)iu. how have i-ompuleo't "'Vacation lav.?. The high?>* per cent, of illiteracy among the native white population over ten years in those States having compulsory attendant e laws is Wyoming with "S pev cent., and the ten W force ? fr\V V'ei\v:;- in Coruiert 1hn? \\\',. j?.v r riit. is 1 and in Massachusetts and Nevada only ;S. In Stales not having compulsory attendance the lowest rate Hr itntr rrtey cf native u?cr ten years is in Texas with S.3 per cent. In South Caroling tht oer cent, of Illiteracy of native whites over ten years of ago is 1M per cent., and in Noith Carolina it is 23 per cent. I*\ the t$rr of tr""* ?> ?-? t dK ftet sve how any one can oppose compulsory attendance a, schooi. It is not necessary to worry about the negro. lie is getting ail the education which is provided now and could get no more under cnnipulsore atteudAuef* 1 HE COMMON SCHOOLS. There is a marked increase in the interest in publie education, and there are many encouraging evidences o! improvement. Vet the bar* of th" condition uf tlie T:\eragc school in s>ome counties are shocking. Reference to the statistics in the report of the State Superintendent of Education discloses that there are numerous schools with less than a throe month*' terVjV. fiilt! still more with ttPSt-hevs So badly paid that they can not lie supposed in any degree competent. If the Legislature will discharge its responsibility to the cause of education in its entirety in the State, there must be Stat? Rid to th?* public Mid'ils. Ail itpprfiprUtiotl tt bo apportioned according to the money raised In the counties is nothing more than a county tax?an increase of the constitutional three mill tax. Efforts heretofore made to pass such a law have met with the response from some delegations: "We have money enough Already.'' The t'hflrlev tonians cati point to their schdol terms ahd their teachers' salaries as evidence that they need little or 110 money. The truth is. that a legislative appropriation should be made along the lines prescribed by the Constitution to bring up the deficient schools to a minimum standard. The dispensary money has been apportioned under a law fixing three months or $?.*? salary as the minimum standard, hut the educational scbtiment of the StAte has passed the point where It can be louger satisfied with this minimum. It would he little chough for the Legislature to contribute to the efficiency of the public schools a sum equal to the amount it appropriates to the State colleges. A much smaller sum. as estimated by the State Superintendent, in his annual report, would b? more than adequate to insure a six months' term with a $210 teacher to every e?hool I- * u - o*.*. ik.i ^..1.1 Hi iuv oioit vun w vuuiu mane itecu ripaprvlTijrf.f thlq fliH hv rnnfnrmlny to the frroper policy in Its locatior , and the qualification of its teacher, j SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE. I This honored institution continues ' to measure up to the high standard ol efficiency which it has maintained dur in? the past hundred years. Its af ; fairs are wisely administered, anc J the eminently successful, useful am honorable careers of its graduates emphasizes the wisdom of the Stat< in continuing its maintenance. Tin college now has 203 students, who an working earnestly and harmonionslj with their professors, and there ii good reason to hope that this yea; may add an eminently successful om lo its history. An appropriation of a | least $35,000 will be asked. For fur j fiicr and detaii?d information 1 refe |.yon to the report of the Board c i Trustees. I WINTHROP NORMAL AND INDUS TT>T a * /i/\T 1 ! There is no more important in3titv; j tion in the State than Winthrop Col lege. Its vital importance consists ii the faet that it educates and trains thi future mothers and teachers of th' State. It is now universally recog r.ized that if a people arc to be edu cated and. therefore, great and inflii ential. the women of that people mus V educated. An educated mothc means educated children Women ar . the natural teachers of children am I Winthrop College is doing a grea j service ?o the State by giving a pre j fessional training to these natura 1 teachers. The college has sent on 41(1 graduates in its short life? ra; I nest, devoted women, most of whon j tire teaching in this State an.l by thei I work and example are elevating th ion* and standard of the commoi schools. The college, has reached am ! benefitted ? great many more gin ' *han this, however. During the pas : seven and a half years there hav< : been enrolled in the department o sowing, dressmaking and milliner; i bof, students, through whom the wor! I l>oc vouch o AAA - ? - 2 if a\ ucu Clt irA9L 5MMJ 1HUJK : throughout the State. ! The now building has made it possi t bio to have practically all students no . living in Ruck Hill equally under on loco authority, and has enabled then to '.hare equally in all college oppot '.unities. It has also served in brie.] he faculty and students into elcs in.'. pleasant relations. The fact that "<4 per cent, of th . indents at IVinthrop lest year ooul. iot attended anv other colleg ' Wimhrop had not brought educe ; ion within their reach is evidence o ' i:r much needed wori it is doing i'c 1 i-f State. "Get Better Prices. A foreign correspondent lamenting the h'.-k of American enterprise is the matter of introducing goods in foreign markets says that "no large country has so many commercial trawlers at home and so few abroad." That goes to s>jw that Americans find home marked deserve their chief attention. Say that Life is longingProvidence, or ChanceAll we need, my brethren. Is room enough to dan e. VJautu <A;i sLtuiioL ! CLEMSON* COT,LEGE. ! Clerason College opened last Sep-! | tember with a matriculation list of j ."lft students, which number is very near the limit of its accommodation, j The character of work done by the; students I" much in advance of former '} eflrn. flr.d iiic Iristltilt'oll !a iflpldly j growing iti favrir Tyith the pedple. ; And jpstly so. for^ti. i:?,.do'ng a great j i^rrieo to the St^te in sending i'rt 1 such ii. iarge number o( young men i , with practical training to take eharg: of pursuits looking to material benefit to the people in developing the | resonrres of the State. The various departments am being steadily developed, end the fttcilitiet for tvo'k arc II Ulu rfcu. il_. i.) L'C_,/?.? re-. ' ivnr rnpuv> 'i<-. s reiv s iio direct appropriation utroogh : you. For drtailcl information as 10 | its financial condition an;l in regard to th;-> different departments I refer you to th^ H'ifiuoi mptlri of the college, which will he submitted to jot I: SOUTH CAROLINA MILITARY ACADEMY. , The report of the superintendent of ; this institution will he submitted to | you- Th* ??-hoei ?? dojna ? good work for the young men of thp State, a.'id : 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 addition* tH Mhruuy making n total of ! $20,250. It should he rcmctfib?rfe 1 j that the Academy educates vomit, | men from each county absolutely free I out of the appropriation asked, and ! ; recommend to you the request of the Board of Visitors as entirely reasonable. THE INSTITUTION FOR THE EUI CATION OF THE DEAF AND DUMB AND THE BLIND. I TV,,, nf fVia ctitinrin i tendent of this institution gives in I iiotiHl dll HeiT-s'Prir Information in reference lo the work beiiig dbfce by ; the Sta'e for the education of her ; blind and deaf children, and also fully I sets forth the amount of appropriation I necessary for the maintenance of the j school for the ensuing fiscal year. [ The siijldnritefliirht d*ks for an apj propriatibn of $24.0h'? frir Stippdrt. attd , $50n for general repairs. This request 1 has the full and unqualified endorse, ment of the Board of Commissioners. The reputation established by the j management of this institution for | conservative estimates, and the cro' homlrftl expenditures and the inj creased dtL nJance. are rt puftioient I guaranty that a less sum that! asked ! for would not suffice for the.proper 1 maintenance of the school. COLORED COLLEGE. The Colored Normal. Industrial, Agi ricultural and Mechanical College will j ask for an appropriation of not less ' than Sin.noo. half of which amount is 1 Heeled to finish and equip the brick { Industrial Building. This building ; has been itt course of erection during j the past two years, and should no j completed at as early date as posslj hie. The other $3,000 asked is frtr I current expenses. The institution at 1 present having more than COO students | it is a very reasonable amount. This I college, ^ince itc foundation in 1890. has been run- eji economical principles. The total' appropriations received by it during the whole period of its existence amount to only $G2.500, an average of lesa titan $9,000 | for each year, receivod fr^m the I state. * m t'l IllflUltWJ CUbb-LbH. The Medical College of the State of South Carolina, located at Charles i ton. continues to place at the disposa ' I of the Governor thp privilege of ap f j pointing to scholarships, good for om year, seven yhung men or young wo men, one from each Congressiona | j District of the State. The appoint > raents have been made each year, am . I the effort has been to Recure deserv -' Ing and ambitious young men an; j young women from among the appli - | cants. The liberality or this institu j tion deserves commendation, for *03 3 J giving these scholarships it has aide' ' many young men and young women 11 % [ their efforts to fli themselves for thoii 1' life work. j LMILl) LABOR, i' I A compulsory education law wouli f i help very much In the solution of th< I child lahor question. Tn fact. th< i adoption of a child labor law will nc cessitate compulsory education. This question must be met ant |. solved, and the sooner it is done tht l less difficult of solution it will be ?j England. France. Germany, and all th< c I manufacturing States In the north o -jour country, after thorough investi i-jgation and long experience, lookir.j -1 hoth to the mental and moral uplifting I | and the material advancement of tht r people. have decided to prohibit th< ej labor in mills of children of ten le: i age. We cannot longer avoid the re II sponsibllity. That the State has ; i-1 right to interfere, no thoughtful ci'! I: zen will question. No one can sue t reasfnlly controvert the position tha - this labor of long and constant hour: is I is injurious to the child, and, there r j fore, affects the citizenship of thi n fiit'ir#* Thic liAincr into fbo Qfof** 1io i i a right to coine in and Fay it shall b< I j stopped. s | We have rapidly?grown into a manu II facturing State, and are being force; c to meet strong competition from oth f er sections. It ir- argued that thi 'state has a right to control, to a rca 1: sonable extent. 1 h e hours of labor u s the child, in view of the fact tha j the responsibility for crime and ignor i- ance rests upon the State. I j PARDONING BOARD. !-i The Constitution of the State pre i'vides that the Governor '"shall havi -! power to grant reprieves, comniula g'tion?. and pardons * * * in such man e i ner. on such terms, and under sue] j restrictions as he shall tftink proper. eiHe is required to report all pardon i {end commutations to the General A> e'serably. It is also provided that ev l- fvy petition may first be referred ti f - "Beard of Pardons, to he provide jijv the General Assembly, wbicl ' Voa---' 'hail hear ail tuc'u petition "aV You Like'lt" (From the Atlanta Constitution.) ] BEST Ml'SIC OF THE YEAR. Reaping time or sowing. Sweetest sound to hear? . j Little tin horn blowing All the music o' the year! J It fills with joy dim places Of sorrows and of sighs: ; Brings dreams of hil.iien's fates And bright, expectant eyes. Stern life?a river flowing? Vet pauses still to hear Tha: little tin horn Mowing . tn? tn.iiiv < thv 'inrt'- suefy. rules amj rrgtftetloos as 1 the r,*>r ibay nvfrMiP' , The Governor uuiy a'dppt the reooni- I (Herniations of such Hon."*1- but jn case ! he does not he shall subirm Jr'1*' r^oa- J sons to the General Assembly." i ** i Board of Pardons has never been pro-I vfiled by the Legislature and very littie .good could ho accomplished by! such board, for the responsibility is a* V/.t. op.(he Governor, and he must ! meet and bear ft NEW MANSION. No one who has bad opportunity to look into lhe matter or who has | though: on the subject at all., will question the fact that the State of > South Carolina should have a new and ! modern. home tor It." chief magis' P ate; it js urged thai a proper mansion s'it'jiiW he erectrd for the occitnancy of the Stat*"* Governor. SPECIAL COl'ftTSTiirt T.pffip.latnrp of 1900 pass?<1 *? 1 Ar* moviding for special courts and i the maui?&' "f. obtaining them. The i pay cf th? special judge was fixed, but ; uo fund was provided out Of *hieh u> I pay him. The attention of the i islalurc of 1001 was called to this : mateff- per diem of these spo! rial judges litis been paid out of the j contingent fund of the Oovernor. and i up to the past year this has be?n j done without exhausting this fund", i Tho past year, however, the demand fof Sfieetdi courts has been so heavy that ifiO 'POttngenf. fund was ?.xi hansted. and claims for rewards and other matters to tht? Amount of iU761.25 have not been paid. These wfll be placed before the Commi'tff* on Claims and I ask that you make pf'tfvision for their payment as it wtil not be right f" charge them to the i next contingent ftifld; fn this list i there arc claims for special judges i amounting to $1,247.14 and f have i paid already for thi3 purpose $1.13d.*;fP; if the law providing for spe! cial coi/rth is to remain in force a ! fund should be provided for the payj ment of the judges. It sterna to rue. ; however, that there are cases in which ; special courts are asked where there I is no necessity for thorn, for I have * r I obsetvH that, in some instances ai|-ter the special court had been held the regular term was called off. If. however, there is demand for these extra courts, and the demand Is increasing. it would be better to increase the number of circuits and do away with the call for extra courts. INSURANCE LICENSES, f trust you have examined the inI surahee report issued from the office j of the Comptroller General and have j read the recommendations made by j that officer. PENSIONS, j That it is right and proper that the j State should do all it can to care for the deserving and needy Confederate ! soldier, no one will question. It j should he the patriotic concern of ail I true citizens of the State to see to it I that no man who upheld the cause of i South Carolina in the troublous times . from '01 to '65 shall be sent to the i county home, hut that all who need the help of the State have it sufficiently to make their declining years free from worry and care and full of all the blessings it is possible for the State to extend. The Souther' cause was not upheld by hirelings ?S slaves or those who fought from men cenary motives. The Southern sol iuani "ui I .1 A x. - - J ?,! fc*. , uevea 10 ue ngui aim ju?i, ??v cause of l^s love for his lome am . his fireside. But for these patriots sustaining motives he never coul] have put up the flght which he di< ; against such odds of numbers and re j sources. It. Is not the purpose cf ou pension laws to pension all who wer - deserving Confederate soldiers, bu 1 only those who arc needy. We start ted with an appropriation of $50,00< and last year It reached $200,000 ' i That tbere are many on the rolls wh< ! I do not need the assistance of tin , ; State is a matter which is attractim i thy notice of many Confederate sol i f'iers themselves. and this fact is < ' i violation of the intention for whlcl i our pension laws were enacted. Th< . | trouble lies with the county boards J ; If too often happens that these hoarji [ ; a-guc that the State appropriation i; going to b? expended, and the mon thev can got for their counties th< , ; better, and thus they put on the rolli j those who. though they come with!, the strict letter o? the law. under It intention should not he there. Ac ' I cording to the report of the Comp I troller General there are now T.Toi J' 011 the pension rolls of the Stat?, t 1 LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSI ? ! TIOX. i j At the last session of the I/egialn : i ture. the Appropriation Bill carrlei j with It "twenty-five hundred dollar t i and any unexpended balance of fh - ' appropriation" of the Act to provid ' for the "South Carolina Inter-Slat t I and West Indian Exposition." for th 3 : purpose cf preserving the exhibits c a permanent character at said Expr I sition. and such county exhibits a z 1 nin v lir> nlnr/vl itni'er tlir> of fh ; comu:i?:-un. so as to form an oxhibi at the Louisiana Puiehaso F.xpositior i-' This Exposition will not bo held untf i 1D?'L The commission for the Soul Carolina Inter-State and We?t India p Exposition have an unexpected ha -; ance of about $1,000. A detaile f ; statement of their transactions, show t j ing the exact balance, will he submi - ted to you. The present conimlsslo have also handed in their resignations Ir will he necessary for you to pr< i- vide for the appointment of a net p commission if it is desired to hav i- an exhibit at St. Loul6. This pron i- ises to be one of the largest Expo.i tiens ever held in any country, an " manv cf tIjo States will he tep-k sentrd by extensive exhibits. To malt i. a full exhibit from South Carolina wi - take more rncney than the amcur i> now in the hands of the ccmmlatioj and it is for you to determine whethc u or not. rc.i v. ill make CJzy apptcpr at ion tor rhi ? purpose. Off His Beat. The recent civil service cx.iniitiatic j brings to mini an amusing story wl;ic 1 was told in connection with one of ill i earliest examinations for policemer The question aske.i by the examinin eumrr.isoicn was: "How many miles t the moon?" Pat, a lusty son of ol?I Erin, whos right to a place on the force had neve before been disputed, answered: i don't know how many miles it it but I know that it is far enough awa 10 be outside my beat, even when it' RAILROAD COMMISSION. K The twenty-fourth annual report off fhj Railroad Commissioners fit be- V found upon the desks of the membera of the General Assembly. It cantatas 1 a very complete oynopsis of the' raft- } ro'S** situation in the RUte. TME STATE MILITIA. It is gratifying tp he able to give rpocial commendfitiorf to the military department, and to Dotfc the interest and energy displayed by t?;e head of I '.he department in his effort* to bnlld (in and energise the mllitfe system of fbe fate. t THR DISPENSARY. For th? first tinie since the Dispen-! sary Law was enacted, It was not an j issue in the political campaign fur . the Governorship the past year, aa all cf the candidates for Governor were pledged to It* support an;l to the strkt i enforcement of the law. The greatest ! opposition to the system of State con| trfl! of the sale of liquors Is In the larger Cities of the State. As a rei suit there is Illicit sale of liquor in these cities, and there will continue > to lie until public sentiment In these ! communities grows more strongly hs favor ?J/ the Dispensary system an<f jurors regard more sacredly their oath and convict persons who are proves guilty of the violation of the law. Spe? ; (fa) constables can accomplish but j little whsvc such conditions exisd ! Fortunately, however, these common!! ties are the exception, and in the I State generally the law is enforc*! and the guilty arc convicted and punished. The system is a good one for I the control ht the sale of liquor anl that it is. violated'in some localities i is no valid argument against the las'. The business the past year has increased. which may be taken as an evidence that the people are becoming more and more .In sympathy with the law. rather thair that the consumption of whiskey ie increasing. The amount to the credit of the School Fund on November 30f\ 190?, r was $652,829.22, according to tb? quarterly report of the Legislate Committee, but not available. asN it was in stock, Under the Act of the last Legislature requiring the directors to pay 1 to the State Treasurer quarterly the j profits to the credit of the School ; Fund, three payments have^ bsetr made aggregating $92,755.91!' The i same Act requires that the profits to ' the credit of the School Fund carried ? j as stock shall be reduced by sere:, annual payments to $400,000 by tic first of January. l?04. Under this rej qulrement $100,009 have been paid to ' the State Treasurer the past year. I This makes a total paid to the credit fof the School Fund during J902 of ! $192,755.91. 1 The following figures show the toj tal net profits for the year fuding Xw ; vembor 30th, 1902. from the sale of j liquor and beer: iFrom whiskey to towns and counties .. $S82,6J$.3$ From beer to towns and counties .. /. 60,5L5.4fr I i. ? i * $443,198.76 . Net profit to the State.. .. 8123.699.07 " ' Total net profit f 56$,897.87 - v From the figures quoted abowe i ly?re was on hand to the credit of the j SwxjI Fund November 30U>, 190If J 1^62^9.22. and the total amount car* L rfcd .jl merchandtaa ?" fTmUi.1T i m 1 It Appears that wit hthe oftransportation and the^^^^^DHH purchases which are made^^H|^^^H 1 nnipunt carried in merchan^^H^^^^H 1 be materially reduced > ment to the business, and rectors claim, as you will t> their report, that is imp<H^H^^H t nin so large a business stock than is now carried. l be remembered that there a^^3H|^B| i. one hundred and twenty-flve nAnenrfpe In the State, and n I stock is divided among them^^BB^H < | not givo each a very large am^HB^^H 1.1 rt also appears from the x , of the legislative Investigatingfl^^^Hl i mittee that oo November 3nth* H ? I the Dispensary owed for , whiskey, etc.. $252,527.86. THE STATE PENTTENTIAR^^^^B The past year has been a most'H^^^H 9 i cessful one In the history of this ;S H ?! tuticn. as the annual report. g ' will be submitted to you. will sbow^HHfl i HISTORICAL RECORDS. ? No Stat? in the Union has mad*^H - more history, or more glorious history, > than South Carolina. Nor has ihsi? ' been n State which has paid let# ii> W tention to the preservation of tbot his* > V tory. The record books and historical W papers have been preserved, bttt until recently they were scarcely avsUslris 1 i on account of the condition in whltfta * they wer?? kept. The work of indastftf p and of properly arranging them, ho?r ever, is dow done, and much historical _ data of great value is being brought to ,. light. f CONCLUSION. ? I have endeavored to obey the mans , date of the Constitution to review the c ^departments of government and t? ' t . make snch suggestions as have seemed ?. '?to me proper. In taking leave of you, il you will permit me to say that ray parh ; nest prayer shall always be for ths r. welfare of all the people of South Car! olina. 1 trust that your deliberatioaa i may reflect credit upon your judgment J >' and that whatever you do may redound t to the good of the State we all love n so well. I am sure you will have the 5 hearty cooperation and sympathy of > my sucressnr in all things that tend to v promote civil liberty, high ideal* of e citizenship and the continued fcappl1 uess and prosperity of the people, i You should lay aside all personal iud tcrests and let your best effort# be 4L: reeled to maintaining a governmejyk-* :e that will bring peace to the people: i! that will instill a love of country; that it will develop the highest type of true i. manhood, and that will "conform to :r the highest idoals of civic virtue." M. E. M.'SWEENEY, 1 Governor. Hand-Shaking Forbidden. ir A new club is being organized *. h the town of Kazan under the name of i c "Do Not Shake Hands." The origin#- u l' lor is one of the most prominent local flj q barristers. On meeting each other the | members of this club are not to #ba)te e i rands, but make obeisance. Before H| r ! l.idies the obeisance is* to be more rot-HQ | orent and tbe Ikiv very deep, it a^D ' | handsome lady extends her hand the^H y | c tub member Is to touch it gently j Lis lips.