Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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and every man entitled to voto shall have tie right and opportunity to Voto geiei. that no man shall be allowed to vott? mors than once at the same eJVfctMn. end that 'he Independence of each voter to vote as his conscience dictates shall bo presrved. As far hack ss lSt< I recognised this necea eerv and urged the adoption of tha Australian ballot system, which ha seen adopted In Charleston with high ly aatUafactory results, I urge you to apply ihla system to cities, towns and the larg* voting communities In tho BUtt. Registration. I Urge that our registration law be amended so that the Hoard of Regis? tration must require each person en? titled to registration to appear before then* in person, that cer ideates of registration be delivered only to the registrant in person, and that there he a stricter compliance both with the spirit and letter of the law. Agrlruftural Matters. The State Department of Agricul? ture. Commerce and Industries is very largely the handiwork of the late Commissioner. Col. E. J. Watson. The act under which *.he depart? ment is created la broad in Its provis? ions as regards work In igrlculture, leaving the commissioner free to do almost anything he chooses in that line. Duplication and over-lapping of effort between thf/department and the State s Agricultural College, with con? sequent friction and waste both of ef? fort and of money, is a danger, and pome over-lapping has occurred. The very title of the department Itself fenis to confuse people of the State who constantly have to decide for thcmea'vea which agency, the depart? ment or the college, can best serve theTn in any particular agricultural situation. Col Watson recognized 'hat Ifl the main the college waa responsible for ff?*' educational phases of agriculture, and the Department of Agriculture. Commerce and Industries for the en? forcement of thou* regulatory meas? ures devolved upon him by the lecris laturf to an extent sufficient to en - gO >*? fully the time and energy of himself and his associates. Such is? sue* .is Old arise served only to em phanlr.e the need for a careful de? fining of the duties of those two agencies, both working in the same field and reaching the same constit? uency. Co). Watson's death removes the one man whose intimate knowledge of the department from its Inception fornlahed the necessary background /or a full appreciation of Its proper limitations, and Ita proper relations to the agricultural college and to other aget'ciea. He wisely refrained from eaerclalng all the authority to do ag? ricultural work with which the law clothed htm. but even with the best tatonclons on both sides there was pome duplication and cross efforts. Col. Watson Is gone, but the law sreet.og the deportment over which he presided for so long with such seal, tact and Judgment, remains t I turn.eh to a wilful or ambitious man she authority to cause confusion, du? plication and possible conflict. It la conceivable that the next com m las oner elected may be a man with? out adequate aclentlfic training In agriculture to safely advise our poo-' pie n that subjoct. An equally great1, danirer would be the election of a man of s (entitle attainments, hut hungry for i?ower, who would stride into the edu< itional held of fh?> SOtktgO Seeking to duplicate its work without the nee ease>7 staff and facilities for doing We should not tolerate he pros? pect of possible duplication and trou? ble, and simply wait for some acute Sjsu? to arise, but should at this op? portune time separate so distinctly the fit of the Commissioner and of tho | colli ge as to make trouble between them Impossible. R almost goes without snylng tint tha educational work in agriculture, whether through teaching at the col leg* or out in the State through th? extension an 1 demonstration forces. rrs by right the opportunity and first duty of the agricultural college. Ag? riculture Is a vast science whose im? portance im equaled onlv by Its com pU it % To proper!.- 'eivr the agri cultural people, a large and expensive staff of specialists backed up with laboratories and experiment stations. Is nseespary. the like of which It Would be neither practicable nor de eb?abie to duplleute There can be but one authoritative source of expert Sgrlculturnl instruction and advice In a ?tote, and that should be the agri? cultural college The education of th* peeple In agriculture Is a duty of the c olego. and cannot be delegated to another This fnct Is so well recog See that it is the fixed policy of th* I n H States department of agrlcul Mr* |e work m the gtstes only In 00 opinion with their agricultural col le jsa Timing from r> phase of the sub Jirt upon whh-h fell cltlsens wmib gejrSS), we approach the question df 1 ? SOti between the department *n? t? ? eollrge. or the regulatory worl SeSgew) to be dene In the fltate. 7 I I think It would be generally ad i mitted that the agricultural college should confine Itself to such regula? tory work as Is germane to the pro? duction of farm crops?that phase of agriculture in which regulation and education are closely Interwoven. The au ?ysis of fertilizers, the veterinary and live stock sanitary work, the study and control of crop diseases and insect pests, the safeguarding of purchasers of nursery stock-r-these lines now car? ried on by the college are appropri? ate activities for an agricultural col? lege. Organized marketing work should also be carried on by the col? lege through its extension service, be? cause the marketing and production of agricultural products are so inter? calated that they cannot he separat? ed to the advantage of either. On the other hand, there is a dis tict fleld of operation which belongs to the police power of the State, and can well be exercised by an excutlvo branch of the State government. The inspection of oils and gasoline, com I mrrcial feed stuffs, condimental feeds and tonics, and other finished or man - ufnctured products, can be very prop? erly handled by some agency other than the agricultural college. There Is a clear distinction that can be drawn between the regulatory work neeeeeary to agricultural production and regulatory work as necessary to insure products being put on the mar? ket of certain standards of quality, and vdthout adulteration. The Child Labor Laws, the Messenger Boy Act, the liiw governing the employing of women in industries, etc., lie distinct? ly outside of the natural field of an agricultural college. The fertilizer Inspection and analysis belongs In a class to Itself among other manufactured products. Aside from any obligation assumed ?9 the legislature to give the fertiliz? er tax to Clemson College for its sup? port, the quality of fertilizers Is fun? damental to production. The' proper testing of fertilizers sometimes in? volves not only chemical tests but field tests to determine the availabil? ity of the various sources of ammonia, etc.. and a technical oversight by field experts In order to prevent the uss of ingredients harmful or Inef? fective to plant life. In the interest solely of efficiency, 1 recommend that legislation be enacted at this session which, without dis? turbing the college or the department in t he work they are now doing, un? der specific- legislative enactment, will prevent duplication, over-lapping and possible future conflict in the field of agricultural service. To that end the department of ag? riculture, Commerce and Industries should be renamed the "Department of Commerce and Industries," and the duties of the commissioner should be so defined as to relieve him of any responsibility in the agricultural fleld of production, marketing, etc. By such wise legislation two im? portant agencies will be properly co? ordinated, and each can work to tho best advantage without jostling or wasteful duplication. Such legisla? tor, would be In line with the best thought in other States, whloh have long ago perceived the danger of hav? ing two rival agencies, both engaged In the same work. c. a mo and Fish Laws. 1 seotstj events have demonstrated the Impropriety of delegating au? thority to name a State official to a i-iivate organization, such as the Auduhon Society of South Carolina. It is not necessary that I go Into de t nl in calling to your attention the various wrangles that have played such s prominent part In the recom? mendation for appointment of the ? bief gnme warden, whose duty it is to idmlnlster and enforce the game protection laws. I um convinced that the solution "i 'Win matter rests In broadening and enlarging the duties and powers of the State Board of Fisheries so that the administration of the game laws earns under the jurisdiction of that board.* I recommend that the me nbers of the State Hoard of Fish? eries be appointed, by the governor b) and with the advice and consent <?f the senate, for terms of two. four ? ad six years, respectively, and at the expiration of their terms each ap? pointment he for a term of six years I recommended that this board be empowered to appoint the chief game warden, who will work under its supervision. Blinking and Insurance. As in tbe . ase of the game und fish laws. I urge that the State coordinate its department by bringing two kin dfl '1 branchaf of State superv ision undei one management. t recommend, therefore, that th< "fti< I of Insurance Commissioner hi t oliHhed and that the duties of thai '?ftlcer bo devolved upon the Stab iik examiner, who should then m designated as the Commissioner '? I lank lag and Insurance. # In many State* thewo two depart I ments are consolidated resultin>r lH I i marked economic saving without ! sncrtilce df eftVfem Ifospifal for The Insane The improvements (hat hsve beei completed in the State Hospital for tho Insane, through your wisdom in providing for them, fully justify your notion, which I am certain has the^ approval and commendation of nil. The policy of the Hoard of Regents and the Superintendent is working steadily for the safety, health and comforts of the patients and for the treatment of their mental and physi? cal needs. I cannot too strongly urge the con? tinuance of your'wise and generous cooperation in the care/ and treatment of the inmates, whose pitiful help? lessness entitles them to the most considerate and liberal charity of the State. I may communicate with you bn this subject more fully at a later date. The Feblc-Minded. Last year the house passed a bill to create a State custodial training school for the feeble-minded. This bill is now on the calendar of the senate, having been reported favorab? ly from the Finance Committee last year. I earnestly hope the senate' will pass this bill early in its session, for, I believe, that body will not have before it a measure of greater im? portance. In addition to the convincing hu? manitarian and economic arguments that are offered in support of this measure, I urge your consideration of an astounding fact Just revealed j by a careful analysis of the official records of Camp Jackson. Up to December 13, a total of 18, 64 2 conscripted men had been mus tered into service there from North Carolina. South Carolina, and Flor-' Ida. They had all passed the local exemption boards. But on re-exam? ination by the medical authorities at j Camp Jackson. 2.010 of these men were subsequently rejected, of whom | 271, or 13.5 per cent., were rejected, as being mentally defective. In fact, i It was" found that 14 out of every thousand of the 18,642 men mustered into service at Camp Jackson from these three States were rejected as being mentally defective. Of the South Carolinalans, 13 out of every 1.000 were thus rejected. Advocates' of the institution for the feeble-! minded have only claimed that three | persons out of every 1,000 of the gen-1 eral population were feeble-minded, but these official records indicate a proportion four times as great. The Stege Board of Charities and Corrections. So more fundamental piece of leg? islation has been enacted In the past fifteen years than the creation of the State Roard of Charities and Correc? tions three years ago. This board has vindicated your wisdom In establish? ing it as well as your continued gen- j (tour support. In fact, it has cost j only about one-half Of the actual onsh revenue it has brought to the State institutions it serves. It has made 7,144 fiscal investiga? tions, effected an increase In the po? tential revenues of the State support? ed institutions concerned of more than $100,000 (with tuition recom? mendations for the current session in? volving nearly $7.300 yet to be added). Of which between $95,000 and $60,000 has actuallybeencollected t ttaoi n H has actually been collected, or will have been collected by the end of the present college year. There has been appropriated for the use of this board since its creation a total of $31,670. This fiscal work has had a striking? ly salutary effect upon the scholarship and tuition abuse at the Strife colleges. The percentage of students voluntar? ily paying tuition at Clemson this year Is 44.5 per cent., nearly three time*; at great as in 1915-16; at the Univer? sity, it is 69.7 per cent., nearly twice as large as in 1916-16. so that with an enrollment of more than 200 fewer students the amount being collected is greater; and at Winthrop it is 44.5 per cent., or nearly four times the proportion in 1915-16. More than two and one-half times as much, namely. S 16.000, will be collected in tuition fees this session by the Tour State colleges than was realised in 191!fr Ii. I have seen so much of the wo;', of this board In discovering and fear? lessly pointing out serious conditions in our penal and charitable Institu? tions; In cooperating with the officials in eharge It! improving matters as fai as the management was able, or could be persuaded, to do so; In studying out the best modern meth cds of handling the problems In Its fields and applying them to the prob? lems in our State; In informing, de? veloping, and guiding public opinion in these matters so that you could count upon the endorsement of your progressive action by the constructive citizenship of the State: In counseling yOU and me In heeded social legisla 1 tion, that, based upon this first-hand knowledge and experience of my own t is my frank and deliberate eon ' vletlon that no governor and no legi*, liture can rightly organize and direel RUCh public work without having ai their Service stich nn educational nm 1 advisory agency ss the state rtoari i of Chat itles and Corrections State Roard of Health. Of the main nativities earried 01 i by the Btste Board mi Health in Pro tecting the people of our State agains disease I shall direct your attention to a few of the* more Important fea? tures. There Is the work being done in the rural districts of this State In the education of the people general? ly as to the necessity of proper san? itation in their homes; this work has been carried out in Orangeburg and Greenwood counties with good re? sults. I recommend that adequate appropriation be made for carrying on the work of suppressing and treat? ing infectious- diseases, such as diph? theria, typhoid fever, cerebro-spinal meningitis' and rabies, with serums kept by the State Board of Health. We have the smallest death date from diphtheria of any State in the Union, due entirely to the fact that diphtheria antitoxin can be obtained free by anybody. The Care of Tubercular Patientflv The work that is being done by the State for the treatment of tu? bercular patients at State Park is bringing commendable results. This work, partly educational, has done much to arouse the public mind, and has laid the groundwork for the ex? termination of this disease. We should see to it that this work grows year by year, and I therefore urge its continuance on a larger scale. Can we excuse ourselves if every effort to this end is not made? Confederate Veterans. The decreasing number and the in? creasing age and infirmities I of the Confederate Veterans in South Caro? lina make it the care of the State to see that their comfort and well-being are given every attention. I com? mend the faithful and tender care you have and will continue to bestow on these men, whose sacrifices and ser? vices in the past entitle them to every consideration at our hands. Prohibition. The National congress has recently passed a joint resolution referring to the legislatures of the various State* the question of Writing into the Unit? ed States Constitution the absolute prohibition of the manufacture or rale of Intoxicants in the United States. This proposed amendment must be ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the States before It be? comes effective I shall transmit thb amendment to you promptly. I urge the general assembly to rati? fy this amendriteht by proper resolu? tion, and at the same time to provide means for its' rigid enforcement in South Carolina. \ The Suffrage Question. In my judgment the question of granting the suffrage to women is one that should be under the jurisdiction of the States, and not the federal gov? ernment. The right of the State to j tegulate the suffrage is a fundamen? tal principle of local self-govern? ment, and the State of South Caro? lina should reserve this right to her? self. ' War. Let us turn now to the war. I do s,e with a full heart, and I know that, without any word from me, the war presses upon your thoughts night and day. It is not my purpose to recount at length the reasons for our entrance Into it. They have been giv? en clearly by our great and trusted president. Each State must do its share In the Unification of the nation, and so it is proper for me rfow to place this sub? ject before you, as the law-making body of South Carolina, to the end that we may do with a clear under? standing what I conceive to be Our duty In placing this State and each county and township upon a war foot? ing. Our country endured much and en? dured It for a long time before taking up the challenge so often and so I wantonly flung in her face. We were challenged on the high seas by the destruction of our ships and the cruel, merciless slaughter of our men, wo? men and children; we were challeng? ed abroad by assaults and indignities to our diplomats and consuls; we were challenged at home by the secret, malevolent agents of the ambassadors of Germany and Austria. > But the challenge that moved us most, the one we have taken up with? out reserve, was the challenge that Oermany has thrown at the whole world. We are not fighting for some small individual advantage: There is no such advantage conceivable that would be worth the cost. But, as Prestdeht Wilson has said with force and direrdness, we tight to make the world safe for democracy. Weighing carefully every word, but remembering the horrible atrocities ir Belgium, Poland, Servia and North? ern France. T nay. too, that we flghi ?o make the world s.ife fur self-re spectlfig and honorable men and wo I men. for 1 cannot seo how under . vietrious Cermany free people, win rebpect themselves ami eaon othai and live under fl Christian ende o , ethics, 00bId And a decent place t' I live. I It III for these things and for thes? I peoples that our sons have gone fort! lb the war. whleh i?* no\V more that ihree years bltl. Our men know it <eope. it** magnitude and its over uheimine hardships and horrors; am I we know that with unspeakable pride and courage they?the volunteers and selected men?have come forward as champions selected to do battle for us. Having counted the cost, the' have pledged themselves to servlct and now they wait, watching eagerly day after day for their orders to "proceed overseas." Day after day, in small ships and large ships, in ships tak-en from our enemies and in ships built by us with urgent speed, our soldiers and sailors go to form a vital part of the mightiest army for the greatest cause the world has ever known. In our soldiers and those of our allies lie the safety of the world and the preservation of our ideals of freedom, liberty and righteousness. Theirs is the great adventure, theirs is tho supreme sacrifice, which are de? nied to us by age, perhaps by infirmity, by lack of training, by civil position or by circumstance. Yet these very rea? sons make our obligation the strong? er, and we, you and I, are bound to increasing effort, to increasing thought by words boldly spoken and to in? creasing action by resolution and self effacement. We must see that they are properly fed and equipped, and hold up their hands to strengthen their arms while they fight. We must put their home thoughts at rest. It is for this and this only that we are exempted. Permit me to say that I am a conscientious objector to any other exemption. The heavy task that confronts us calls for the united strength of our oouhtry and its enormous resources that must* go for the joint support of the armies of our allies and of our? selves. But these resources, as well as our modes of thought and living, have been developed through fifty years of almost unbroken peace. We are not "too fat to fight" and the bat? tle we are now fighting we will win. The immediate task before us. who are the body corporate of the State, and before similar bodies in other States, and before the national con Kress, Is to give this spirit definite expression by converting these stores of great wealth from their accustom? ed channels and turning them to mar? tial purposes. Conflicting interests must be brought together and the competitions which we once encour? aged as the life of peaceful trade must become friendly rivalries in order that the greatest good may come to the cause of America and her allies. The necessity is absolute and vital; the task is gigantic, but it is definite. There must not be a moment lost in taking steps towards its fulfillment, and so we must start now and make no halt until our goal is reached. State Council of Defense. Not long after the declaration of a state of war those in charge of the government's affairs appealed to the State governments for cooperation and organization. They realized that without a thorough organization in each State the work of preparation for war would be severely handicap? ped. As a necessary adjunct to the work of the Council of National Defense, and at its direct request, State Coun? cils of Defense have been organized In every State in the Union. The South Carolina Council was organized in June, 1917, and has accomplished noteworthy results. As appears in communications from the National Council the South Carolina Council ranks amortg the first six councils in the country in excellence and effi? ciency of organization. Its work as the leader in patriotic publicity has been most influential. Patriotic meetings and rallies have been held in practi? cally every school district in the State. The South Carolina Handbook of the War, issued by the Council, has been declared by the National Council the finest issued by any State. Besides this major matter of en? lightening and informing public opin? ion, the Council has accomplished many things. Some of the chief of these are: The Food Registration campaign In cooperation with the wo? men; listing and filing State ware? houses; relieving soldiers of National Cuard from duty at railway bridges; having free demurrage reduced from 72 to 48 hours; organization of Four Minute Men, and furnishing slides to moving picture theatres; assistance to recruiting officers, especially for the i training camp; investigation of sub? ject of military training in State high i schools; aid and cooperation in antl ? tuberculosis work among rejected ? draft men; aid and support of the work of the Woman's Council of De t fense; aid and support in forming i j negro auxiliary defense councils; in . vestlgatton of alleged waste at South t Carolina military camps; important work in the production and conserva - lion Of foodstuffs; loan of the Coun ilcil's State-wide organization for the > I recent Hoover Food campaign and thr p publicity of the bust Libert* loan, Wherein South Carolina's quota was >'heavily over-subscribed. All this Rai been accomplished very economically s The general assembly will be re J.,nested to make full provision for thf 11 increwtfngry Important Shir work oi ; (he OOUnell. An act has been drawn lip and approved by the council, fixlnc l its status and requesting an nppropria a- i. . . p ? _ ? jj tion of $50,000, if so much be need? ed. A fuller account of the organ? ization and activities of the State Council will be furnished the gener ?C tssembly in an official report to it irom that body. State Trooiw. As a corollary to the .State Council of Defense, provision should be mado in a substantial way for the equipment and maintenance of SUde troops. Tbl? matter having been b-ought to th*? attention of the department of war by myself and other governors, who real? ized the need of a military organiza-' tion to take the place of the federal ized National Guard ui its, permission was granted, based on a ruling from the judge advocate general, to or? ganize troops, which car. be called into service by the State and federal au- . thorities but which cannot be drafted and sent abroad as in the case of the National Guard. The department of war urged the formation of such troops. For the last two months the work of organization has bt? n going for? ward, and today I am in a position to say that a regiment e.f State troops stands ready to answer men calls and some of the companies have already been mustered in. These troops will be furnished with rifles by the federal government, but the government's attention must be directed first to the equipment and maintenance of the army and navy. It is imperative, there*ore, that you provide for tfne equipment and ^sup? port of such troops. The military code of South Carolina should be amended so as to make regulations governing these State troops and otherwise to conform lb the National Defense Act. Such l oops will be subject to duty at the call of the gov? ernor as commander-in-chief of the State's forcee. Let us hope there will be no cause for me or my successor!! to use troops, but should the occasion arise when such forces are needed the hands Of your State executive and the admin? istrative fores would be hopelessly tied without such troops to assist in .: the suppression of lawlessness, rebel? lion and Invasion. Soldier's and Sailors* Oivll Rights. Our National Guard, which rend ered such signal servic? on the Mex? ican border and which is now in the service of the United States both af home and abroad, our quota in the' ' National army now being trained, and our volunteers in the navy and other branches of the military service, should have their civil rights pro? tected. I therefore recommend that a law be passed simib.r to the one considered by our national congress to the end that the families of those now or hereafter in th<: military ser? vice may not be discriminated against. In this connection I desire to call your attention also to the need of making ample provision for obtain? ing the vote of the South Carolinaians in the service. Labor. The worth of our State will be measured this year by our man-power and by our willingness to set aside certain provisions, which thowgh nec? essary in times of peace are awkward barriers to progress and cooperation in times of war. This would seem to be a paradox, but the contradiction is apparent rather than real, and is most clearly shown in the legislation regarding labor which . now recom? mend. During the months preceding your annual gathering and culminating particularly In the recent, action of the government In assuming control of the vast transporation facilities of .his country, no problem haa received more constant study thui the handl? ing of labor in its connection with the prosecution of war. The doctrines of "business as usual" Uftd "pleasure as usual" have proven alse; in their stead we must learn ai d follow this precept: Each one must do his or her task so that there may be no one guilty of vagrancy; the pelasures of many must bo sacrificed for the good of the nation's supreme business - war, and the business of many must be adjusted to the new regime for the same reason. I therefore recommen.. that an'act be passed providing for the assign? ment of able-bodied ma persons, be? tween the ages of 18 anc 60, inclusive, not regualrly and contnuously em? ployed, to work in operations carried on or directed by the Stute, the coun? ties or municipalities, or by private or corporate employers, v henever be? cause of a state of war the governor and the State Council o' Defense de? termine such assignment to be neces? sary for the protection of the State and the United States. No person shall be assigned to work that he is not physically able to do, and each shall receive a wage or Mlary not lees than that paid to others e ngaged in tho same nature of work. Ample provis? ion should be made for the enforce? ment of stub a statute and the gov? ernor given authority to employ such assistants and agencies as may be ; necessary. As this- is or. emergency measure its provisions should be nun