The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 18, 1919, Image 3

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Review of Administration, tlie Key Note of Which Has Been Constructive Statesmanship, POUR YEARS FULL OF PROGRESS AND WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT THE LAWS HAVE BEEN ENFORCED, BENEFICIAL LEGIS LATION ENACTED AND THE BURDENS OF TAXA TION EQUALIZED. Columbia, Jan. 15.?Gov. Richard I. Manning delivered today to a joint -session of the senate nad house his ^ fourth and last annual message. While he remains in office until next Tues day, the day on which Robert A. Cooper will be inaugurated, this was j r his farewell address to the general j V :assembly and was, therefore, appro- i priately a retrospect and review of his four years administration. The message was substantially as fol lows: ? j ..: Gentlemen of the General Assembly: j Under the Constitution it is my. privilege and duty to submit to you lC^my annual message. We are more in terested in the future than in the past. .1but, in view of tbe fact that 1 am now nearing the close of my second term." I trust you wili pardon me for making a "partial review of the progress of the past four years. To note what ?? has been accomplished will aid and encourage us with respect to the fu BBEture. I desire at the outset to ac , ' knowledge the cooperation and as sistance of the legislature, the pulpit, the press, and all other agencies that have contributed to these results. I have earnestly striven to select men solely with a. view to their ehm netcr. -'fitnessand efficiency, and it is a source ?f pride to me that the men appoint ed to serve on the different boai is and commissions have performed the work so efficiently and thoroughly. "When I assumed the office of gov ernor four years ago. you will recall the 'fact that the party rules and the laws governing primary elections were loose, and were conspicuous by lack of safeguards which would guarantee to every man qualified to vote the right to vote once, but only once, in ?n election. Now the party ru>s have been strengthened, and the laws governing primarv elections have been tightened.. As far back as ISO! I Introduced in the legislature a bill to provide the Australian ballot sys tem. The Australian Ballot system has now been enacted into law. and has been foujad a safeguard and guaranty for/*the free and untram meled expression of the popular w'll. Four years ago the Irvw was a by-' word and reproach. The verdicts < ?:' juries and the sentences of the ecu:-.:: had- been ruthlessly set: aside: bar rcorns were in operation in violation of the law: gambling was openly practiced, and the race-track e >w-: had free swing to operate as they pleased. Other lawless s*rd immoral -,: acts were committed without conceal ment, and without punishment. These conditions had so much encourage ment that they were regarded as al most irremediable. Criminals claim - ed a vested interest in crime, and re garded themselves as secure from punishment. Violations of law were committed with the certain knowledge t?at pardons would be forthcoming. During the four-year period preceding the beginning of my first administra tion, one thousand seven hundred and eight pardons and paroles were grant ed, ,an average of more than one con victed criminal a day released upon society. In my campaign T had promised the people of South Carolina, to cor rect these evils. T put my ham; on the situation relentlessly and without discrimination. Today the situation is changed: good citizens respect and criminals fear the law, and there is no longer any one community that can be held up as an example of lawless ness. Grand juries, from the force of public opinion, now bring in true bills, and petit juries bring in verdicts of guilty where guilt exists. Pertain local authorities which formerly flagrantly ? violated the law now faithfully and efficiently support, the law;. Public sentiment is healthy, and this p .in spirit has strengthened our courts and the hands of otf.cers of the Jaw. In the-enforcement of '.}<?? prohibi tion laws the work -.f the Sr-..- c ?: stabulary must be given o ag ?: on. The constabulary has taken the initia tive in keeping down violations, and in rigid enforcement, and while the cooperation of county and munici pal law officers has been given, ! am convinced that without the State eon stabulary violations of the liquor laws w?uld again multiply. I consider the constabulary essential to enforcem< n1 of the prohibition law. I Throughout the State I advocated local option, compulsory scool .if tendance. The opposition to compul sory attendance was vigorous. I lieved then that such e Saw would be the opening wedge for .-. State-wide compulsory attendance law. and pub lic sentiment would demand he-r - ing school facilities until such a law would become a necessity. The leg islature enacted the local option com pulsory attendance law, and -> has-' been put into operation in two bun dred and thirty, or one-eighth <M" he school districts of the State. [1 has been demonstrate;] that it is v ?? ticable and workable. Tt h.-s- : It?? ?< fore achieved its purpose, and '<-.?>?? blazed the way for an expansion of that principle, so that today there is an insistent and strong demand for a State-wide compulsory law. . A distinct advance has been made in legislation affecting education. Plac ing the insurance of school house-? under the sinking fund c?mnfi^ion has meant a great saving, pry' for.a supervisor of mill schools b ts proven of distinct: benefit. There has been a large growth in the number of cshool districts which have levied lo cal taxes and today eight-ninths, or one thousand, six hundred and fifty nine school districts have voted local taxes for school purposes. Night schools were inaugurated in 1916. The act of the general assembly providing for longer terms required a term of seven months, where the local levy was as much :< eight mills and twen ty-five pupils attended a school. This was marked progress: Notwithstand ing war conditions and the scarcity of labor, enrellmen and average at tendance have been maintained. There has been an increase of about twen ty percent, in the salaries of teachers, especially the weisen teachers, anfl the Stan- appropriation for educatioz during ISIS is more than double iht appropriation for if*!-;. Eighty-five per cent, of the popu lation of South Carolina is engaged ir agriculture. The necessity for gi. ? or skilj and science in this importanl industry has been felt, and it is : matter of gratification to mo that ag ricultural training in the schools has been .instituted. Later I shall suhmi to you a recommendation on vocation a I training in agriculture, industry an< hone- economies. The creation of the board of conclli ation was another wise step which thi legislature took to settle the dispute? oetween employer and employe, l.i many instances it has performed thi; function, and has brought about s p siceable settlement of disputes whier promised to be serious. The Highway Commission was cre ated in I! 17. with the idea? of givinc to the State a comprehensive arte scientific system of roads. The commission has not been able to* ac jcompllsh what was desired, because oi [ tiie inadequacies of the law undei ? which it operates, but :i valuable start has been made which prom*si ?? wt-1 for the fu: ure. In 1915 the age limit for child la bor ::i South Carolina was raised tf. fourteen years: and. again ir ':?!<; tin legislature very wisely raised die lim it to sixteen years. This is o:' th* greatest importance, since it affects tie whole fabric of cur social and eco nomic life. Th;- Torr; ;-.-, system of land regis; tration was enacted into law by the legislature during my first adminis tration, but in my judgment a prcre Quisite to th" practical application ol , til's "aw would he a Complete survej ?of the land tracts in each county. i:; It* 16 the debt of the State wa> refunded at the rate of four per cent instead of four and one-half pej cent., as in the former issue. The saving In interest resulting from th? reduction in the rate, and retiring: a part of the principal of the State debt will be $36.754.76 annually. The re ; funded bonds have not the tax do jduction feature as did the old Br"owr : bonds, and this lias added to the I taxable property of the State a mil lion and a 'nah' dollars which before escaped taxation, and which will in i crease the revenue of the State about I thirty thousand dollars annually I malting a total saving each year ol [over $66.000.00. ! The credit of the State stands high, ; as is attested b> th-- fact that monej i for the current expense of th*" Statt I government has been borrowed at a [ lower rale of interest than other ' States have obtained. In one year money for this purpose was borrowed at two per cent. Hospital for the Insane, i From the beginning of ray admin j istratioh in and, indeed, foi years before that, the unfortunate in oar Stat<?the poor, the mentally de '?feetive; delinquent hoys and waywavd ''. : !."??have had ray constant Concern. a::d ever sine* I became governor I have encouraged and helped progres sive measures along these lines in ev ery way 1 could. During the several years before my election there developed .a w'de Sjjread disapproval of the conditions ;n til'- State Hospital for the Insane, but repeated and urgent recommen dations by the governing bodies bad secured little legislative response, i found th." physical condition of th?> institution was intolerable if we wore T?> consider the treatment of nn for tuna to patient as solemn tint;. ? Let: ted p\ human ss and chai ;:y. Their treatment was custodial rather than remedial, and even this <:??-.ii nien? was under wretched thos. Th'^efore. before my inauguration. ? a.ski-.I Dr. Thon ras W. Salmon, SFed Fcal Director of the National Com mittee for Mi atal Hygiene" to sug gest :i man well versed in the modern treatment o!' the insane. to study ilu hospital in detzui, :ia<J advise as to its reorganisation along th" best lines. Accordingly. Dr. A. P. flerring. Sec rotary of the Lunacy Commission of ." !.?? nd. m&.d*' such ::r> investlsrati? :? ;?nd report, which ! transmitted to lb" legislature during its so.vsion in A few days rbei*ealter the ?3s9 isiatnre. in a body, vi^if-o ?'?:> !-om-; pita! and saw for thomselves the con dition disclosed in the report, Before the legislature adjourned they pro jected a four-year program of reor r;:r:'v;tr'f'n. to cost hundred rh ?n- j :?'.'?ivi dollars. * * * Since that visit he four year program of reconstrue tiori Inas been carried out as fully i war conditions yould permit.* * s The - ' large savings effected through better r< bcsiness management, have been put ? inio improved medical und nursing, services and diet. The effect of those, p and other improvements is seen in the i1 fact that the death rate has beeh>< reduced to about one-half. The State bus not completed its task 1 at its hospital for the insane. Much: r< rf-.ains to be done for the hospital., ; whose patients now number over two. i thousand, and whose admissions av~! erage nearly 100 a month. The work is progressive and is in reality j never finished. But we can now point: [;to GUI* State Hospital wirb pride, for i we have made a wonderful advance in j ! providing a modern plant adapted to [the needs of the patients. For the mangement of the hospital. ? the Board of Regents, and Dr. Wil-j 'Jams, the superintendent, I have! nothing but the highest praise. These1 men have given their best to the in-j j siitution in a spirit of self-sacrificing : j devotion and consecration, and in the j i utmost loyalty to their unfortunate; I v.'ai d.s and the interest of the State, j ' state Board of C harities and Cor- j rections. I wish to call your attention, with . the utmost earnestness, to the work j of'the State Board of Charities and i Corrections. which was created in; IMS. This board is composed of five; j unselfish', unpaid, public-spirited men.; ! Tl has been generously and worthily j supported. Like similar; agencies inj other States, it is wisely without ad-j ministrativc authority. ft is purely j : visitOrial are"! advisory., with general j supervision over the prisons. jails, j chaingangs. reformatories, poor hous ? < s. etnrr charitahle institutions and ' work throughout '.he State, whether ? they are supported by public funds or . private philanthropies. In the begin [ ning the hoard announced, and has ! ever since maintained, the policy of s sympathetic .-???operation with of?cfals iri bettering conditions. U has s<wd - Jed the problems of its field in Snath i Carolina. It has informed itself of - the best means and methods emnloy ? ed in other States to meet similar dif : faculties, and with intelligence and de - rotion it Ins exhausted every effort to 3 apply to our needs such, remedies as : are proved to be the best. It has - worked with tact and restraint. {; The people of the ? State and the legislature have responded in a strik - j ing manner to cheir leadership. In ij witness th? reof I point you to the Act sjcreating the State Training School j Cor the Feeble Minded, passed a year sjago. The institution has secured a t splendid she of about 1,200 acres, on i [he Seaboard Air Line and the Colum bia, Newberry and Laurens Railroads, - near Clinton, fciregly the prift of the ?;tpeople of Clinton. Construction is I ;u:nler way. It will care for the men m tally defective of both sexes and both - J races. ? f wish to call your attention to the ?{Act creating the State Industrial t.|School for Girls, an institution which :!-v;-.; c?re for d'elincjnent w-hite girls. ; ? hope yon will make similar provision .[for negro girls. The Federal GOvern ..Tment has helped the State to the ox ??nt of forty thousand dollars, and . has given wise and expert counsel; Girls ar<- being cared for in a rented . building at Campobellb, in Spartan . I burg County, until the State- building. [now ander construction is completed. . J Again the legislature divorced the . i State Reforamtory ofr Negro Loys en .ItifeJy from the State Penitentiary, of .! which it had been a part. The South ? j Carolina Industrial School at Florence ? j for white hoys, and the State Indus j trial Seh?..,; for Girls, and the State 5-j Reformatory for Kegro Loys are now under the management <>f one obard. In taking over the Doctor John :jDe La Howe Industrial School. J near MeCormiek, the bill for J which was drafted by the State Board of Charities and Corrections, . the State has expressed its ap . preciation of this valuable property. , virtually igven it more than a hun , dred years ago, but never developed, . and has begun a system of State care , for a certain type of unfortunate . children for whom there is no ade i. quate provision otherwise in South Carolina. ' A proposition from the Federal Government to provide a building on Stat" lands for the establishment of '. in Industrial Prison for Women. , contingent upon provision being made , by the Board of Directors of the [ Peitentiary for maintenance of the . women prisoners, was accepted after I the Board of Directors of the Peni tentiary had agreed to the proposal. I have received the assurance if the authorities at ?Washington that the j building will be erected at a cost of between $35,000 and $40,000 This '[matter has been held up. how.-ver. ; |pending-amendment to the bill in Congress providing funds, i am as Isured thai the amendment will be f adopted. j These are but some the steps jihat have been taken under the eori I structive leadership of the board. ;'.":!e board, itself, has been of financial jtroiii to the State, far the roial amount appropriat d for its mui.i .'? ;::?'a-.- is $4t?.*??0, while through its work in investigating applicants for !lret.- tuition in S: Collegvs. ami i/ree treatment in the State Hospital I for the Insane, it has effected an hi icrease in the financial income of tliesei State insi tut ions, totaling *!!?:. j '?'?l '<.'.:~. "i' wxeh about *#O.OC?0 h ?? [been actuality collected. fn <'*???! iwords, tii.- State Board of Charit: s land Corrections has produced a t> i;nue -ft $43.:>:;.') in excess of: appropri 1 ! t ?>:>:< ?,"?.}? its maintenance. In view ej : its constructive work already accoj ! piished. ami <>f t!;.- approval of i:s pians by the people thus far. h.s ??? ? bmrnendaii<ms far comprehensive [Legislation in this e- id rn our Sta,. [worthy of your thoughtful ??? : ?: ] < ion. See!]i Carolina Tax CcmuvissJmi. I Tlie inadequacy of ot:r tax sy-ste ? ? is gcnera.71 recognized. Inequalk ?? ; : i y.^cs5i?me.s'i.ti? in all classes ?>? pro.'- j ? : ty before the organization of the T::.\ Commission were glaring; ' E"3 the b .??:;j.tt::-e created a T y Co;.;:.mi.s>:ion far the i>urpose <>}*?<. : . - I izijlg :!:>:'?s^.i^:??il::^ and t > j.'j.s.-i.v. ! j "? ?? '"'v siil- iiv; ;.. taxation which j i Jjad ?:?? ??< ' .!'? ? .? .?seapetl u. T!?!s w.- s aa enormous aad mos? important work. Sueb a wej-;, *?; *i^ ? (i no; be j?op because the pockei nerve is sen .?? xnd such a reform a&ccvuU w nar.y persons whose property was not Uearijig its just proportion of taxation, irid much of it had escaped taxation tltgether It was impossible for the Fax Commission to assess and equal ize ah taxable property throughout the Stau- at once. Real Estate could not be assessed until 191S, as the statutes provide for the assessment a!' real estate (?nee every four years. Th<' commission selected banks as the first class of proprty. as the facts regarding them were easily obtaiii able. As it was impossible to equal ize all classes Of property at one time, i; was deemed best not to disturb the relative assessments of banks and other property, and in order to d< this the commission ascertained what the average assessment of banks was at the time it began its work. Tins average w e. found to be forty-two per cent, of the actual value of the shares, and the commission applied that per centage to bank shares throughout the State. Before this was done the as sessed value of bank stocks in th< same county ran from less than twenty per cent. to more than sixtj per cent of their value. The iaverag* assessment of bank shares in ?'in county was as low as twenty-niu? per cent., while in another countj the average was as high as ninety per cent, of the actual value. It was found that one bank was assessed af low as nine per cent of its value .\ow bank stocks are uniformly as sessed throughout the State at forty two per cent Thr Tax Commission then took uj the equalization of the assessment 0 (livestock. The assessment of mulei [varied from twenty-eight dollars t< Lon>5 hundred dollars. The assesses [-Value of horses varied from an aver sage of- twenty-seven dollars in on 'county to ninety-two dollars i: sanother county; cattle from an aver jage of seven dollars in one county t jan average of fourteen dollars i 'another. Thy effort of the eommis sion has been to put such livestock S on a forty-two per- cent, basis, fakin ; each county as a whole?but equal izing the value of such stock amon !individual^ has not been effected be [.cause many of the local yassessin ^authorities have not carried f?rw?r j that work. ! The Tax Commission next took u [the assessment of cotton mills, whic varied from twenty per cent of thei j value to seventy per cent. All cotto ?mills have not been placed by th commission on a f?rty-two per cen basis or" the actual value: Tin- resu lias, been that some mills have bee j increasfcd from twenty per cent, t forty-two. per cent., while other mill have been reduced from seventy pe cent, to forty-two per cent. The- n< result has shown an increase in th taxabie value. Similar discrepancies <-x:sl< d i fertilizer plants and oil mills. Thea have all been placed on a forty-tw per cent basis. in the case of power plants it. wa found, that the av< rage assessmer ? of such property was abot ?twenty per cent. of their va The commission by hierea: jing the same to forty-two per cem added more than six million. G.\ hundred thousand dollars to their a: sessed value. In one. case a powc ? nan: was assessed at less than !?? ? per cent, of tin value thereof. Th j commission in erased the sane* i h forty-two ]>??}? cent. str<-?-t ra.ilwa\ rare included under the head ? j power plants. In 19'18 the commission tool-: up th assesment of farm lands, which, as stated, could only be reassessed one in foin- years, the four-year perfo having been reached in 1918, that i the first time that real estate could b assessed since the ereat.on of the com mission. This was the mo t difficui task the commission had .:t under taken. The commission ascertain^ the average value of farm lands i each county from all available source of information. The United State census figures for 1010 were examinee The price paid for land through ju dieial sales and private sales was als scrutinized. After thus ascertaininj the average value of lands by coun ties, forty-two per cent, therefore be inj-' the basis of assesment for all oth er property which the commission ha< equalized, the same percentage was applied to *he value of farm lands The result w s that in some coun tie: no increase in the average assesse? value of farm 'amis was made, whia the general increase ranged from ter per cent, to one hundred mid fifty pet cent, of the former average assess ment. j For illustration, $7.070.720, the as sessment for Union County in 1017, at 3 1-L> mills, would be $C7.171.S4. $7. 507,420, the assessmem: for 10IS. at s !-! mills, would be $64.411.21 .vhich means that Cm on county, un ?!<?:? the reassessment by the Tax Com mission, will contribute to the sup .port of the State government ?2,760, less than it wo;i]e have had there been no. reassessment. Equalization . r farm lands .as bo 'wi'fii ihdivid.ua! own* rs lias been left to the local county authorities. In some of these counties this work has reen reasonably weil carried out. -mt a others it would seem that no effort has been made toward equalizing farm lands as among individual own ers, and that the law requiring sue!' equalization has been wholly dlsre ? ? ?! d in socio instances, and l?rgol} a in others. The remedy for r.ueh .ail uro to ? ;r r\ on! the law rests with in many cases individual tax savers have appealed to the Tax 'Tom mission, complaining of excess rsessments against their prop erly by loc:; hoards. In th.' maj?r tv of rJie appeals :!??> commission has craated a- reductions bat in other in btn'i:i-s the ?:? ! ion < ;* fho local boards 'las Ivo? a sustained; Appended !>,?.??? ? ?:- comparaiiv?? tafehrenil of a: ??. -;,.? ;iis in !014 am! "MS. showing the result of the worfc i" equalization by the Tax Commis ?:on. This shows a riei mcrease in '??: '? over t :'? ; ; of !?7*>.01^155.00. the e jna I*'/.: Lion and reri^Se^ihciit of ?::..???? in - ??* s over th-- assessed :*ahie in 'i.IJ. ! append a statement. owiji '. ? ti ; 11 . As ! Vi '-f tbe r?-assessment of! ! : ;j> Lands ?ri I I* I_S. :?<:?! e?ua Liza l ion ; a ::s.-s,aa-ai-: of other c lasse of ?ro?;c;t;y giving :: large increase in axable property of State, the cump troller general has been able to reduce State levy from 9 1-2 mills to S 1-4 mils, and It is shown further that even with-!the reduction in the State levy to 8 1-4 mills a. larger amount of money has been raised than would have been raised with the 9 1-2 mills without the equalization. Tn other words, a ft 1-2 mill levy on $32,000, 000, the taxable property for 1017. would raise $3.040.000.00. Eight and {one-fourth mills, the reduced levy on $376,176,581.00, will raise $3,103,452. 00. It will be seen, therefore, that the Tax Commission has made substantial progress in the equalization of, assess ments, and at the same time has plac ed on the tax books much property which formerly escaped taxation al together. Further means are. needed to require the local authorities to perform their duties under the stat utes. This work is never ending. Tt requires constant scrutiny and vigil ance in order to maintain equaliza tion of assessments, and to see that no property is lest sight of and does not escape taxation. Tola! assessed value of all property iu South Carolina: 1910?$27'9,755,340.00; 1014, $307. 178.882.00; 1918, $376,178.581.00. Net increase 19IS assessment over 1914 assessment is $69.000,000.00. M Comparative assessments of cor ? ; porat ions for 1014 and 101S:_ ^ - '/? y ~ ~ ? ir * I * - ^'* 5 ? > i 5 ? < ? S = a ? % ir! ff ^ i G ! ir. -i 6C r ' 3 CO r: c- co 31 ? i . j o r. ? r1 - o ? ? ? 0 - h 5 rr = 2 5 - n ' I . . -. ? ?w - ~ tC CC ? ifc * 51 ?-ti ?H c - -j v' - r. o i-1 es r. ?3 j: o ~ ct ^ m *ec - ? ct "tc i- ? - 2 - /? -I - lv i' O C -I e ? to -! o ? 'J 'ft 0 , C~. ! " ?' CT ? ? _ ^. jl. ? CT A. \ - co ~ ? tc ;: t\i CO CO C3 r~ (3 ? ? >-> O 51 tc ? - c to re ? ?; ? co o ct -i p ? 50 cc ? C: to :~ M O ? V ? ~ ~' "5 : The above increase cn corporation: i named includes increased assessmen I on real estate owned by them. Thi: 10 ;s increase, on real estate is also includes in the total increase on real estat throughput the State. Compartaive statement showing as sessiheht of farm lands, with build r {ings and real estate in cities in towns n| Farm lands?1914, $74,959,152 191S. $110.919,002. Buildings?1914, $17,999,525; 1918 $22.5.07,568. f j Real Estate in Cities and towns? 1914, $67.094,579; 1918, S73.314.101. Total. 11>14, $160.853.256; 1918 j $20.7.740.671: iner#??sA 13 IS assess rnent ever 1914 assessment, $47,0$7, j! 115. j The above increase on real estate ' includes the increase on lands ownec _ j by all corporations tnroughout th< State, as well as the increase on fara lads. The lands owed by corpora tions are entered on the auditor's books as farm lands, and there is nc way of ascertaining what the exact increase on farm lands have been. The appropriations for State pur poses were made and levy placed tc raise such appropriations, based on valuation of approximately $320,000, 000.00, that being valuations for 1917. The increases in valuations show as below: 0 1-2 mill levy on $320,000,000 would raise $3,040.000. 8 1-4 mill levy cn $376,176,5S1 will raise $3.1 03,452. Tito National Guard. Before I assumed the office of gov ernor an'order had been issued dis banding the National Guard. Among the first of my official acts was the issuance of an. order declaring the previous order null and void, and re establishing the National Guard of South Carolina. Whatever difference of opinion may exist as to the char acter of the organization of the Uni ted States Army, the fact remains that the National Guard of South Carolina played a part in the great war ir: Europe which has established for oil time a record for that organi zation, in the Thirtieth and the For ty-second Divisions South Carolinians played a conspicuous part by their courage, daring and effectiveness as fighters, and when the history of this war is written these two divisions will he placed in history among the im mortals. Under the act of the legislature and by authority of the war department. IC companies of State Reserve IVfili- ! tia have been organized in South Car-j olina sihee the National Guard has! been absorbed, into the National \r niy, the federal government furnish-j ing arms and ammunition and cert sin equipment, and the Srate supplying'; such additional equipment as is nee-! ossary. The war department has n<>! pro-' mulgrited its plans for the reorganiza tion of the Federal Army, in my ludg-i ment. this army should be unified into i one United Stale.; Army, arid all -is-, i? net ions between the Regular Army, j ^rational Guard and National Army j should bo abolished. Uni >nvl experience as governor. I knew tuat i there is a necessity Tor St ire troops to i maintain order, suppress riots, inva sion <>r insurrection, should these oc cur with the State. v-'::io Oificos. r>epairnnen(s and Saia-j I'ies. : The several State otlicials and de- j partments <?:' the State governmeut"! will suomli their reports. These I ommend to your careful considcra-' i o n. I I l'ermit me to make a definite rec- 1 emmendation for your immediate ac tion, which is simply a matter of right, and a recommendation which, since I am retiring from ofiiee, 7 can appropriately make Tin- salaries of the State officials are inadequate. The governor and other State officers cannot live on the salaries now fixed by law. The consti tution provid.es that the salaries of certain officers shall not he increased nor decreased during their term of office. The State officials elected at the last election will not assume office until January 21. Salaries paid offi cials of South Carolina are the low est, with onf- except ion. of any State in the union. I urge that you take up immediately the consideration of a bill to provide adequate salaries for State officials, and that this measure be pressed through so that it. will take effect by the 21st of January, 1919, when the newly elected officials will assume their duties. South Carolina in the War and in the Future. My administration of four years lean be divided into two distinct pha j ses. The two first years were taken j up with measures of a constructive j nature. The second half covers that j period in which South Carolina was ! called upon by the national govern I ment to mobilize for the war, and 'during which the strain of the war's .heavy requirements was borne by the [people of the State. * * * (Here follows an outline of the war [work of the State officials. Council of [Defense and other organizations, and ; the results of the Liberty Loans, Red ! Cross and other campaigns.) j I have pointed to the accomplish j ments of the people of South Car | ohna during the war as an indica tion that they have grasped this vis ? ion of higher citizenship. Our defi 1 ciehcies and <>nr ability to remedy j :hein have been revealed to us by war's requirements and the manner ; in which we haye met them, and to retain the lesson of sacrifice and ser [viee and duly to usher in a day of 1 broader hope and higher iiving by 'applying Chem to our State, some clear tasks lie before us. These we ! may face with courage and with con j fidence in ourselves and in our ability {to accomplish big tasks which hither to may have appeared impossible. ? South Carolina remains almost at I the foot of the ladder in^pbmt of il i literacy?the', forty-Seventh State in iUnion. The one State which by its [.position saves South Carolina"from i being at the very bottom?Louisiana I ?is already taking serious and far | reaching steps to climb to a higher j plane This blot must be removed i from the fair name of our Stat<\ and ; South Carolina must not longer occu I py this degraded position. She must [in education and efficiency be fully j abreast of her sister States. We have [demonstrated to ourselves what we ; can do if we but possess the courage ; j to go forward. The amount given by *fthe people of South Carolina for hu 5 jmanitarian and relief purposes during '| the war is almost four times the < amount appropriated for educational i purposes by the State during the past ' j four years. *J Automobiles and heavy trucks have : multiplied. This heavy traffic has cut ; ;up our roads and now they are a dis j grace. A makeshift system of road .?work will not longer suffice. South i Carolina, must adopt a.modern, prae - tical and effective system of high I ways. The civilization of the State ,1 cannot progress without good roads. ? j The time has come to stop and take ? I an accounting. Can we, the people of 'South Carolina who have raised near | ly a hudred millions of dollars for ! ] the war, do the things which lie be ll fore us in the broad path of duty? [There are to my mind but two es sentials?tin- vision and the willing ness to go forward. Such a pro I gram as our vision of a better State j outlines will require as a primary and j fundamental means the expenditure of more money than the State has heretofore appropriated for educa tion, highways, public health, human itarian causes ar.d other purposes, and larger and adequate appropria tions means increased taxation. South Carolina's per capita tax is $2.U5, the lowest of any State in the Union save one, and this is just one Cent lower. Our assessments are. low. ? We can well afford to increase our j taxes in order to advance and go for jward with the march of an enlighten ed world and a eivilizatioi which has j been made secure by the sacrifices of millions of heroic and unselfish men j who were not afraid even to die for their ideals. If there be those who j would oppose these forward measures which our awakened public conscience dictates because of higher taxation, ; they are, I hope, that small minority ; who have failed, perhaps, to catch the [vision and to learn the lesson of the I war. They have failed to grasp the I meaning of the new Am ericanis^m, [ which is closely allied with Christian-' ' ity. May God give us (In- wisdom and courage for these tasks. The Xext L.\eomn Xumber. The people of Sumter have a treat in store for them in the next Lyceum number, which will take price Jan uarj 2ft. at tin- High School auditor inn::. The distinguished author. Er nest Thompson Seton; will give one of Iii-- ' : . : far which he is almost as .loiis as . ? for his writings. It is always interesting to see and hear ? - man of international reputation aside from tile message that he brings. > v, ,5 *: 'im- small grain acreage in Sum . ??? county considerably less this year than Last. There was less wheat planted ami very much less fall oats than heret ?fr?re. This was dim priu ? i' '!..- to Lhe scarcity of la'bor and the ? ? ..: need of utilizing'till the hands ??'!-i unable to gather the cotton crop, ft -s st-ited that much spring oats will !?. par in. as those who planted "als ;.-.^t year obtained satis tory > i. Ms. Within the next few months the ? ' .. camp towns wii! begin experi ?nc-j-na ..? sluiup corresponding in mag '?::ab- to .in- boom they have been on ioy.iug. Hut tie- merchants, hotels ino resiaara?ts in camp towns have '??aped sueh a harvest that they will nblo i ? tide over a dull season or wo.