The manufactured products of South Caro lina, as reported by the recent industrial census, were valued at $138,891,202; its factories gave employment to 71,914 wage-earners, who re ceived $24,173,101 for their services. The capital invested in industry amounted to $203, 210,875, the cost of materials was $91,008,196, leaving the value added by manufacture $47, 882,20i. The State ranked 31st in the value of products and 25th in the number of wage earners employed in manufactures.
The manufacture of cotton goods is the most important manufacturing industry. It gives employment to 64.6 per cent of all wage earners and its products form 56.5 per cent of the total for all industries. There are only two States — Massachusetts and North Carolina that exceed this State in the value of cotton manufactures. There are in operation 4,327,178 spindles, or 13.7 per cent of the total in the United States. The industry is fostered by the great cotton crop of the State. Oil, cottonseed and cake extracting is the second industry and is of course a by-product of the cotton growing and cotton spinning and ginning industries. Fertilizer manufacture is also important.
Of the wage-earners 82.5 per cent are 16 years of age and over, and of this number 19.6 Per cent were females. The turpentine and resin industries are declining owing to the ex haustion of suitable timber.
The relative importance of the leading manufacturing industries is shown in the fol lowing table: The Savannah River is an important trade and travel route. Improve ments have rendered it navigable for over 200 miles, from Savannah to Augusta, Ga. The Waccaman is navigable for 50 miles; the Great Pee Dee for 52 miles; the Cooper for 30 miles and the Edisto for 260 miles, while several other streams are navigable for distances up to 13 miles. Charleston, Beaufort and George town are ports of entry. The length of steam railways in the State is 3,824 miles (144 miles of double track) and 113 miles of electric rail way. The chief roads traversing the State are the Southern (1,200 miles), the Atlantic Coast Line (880 miles) and the Seaboard Air Line (370 miles). The assessed value of the rail roads is $45,816,096.
Banks and State bank of South Carolina was established in 1812 and was entirely under State control. It was the reposi
tory for all State funds. It went into liquida tion during the Reconstruction period. There are now within the State 55 national banks, capitalized at $7,500,000 and with $22,000,000 on deposit; 285 State banks, capitalized at $10,500, 000 and with $10,000,000 on deposit and $50, 000,000 on loan; 28 savings banks, with 36,398 depositors, who have to their credit $9,676,647, or $265.05 to each depositor.
Constitution and From 1670 to 1719 South Carolina was governed under the Carolina provincial charter of 1665. From 1719 to the period of the Revolution it was governed mostly by Crown commission. In 1776, 1778, 1790, 1865, 1868 and 1895 constitu tions were adopted. That of the last-named year has since been several times amended. A constitutional amendment may originate in either house of the legislature; if carried by a two-thirds vote in both houses it is submitted to the people at the next election following when a favorable majority sends it back to both houses, where it is again put to a vote. A majority vote of both houses is this time suffi cient to make it part of the constitution. The two first steps above given for an amendment are also required to call a convention for the revision of the constitution. A negro majority is carefully guarded against by the constitu tional provisions that voters applying for regis tration after 1898 must be able to read and write any section of the State constitution or must show that they have paid all taxes for the previous year on property appraised at $300 or over. This provision effectively bars illiterate negroes from voting and also all negroes who do not own real or other property assessed by the State at $300 or over. A residence of two years in the State is required for voting.
Executive.—The governor holds office for two years, is paid $3,000 and is eligible to suc ceed himself. He must be 30 years old, as also the lieutenant-governor, and both must be resi dents of the State for five years. Other ex ecutive officers are the secretary of state, comptroller, state superintendent of education, treasurer, commissioner of agriculture, com merce and industry and the attorney-general. All executive officers are elected for a term of two years and at the same time as the governor.