The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-09
The Extension OF the City Limits.

The Extension OF the City Limits.
The General Assembly has now before it
| bill for the extension of the limits OF the
City Of Charleston. A copy OF the bill has
not been published, but it is understood that
the proposition is substantially the same as
that which was made and defeated last ses-
sion. The bill then, to the best of our in
formation, proposes that the corporate limits
be extended 80 as to embrace oil that neck
OF land between the Cooper and Ashley
Rivers, as far as the extreme northern limit
OF the former Parish OF st. Philip. This
would add largely to the territorial extent OF
the city, and would add about $500 to the
voting population. This latter consideration
is the one, we presume, which leads to the
Introduction of the bill. At the elections in
October last, Charleston City was carried by
the Conservatives. The term Of Office OF the
present Mayor ani Aldermen expires next
fall, and it is hoped that an extension OF the
limits of the city, bringing in large num-
Der ofcountry negro voters, will enable the
Radical element to retain control of the mu-
nicipal government.
Upon this point there are some very OBJ
vious considerations which will, it is hoped,
be weighed we'll by the members of the Le-
gislature In the first place it has never
been the custom, until within the past two
years, to make the Charlestons elections
political fight. Men were chosen because
of their fitness, and not because they were
Wings or Democrats. This is what we de-
sire now, and if any faith is to be placed in
popular sentiment, it is the firm determina-
tion Of the Conservative people of the city
te elec. the best men, whether they be Radi-
calls, Democrats, or neither. What is need
ed is capable and trustworthy administra-
lioa OF the affairs Of the city. The people
cannot afford to run Charleston as political
machine, unless they want to play ducks
and brakes with their hard-earned dollars,
and to make it impossible for the city to
4 bear the burden by which it is oppressed.
4 But there is higher consideration than,
, this. Charleston is the largest city in the
State, and pays goodly proportion of the
total State taxation. In thousand ways,
direct and contingent, Charleston is q bene-
fit to the State. We say nothing about love
and reverence. It is a business matter, and
we prefer so to treat it. Now, what is our
condition? The city hasa huge debt which
in some shape, must be paid. The interest
alone is over $780, 900 a year, and install
ments of the principal fall due every year.
Besides this, there are the working expenses
Of the city government. The police must be
| kept up; the Fire Department must be paid;
the roads aud sidewalks require repairs; the
poor are to be taken care Of There are
I thousand things to be done, and with tax
oftwo per cent for city purposes, on all real
and personal property, the government can
barely make both ends meet. Doubtless,
there is soma waste, but if every dollar now
raised by taxation were discreetly and wisely
spent, the city would not have q cent to
spare. 1t may be possible to reduce taxa
tion. At all events, We hopeso. On the other
hand, it is certain that any increase Of tax
alton for ordinary expenses will lower the
value Of property, check building, throw
mechanics and laborers out OF employment,
and make it virtually impossible for the city
to compete successfully with its more fortu-
nate rivals. This isplain reasoning, and yet
it is proposed to swell the volume OF taxa
ton. In other worls, an extension OF the
city limits will increase the expenses OF the
government without increasing in the same
degree the amount OF taxable property.
The neck of land proposed to be added
to the city is OF small value in compar-
scu- with the value OF land in the city
proper. AS soon as the addition is made,
the taxes Of property on the neck will be
largely increased Proparty-hoders there
will have to do theirpart in paying the ex-
penses OF the city. Their tax will be more
than two per cent, because for the protec-
| tion of the annexed territory there will be re-
uuired additional police, additional laborers,
, more roads, more officials more drains and
the like. The cost OF these will be more
than the revenue to be derived from the new
territory, A higher tax will be needed, and
the neck will have to pay the same rate
upon aswamp or potato plantation that is
paid upon a mammoth store or a residence
upon the Battery In this way, as we have
shown, an extension of the city limits is only
another way of expressing the certainty OF
diminished trade and increased taxation.
We approach this matter in; no party
spirit. We are willing and anxious that
everything possible should be doDe which
will benefit the city aud, through the city,
the State. May it not be hoped that the
Legislature will discuss the City Extension
bill in the same vein and with the same
honest purpose, to act deliberately and do
what is Just and right !