The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-12
COLUMBIA IS. C..
Thursday Morning, January IL. 1871.
Our City Affairs.

The communication on ''Clty Taxee,
signed ''Fellow-C Citizens" which appear
ed in our columns, yesterday. deserves
the attention of all thoughtful and dis
Greet citizens. It is a matter OF interest
30 all classes of our people, that this city
be built up. 1t is the duty of tho City
Council, in every Legitimate way, to for
ward this work. It is to be hoped that
the members of the Council will have
the good sense to recede from the policy
that they seem disposed to inaugurate,
Of heavy taxation. Nothing can more
offectually retard the growth of the city
than this. We need capital and settlers
here from abroad. We need the best
use and the most careful outstanding of
our resources. To our mind, the policy
of the CITY is plain. 1t is to introduce
tho utmost economy into the city admi-
nistration-to reduce the expenses of the
city as far as possible, and thus to make
the burdens of taxation us light as is
consistent with the necessary e1pendl-
3nres of the city government. a liberal,
enlightened, economical. programme, on
the part of the city government, is es-
genital to the welfare OF the city. We
trust that there will be found in the
Council an element strong enough to
carry out this policy. It is the duty of
the City Council to work for and not
against the interests Of the citizens--to
build up and not to. break down-to save
and not to destroy.
We publish in another column, me.
mortal which was laid on the members
desks, in the Legislature, yesterday.
against the passage of an Objectionable
bill, now before them. The following
are some of its provisions:
SEQ. 6. That the Mayor and Aldermen
Of the said city of Columbia are hereby
vested with all the power and authority
over the poor within the city of Colum-
bia, which, by the law, now belong to
She County Commissioners of Richland
County over the poor of said County;
and for the purpose of raising funds to
provide for the support and comfort of
the said poor, the said Mayor and Alder
men may assess and collect q poor tax
on the taxable property of the said city,
in the same manner as they assess and
collect taxes thereon for the support of
the city government: Provided, That
said tax shall not exceed per cent.
on the amount of taxes thereon paid to
the said city.
SEC. 0. That the said Mayor and
Aldermen shall hereafter have power
and authority to levy tax on all the
real taxable property, within the limits
Of the city of Columbia, to the extent Of
two (2) dollars on every hundred dollars
worth of said real property as assessed
for taxatin by the said City Assessor; and
they are hereby. also, empowered to re-
quire all persons now engaged, or who
ness or avocations of any kind whatever,
within the limits of the city of Columbia,
to take out license from the Mayor
and Aldermen of the said city, and to
impose reasonable charge, or Tux. for
the conduct of the same.
SEQ. IL. That from and after the rati-
hcation of this Act, the city of Columbia
shall constitute q separate school dis
trict; and the Mayor and Aldermen
thereof shall be, aud they orc hereby,
constituted Board of Education. who
shall have, except as hereinafter pro-
vided, exclusive control over the free
common schools, which may be establish
edtherein, with power to organize, within
the limits thereof, as many free common
schools as, in their judgment, may be
sxpodient and warranted by the amount
of funds for their support which may
come into their hands by provision Of
law. The said Board of Education shall
have power to elect their own School
Commissioner-remo at their plea
sure-if, in their opinion, such officer
shall be necessary; to fix his salary, and
to pay the same out of the school fund
which may come into their hands. They
shall have power to elect the teachers of
the said schools, and fix their compen-
satior, which shall be paid out of the
same fund; and the said Commissioner
of Schools, should one be elected, shall
report quarterly. to the said Board, con-
cerning the condition of the city schools,
which shall be subject to visitation from
the said Board or Committee, from time
to time.
SIC. 13. That tho said Mayor and
Aldermen, in order to mid in the suppott
of said common schools. shall have
power to levy and collect per cent.
on the amount paid by each individual
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