The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-02-18


means to defray the cost. We trust
that there will be no further difficulty
in the way OF full and explicit monthly
reports OF the condition and operations
OF the treasury. The people do not
relish being Kept in state Of Egyptian
darkness about what 80 vitality concerns
them.
NIB EDITOR: You ask for light in re-
lation to the proposed three mills tux
to defray the past Indebtedness of
Richland County. An inquiry at the
office OF the Clerk of the Court elicited
the following facts: The claims filed
Tor payment are mostly for the past
year-1874-and foot up the sum Of
S27, 900. These claims are mainly held
by parties who have purchased them
at discount, the original creditors
holding but small amount OF them.
Two gentlemen are owners of $4,000,
which is over half OF the entire lndebt.
edness Of the County. The considera-
tion given for them is no doubt far be-.
low the face value-psrhaps not more
than fifty per centum of the on.ire
debt. Now, supposing these claimu
are all legitimate and valid, und on
this point We will not undertake. to Ee.
oide, as the claims are go numerous
that time. money, patience aud power
to send for persons and papers to de-.
termine their oorrectness would be re-.
quired; still, the fact that they are
held on speculation to make money on
will be sufficient reason to extend ths
paym for series Of years-say not
less than three years, 30 ns to make the
burden as light as possible on the tax
payers,
The merchants of Columbia have, on
small profits, compared with what is
made by buying State or County pa
pers, been waiting for over two years
to be repaid the goods furnished to
support the inmates of the Lunatic
Asylum, and another year at leust will
havo to elapse before they get the
principal Of the debt, without interest.
Surely it will be doing we'll for the
owners OF County claims, who will re-
alize 100 per cent. on this investment,
to pay them in one, two and three
years. or even fonr years II they get
paid III this time, the per centage
will still make it figure up handsome @
return on the purchase money. 1t liz
cla!med that the Indebtedness being
mostly for the year 1874, is owing to
the fact that the tax collected for that
year has mostly been applied to pay.
ing debts incurred during previous
years, the County Commissioners
being ignorant of tho requirements of
the law rs stated in Section OF the
Act to raise supplies for the fiscal
year commencing November l. 1874.
which forbids the County Treasurer
to pny any portion Of the same except
for County expenses incurred during
tho fiscal year, and prohibits the
County Commissioners from drawing
any warrant contrary to the provisions
OF the Act, or contract in excess of the
levy therein made. It is certainly
strange, that the Treasurer of Rich
land County, az we'll as other County
officers, should be so ignorant of their
duties, which are we'll known TO eyery
Intelligent citizen of the County who
reado the daily papers,.
The System, Mr.. Editor, OF reauir.
ing services from citizens as Jurors. or
for other services rendered the County,
by which they can only realize q per
centage Of their just claims, is q great
evil. Itwould be more just to reduce
the compensation and pay cash, which
would. besides, save the County q
large amount. Pay certificates coat
the State an immense sum, and 80 long
as there was o market for them, they
were quite abundant. When they cease
to have q market valneS their numbers
diminish. Whether the same causes
you'd producs'the sam6 results for the
County, we are not prepared to say;
bat assert chat the party having the
claim should be the recipient of the
entire amount, and that dealing in
County or State claims should work q
forfeiture OF the entire debt.
a clause in the Appropriation Act.
and trial OF few years, would deter.
mine the matter. The taxes im posed
on opr inpoverished people are one
rous IN the extreme. aEd every effort
should be used to diminish the bur.
then. . TAXPAYERS.
The postal card factory shipped
Or AQn knn on,A. I....-