The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1875-12-23

work the party up to feaver heat In
the several counties should be put in
the offices, but if they permitted the
people to elect them, they would not
care 90 much for the party, but work
for self, and thus, over half tho eoun>
ties in the State would certainly be
lost TO them.
Ajoint resolution, to require and
authorize the County Commissioners
OF Pickens County, TO levy and cause
TO bo collected annually, special tax
of three mills to be applied, exclu>
sively to the payment of the past in~
debtedness of the County, until tho
Same shall have been paid. has received
it's second reading in the House. In this
connection, will say that some time
since l received petition, signed by
all the County Commissioners, asking
the General Assembly to grant them
acthority to lovy an annual tax of
five mills, to dotray the current ex-
penses of the County. This, with the
concurrence of Senator Bowen, l de-
clined to present. 1t may be diffi>
cult matter to conduct the affairs of
the County on tax of three mills,
and q large floating dobt has already
boon saddled upon our County from
this cause, it is claimed; but think
with good management both ends
can bo mado to meet on tax of threo
mills. Our poor farm can, and ought
to be made self~sustaining. Most of
the bridges in tho County arc new, or
have recently repaired, and without
somo unforeseen disaster. can not
see why our County expenses should
exceed tax of three wills. Reform,
reform, is the cry from the mountains
to tho seaboard, and lot us begin at
homo. Tho County Commissioners
should not, under any circumstances
permit tho County expenditures TO
exceed ITS revenue; but the present
year, with the expense Of only one
court to provide for instead of throe,
they have created debt of some throo
hundred dollars; and, if tho other two
terms Of coHrt had been held, it would
have amounted to two thousand dol
lars, instead Of threo hundred. WHY
is this? Can not such deficiencies bo
prevented in the future? | do not
accuse the Commissioners of anything
wrong, but speak Of these matters
and call their attention TO them in
order that they may prevent anything
Of the kind hereafter Our whole
system ofCounty government, as well
as State, is radically wrong and not
at all adapted to our pooplo or their
circumstances, but it is an evil that
wo arc poworlcss to remedy, and will
have TO mako the best OF circumstan>
ccs, and bido our time. Already wo
havo State tax OF ton mil is TO puy,
an ordinary County Tax Of threo mills,
besides the special tax of throo more,
making an aggregate of sixtccn mills
in Pickcrs County. Are we able to
boar moro for current expenses?
think not. Besides this, it may be
possible that we will havo to pay the
Railroad tax, though it is to bo hoped
that our cause may ultimately be
successful.
In the United States Court on Tues.
day last, two suits against the County
on thoso bonds, ono brought by tho
Bank Of Commerce of Richmond, Va.
and tho other by the Richmond and
Danvillo Railroad, was tried, and in
both casos judgment rendered against
the County. Both judgments amount,
| believe, to over five thousand dol
lars, but they wore tried separately,
and undor recent law of tho United
States, am informed, an appeal to
tho Supreme Court can not be taken
unless the judgment amounts to over
five thousand dollars. These cases
being separate, and neither amount.
ing to that amount, it is tcarod that
VIC will not be able to tako an appeal.
unless it ko on tho basis that the
amount involved amounts to ovor that
amount, even hundred thousand