Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-05-02

this State for great number of years; and l
remember very few instances where local tax
alton for internal improvement was ever lett to
popular vote. I have just read in the Colum-
bia Register an Act passed at the last session OF
the Legislature ~"to incorporate the Edgehe!d
Branch Railroad and to authorize the town
council Of Edgefeld to issue bonds to aid IN
the construction of the same" AS legislation
on the subject of taxing the people in aid OF
internal Improvement schemes Is attracting
public attention of late, will trespass upon
your space sufficiently to copy the following
sections of the Act above referred to:
Sec. s. The Town Council of the town of
Edge6eld, is hereby authorized and empower
ed to subscribe to the capital stock of said rail-
road company the sum Of twenty thousand dol.
lars, and to issue bonds Of said town of Edge.
field for the payment of said subscription, said
bonds to be payable in ten years from the date
thereof, to bear interest at the rate of seven
per cent. per annum, and the interest to be paid
semi-annually on coupons to be attached to
said bonds. .... .#r .- .. -., .">
,*
Sec. 10. That the said Town Council Of
Edgefeld shall, Immediately after the passage
of this Act, levy tax of three and one.half
cents for the year A. D. 1878, on every dollar
upon the property owned within the limits of
the town of Edge6eld, and the Auditor of
Edge6eld county shall forthwith enter the
same upon the tax duplicates of his county,
and the Treasurer of Edge6eld county shall
collect the said tax, at the same time and in
the same manner that he collects the State
and county taxes. et- ao nj
Sec. IL. That the County Treasurer of
Edge6eld county shall pay the interest on
said bonds as it falls due, and. also ten per
cent. of the principal of each, of said bonds
from the; taxes herein provided TO be- collect,
ed by him and he shall receive said coupons
in payment Of the taxes herein provided for
in the fiscal year in which said coupons fall
due. ( a. EEg +Ae ~
The above Act if understand it correctly,
requires the town council of Elge6eld village
to vote a subscription Of $40, 900 to the road,
in bonds of the town, and also requires them
to levy annually, a tax of thirty five mills (3a
per cent? on all the property within the .cor'
porate limits, to pay the interest and retire 2
part Of the bonds they are required to issue
as subscription to this railroad, do not
know whether such subscriptions are legal or
not; but such provisions are frequently en-;
acted by the Legislature, and the people sub
NIT and pay the taxes. If the above Act in,
aid of the Edgefeld Branch Railroad, is
valid legislation. it goes so far beyond the
York county subscription, that do not know
how to compare them. At every session Of
the Legislature, the members are called upon
to vote authority to County Commissioners
and town and city authorities to- levy taxes
for all sorts Of purposes, in which the people
have no voice. I do not think the case Of
York county can be singled out, to found 2
good objection upon to the system. =. a.,aI- .
I have thus, Mr.. Editor, given you my
views upon this matter for what they are
worth. It is one Of great Importance to the
people Of York county. If there is anything
in it for the people to decide, want them to
study the matter out for themselves, as I
have attempted to do, and be able to decide,
ntelligently. Passion and prejudice will not
help to solve it. Practical business sense,
and just regard for our own interest and true
welfare, are the points to. be kept in view.
But for Gods sake, don't do anything that,
will cause US to come under the high freight
tariffs that ground the substance out of US in
former years. TAXPAYER. -