The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-03-19
COMMUNICATED
Municipal Affairs.
March Is, 1878.

Mr.. Editor: As the period for our
municipal election comes around. the
public b, gins to discuss the affairs OF
the town, the constitution of Council,
&c. In many respects, frequent el"c-
tions are an evil, but from one point oil
view they are of advantage-the people
would forget their interest in. and re,
sprnsibility for, the administration of
public affairs, were they not reminded
of it by being called upon to exert their
high prerogativc ofchoosing their rulers
once in a while.
The communication Of "Senex," in
YOUR issue of two weeks 'incc no doubt
met with the approval Of a majority of
our citizens but, while the ticket he
advocated may deserve all he says. al
low the writer to suggest the obllga'
tious of the town to the present Coun-
ell. and to non,n ?te them .ror re-flect'on.
Upon the threshold of their arduous
and thankless duties, the present Coun
ell found themselves confronted with
two matters calling loudly for attention.
First. no one knew what amount OF
Town Currency" was in circulation, all
previous estimates being only opprori-
nations TIE RnlIiugs Council have
called in the currency, issued therefor
new bills, signed by the lntcndant and
Clerk. and numbered. and as the result
of their well-lirected efforts have dis.
covered that about S10.00O-neariy
double previous estimates-are in circu-
la,ion. That is something done, Mr..
Editor. Now, az to capacity to deal
with this huge financial problem, the
Council which was able to devise the
means of discovering the amount OF
Town Bills" out, may be able to do
more The method OF disposing of this
debt is simple, as wo will attempt to
demonstrate later.
Seeond-ihe mex. question, with
which the Rollings Conncil had to deal,
was this The taxpayers who always
discharged their obligations to the cor
poratiou. complained that there was an
mLnowm amount Of taxes i'll arrears,
that Council would not enforce its pay
mcnt, and the threat was made that,
unless all were made to pay none would
What did the Council do? The CLERK
was ordered to prepare all accounts
against dcinquents, those accounts were
nut into the hands of the Town Attor-
ney, with instructions to collect by all
methods known to the law the matter
has been pushed. aud the Rollings Coun.
ell will show their constituency that all
has been done that could be done and
their successors will find this matter re"
moved out of their way.
The present Cornell will be able to
show more real. bona fcle. thorough.
usetM work done for the town, than any
administration since the war. This
is said without any intention to dispar-
age others. eve hope M one will think
the writer a member of Council-hc IS
not) In all departments of duty. they
will make as good report as in the
currency" and back taxes"
Mr.. Editor, let :he present Council
be unanimously rc-nominat'd. They
have begun the good work, ard let them
carry it out. Having struck bottom
in the currency business. let them try
for one ycar, to devise plans for raising
our town towards the top" again. The
debt. represented by the town bills can
be paid in but one way-ly tarat'o"
As the corporation is limited to the
collection Of only $4,000 per annum
by taxes on property, expenses must o'
curtailcd, or the power to tax increased
, Presuming that it is almost impossible
to curtail expenditures recourse mus
he had to the second alternative-th'
Lerislature must be asked for increased
mower to tax-ico mills extra, cac|
wear. would retire considerable SUI
. por aunum. And when rsfired, let ths'