Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-08-15
QUITE A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION OF ECONOMICS


Joseph J. Hull, neat stand having been
erected for the speakers in grove south OF
w. L. Roddey & Co.'S. store. The stand
was handsomely decorated by ladies of the
town, the decorations consisting OF liber-
al display of the national colors, wreaths
of evergreens, and profusion of flowers
tastefully arranged. The speaking was
interspersed with fine music rendered by
the Gold Hill cornet band. Col. CadWal-
lader Jones presided. On calling the
meeting to order, he said:
Fellow-C -Citizens-Ith has been assigned to
me to conduct the proceedings here to-
day. Of thing at least it may be said
I am old enough. 1t affords me great
pleasure to meet so many of the good peo-
ple of York county who have come out to
hear the candidates, who are good set OF
men generally, and before introducing
whom would say
A WORD FOR ALL:
strike nv gong and right or wrong,
I'll blow my horn loud and shrill
For Blackburn Wilson, Of Rock Hill,
And for John Black I'll blow blast
Both loud and fast
And make Kings Mountain ring!
For soldier bold,
I'll blow for high private Gold;
And here's my whole paw
For young Will McCaw.
For Will Stewart. true blue,
Without doubt we're all for you;
And for another one as true
I'll sound my horn for Wilborn too.
For Beatty Smith, of Glover,
lam your man all over;
And now to win the race, with all my might
I'll 90 hot and heavy for Hutch White.
A round of applause greeted the chair
mans poetical salutation, and when it sub
sided he introduced as the first speaker
DIR. JOHN G. BLACK.
DR.. Black opened by saying that this is
the third time that he has had the honor
to come before the people of York county
to solicit their suffrages for public office.
He had, on previous occasions, and in his
life as legislator, advocated certain meas
ures, and he thought it was due to him
self that he give some account of the man
ner in which he had fulfilled his promises.
During his term as Senator for four years,
he had deemed it due to the people, at the
close of each session, to give them, through
the county paper, an account of his acts,
and in addition to such publication, he was
always ready and willing to explain his
public conduct. With him it had always
been an effort to keep the tax levy reduced
as low as possible, and while he claimed
this as principle with him, he was ready
to accord to his honorable competitor, w.
3. Wilson, Jr., member Of the House,
credit for equal zeal in the same direction.
AS saving Of expenses, he advocated the
abolishing of the office of county commits
sioners and devolving their duties upon
the clerk of the court, the auditor and
oI
compensation. A bill for constitutional
amendment having this for its object, was
passed in the Senate but defeated in the
House. One trouble with our State consti-
tuition is that it is too complicated, being
modelled after those of northern States
with heavy population, and foisted upon US
by carpet -baggers who did not understand
our condition and our needs,
Four years ago he promised the people to
try to secure reduction of their taxes.
His great aim has been to secure good
government at but little expense. AS to
the levy of taxes for State purposes, nine
Legislators out of ten sent to Columbia
he would except Mr.. Wilson, who had al
ways ADVOCATED low taXes-give the SUBJ
iect no attention, but take the statements
of others. In this remark he intended no
reflection upon any one, utsuch is the fact.
Last winter the tax bill came from the
House. Mr.. Wilson tried there to have it
reduced, and he, in the Senate, also pro-
posed reduction from its original pro-
visions. After a careful calculation, he
found that levy of 81 mills would bring
in surplus of $4,000, and he determined
to try to secure a reduction to mills. At
first only two of thirty-fve members would
agree that 5 mills would yield enough, so
little attention had they given to the sub
ject; and even the chairman of the finance
committee made a statement to the effect
that the committee had not made calcu
lation as to the requirements for the States
expenses. You do not hold your repre-
sentativeS to proper accountability, and
they rely too much upon the statements of
proper Investigations themselves. We
must become accustomed to impartial crit
icsm. After my argument in favor of
five mill levy, it was passed in the Senate,
and through the influence of Mr.. Wilson
and others, it was passed in the House.
In our criticisms of the State government,
however, we should not become rutiied.
In that respect Mr.. Tillman has made
mistake. He has not criticised in a fair
and impartial manner, and has INDUCED
in too much abuse of public officials.
When / see what 1 conceive to be wrong
in the management of the government, |
shall act in a fair manner and in spirit of
convincing those l think in error, but
without abuse of the government.
In the year ending 1880, the tax levy
was Al mills. The interest on the State
debt, paid out of that levy, was S107 800
more than is to be provided for out of the
present levy for 1887. This, with $4,000
to the State penitentiary, which was then
not self supporting, makes the eXtraordi-
nary expenditure for the year 1880, S142,-
500 more than for the year 1887; and in
addition to this, the receipts from the phos-
phate royalty are at least 100000 more
than for the year ending 1880, which, with
the same rate of expenditure, should have
reduced our State levy nearly one quarter
of a million of dollars. The increase is
over one-fourth of mill. One reason of
this style of legislation is, the masses of
the people are not represented in the South
Carolina Legislature, in fact and in senti-
ment. 1t is your duty to correct it. The
great majority of the people who perform
the labor of the country are in the minori-
ty. Thomas Jefferson was correct when
he said, "When the people complain, there
is something wrong"
OF difference in expenditures, the speak
er made another comparison, taking the
wears 1888 and 1884. In 1854, there was