Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-01-11

sufficient to pay the past Indebtedness OF
the county. BY the same Resolution the
School Commissioner and County Treasur-
err are authorized to borrow a sum equal
to one half of the amount levied for
school purposes, to pay school teachers GER
tificates. The rate of interest to be paid
not to exceed s per cent. per annum.
The county tax levy for the next years.
% mills for ordinary county purposes, TO
of one mill for interest on the Chester and
Lenoir Narrow Gauge Railroad bonds, $40
of one mill for retiring the same bonds,
and mill to pay past indebtedness,
which, together with the 5 mill State levy
and the 2 mill constitutional school tax,
aggregates II 6-10 mills. In Cherokee
township there is a levy of q mills to pay
interest on Charleston, Cincinnati and
Chicago Railroad bonds.
1t will be seen that the increase in the
State levy is : of n mill. This increase
is caused chiefly by two items of the ap-
preparation act. One is $50, 900 to pay pen
sions to disabled Confederate soldiers. TO
this item / trust no citizen will raise
n objection. The other is an increased
appropriation for higher educational pur-
poses, chiefly to the South Carolina Uni
versity, as follows: 1874, 100 to the Univer-
sity and it's different branches, and $4,000
to the Winthrop Training School for
Teachers. OF this $S4, 100, SIC, 1000 is fur
nished by the United States Government,
So, 300 of it being derived from interest on
the Agricultural Land Scrip, and $4,000
from the Hatch fund for instruction in ag-
riculture.
Having expressed my views so freely in
your columns heretofore as to the policy of
devoting so much money to the purposes
of higher education, and doing practically
nothing towards giving the masses an op-
portunity to gain an elementary education,
that it may be superf1uous to say more ;
but it is a subject of so much Importance
that it should be kept before the people.
1 will repeat that the basis of all prosper
ity, that is real, healthy and enduring,
must be based upon the intelligence of the
masses, and all moral, social and political
advancement %isdependent upon it.. There
can be no other justification for levying
taxes upon property for educational pur-
poses than that it makes better citizens Of
our children, that it thus secures a better
discharge and higher appreciation of the
duties of citizenship, and benefits and pro-
tects the ones who pay the taxes. Now the
connection between this taxation and its
results, if applied to a system of free COM
mon schools, where every taxpayer can
avail himself of its advantages in procu-
ring for his children a good elementary
education, is apparent. This much educa-
ton and no more every State owes to eve
nv child within its borders. Now does
this principle of justice apply to the taxa
ton of the people, when these taxes are
applied to higher education
It will be seen by the statement above
given that nearly one third as much mon
ey is appropriated for the University as is
expended altogether for the free common
schools of the State; that is to say, 2GO
pupils in the University receive the bene-
fits of 8 1000, while all the other children
in the State receive but $500, 900. The
question then up, is it fair and just
that the people should be taxed, and the
proceeds thereof applied so unequally?
There can be no compromising return to
the people in the way of increased intelli-
gence among the masses from the expen-
diture Of this sum of money. The truth
may as we'll be told, and it is this, the
average legislator is not in sympathy with
the condition and wants of the masses.
They are in most parts of the State select
ed from a class whose very pursuits and
associations do not bring them into sufti-
GENTLY close contact with the people to
enable them, or to cause them to properly
study the moral and social questions that
affect them, and to properly appreciate
the crying necessity for doing something to
help them to bring up their children who
are to be the future stay and support of
the State, more intelligently, and to en-
courage them in their struggles with pow
erty with the hope that the life of their
children may not be so hard and uninvit-
ing as theirs have been. If there is any
one thing that the average South Carolina
politician delights in kicking every time
he encountersit in the Legislature, it is the
free common school system and in hug
ging to his bosom the delusion that every
higher education, that he is doing the best
thing that can be done to educate the
people of the State.
A careful study of the finances of the
State will convince any one that the wild
est field for reform and reduction in
taxation, is in our county affairs. 1t is
to the county commissioners of the diff
ferent counties of the State that the
largest discretion is given in the expendi-
ture of money. 1t is but just to say that
in York county a reduction of expenses
within the last three years has been made.
At the first session of the Legislature after
the people Of the county had honored me
with a seat in the Senate, land the delega-
tion in the House, after a careful eXamlna-
ton of the financial affairs of the county,
concluded to fix the levy at g mills in
stead of 3 mills, as had been previously
levied. This policy has been kept up for
four sessions, and let us see what has been
saved by it. One mill levy in York u
ty raises 50, 200; then J mill reduction saves
$1,000. This for four years saves $1,000,
from which deduct a deficiency OF $1,000,
leaving a saving of S $500. BY good man
agement and economy, l have no doubt
that in the near future, a still further re-
duction of the county levy, to 3 mills can
be made, without in any way impairing
the efficiency of our county government.
It will be remembered that in the last two
years certain expenses amounting to no
inconsiderable sum have been taken OFT
the county. For example, about $4,000 to
outside poor, $3.50, for transporting con-
victs to the penitentiary, $40O for salary OF
circuit court stenographer, and the eX-
pense of printing reports of county COM
missioners and school commissioner.
Which, taken together, amount to consld-
erably more than one half of one mill. L
am not rejecting upon our board OF coun-
ty commissioners, but am considering the
matter simply as a question of finance,
and hoping thus to direct the attention Of
the people to these questions and. invite
them to a careful study of these important
matters. Yours respectfully.
JOHN G.. BLACK.
MERE MENTION.