The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-02
OUR CITIES AND TOWNS.
ICONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

UUR CIIlEO AND IUW NO.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
regulation of the scope of municipal
courts and the right of appeal. AS it
| is now, he explained, the right of ap-
peal is fixed only by charter and in
towns less than 1000 people there is
no such right. The Constitution, he
contended, should not fix punishments.
Pending this motion the Convention
adjourned.
Yesterday the consideration of The
subject was resumed.
Mr.. D. S. Henderson introduced the
following substitute for section Z:
"The General Assembly shall pro-
vide a uniform system for trials in
the municipal courts of the cities and
towns of this State and for appeals
from the judgments thereof. Said
courts shall have power to impose
fines not exceeding $1OO or imprison-
ment, and may couple with the i'm
tprisonment hard labor on the streets
or public works of the city and town.
The trial by jury of six, if demanded
by the accused, shall be allowed in such
manner and on such termsas the Gen.
eral Assembly shall prescribe"
This was ordered to be printed and
to lie over for future consideration.
,.., TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS.
Section g. of the article on municipal
corporations was then taken up. AS
amended and adopted it reads thus:
"Sec. 8. The corporate authorities of
duties and towns in this State shall be
vested with power to assess and collect
taxes for corporate purposes, said
taxes to be uniform in respect to per-
sons and property within the jurisdic-
ton of the body composing the same !;
and all property, except such as is ex-
empt by law, within the limits of cities
and towns shall be taxed for the pay
ment of debts contracted under au-
thority of law. License or privileged
taxes imposed shall be graduated so as
to secure just imposition Of such tax
upon the classes subject thereto" -
There was quite debate over the
motion OF Mr.. Bellinger to authorize
and require municipalities to tax the
capital stock of banks and other corpor-
rations. The motion was tabled.
MUNICIPAL INDEBTEDNESS.
Section 9, as reported by the com.
,nittee limited the bonded indebtedness
of each municipality to ten per cent.
of all the taxable property. On motion
of Gen. Gray, the limit was put at
eight per cent, with the proviso that
for temporary purposes there may be
issued revenue bonds or certificates of
indebtedness, with the requirement
that such scrip shall be taken up as
soon as practicable.
Major Barker offered a substitute
which was ordered to be printed, and
| to lie over for consideration today.
EXEMPTIONS.
Section 10 of the ordinance read as
follows:
"That cities and towns may exempt
from taxation, except for school pur-
poses, for five successive years manu-
factories established within their limits
after the adoption of this Constitution,
whose paid up capital is not less than
$40, ,O0O."
Mr.. Stanyarne Wilson moved to
strike out this section entirely. He
urged that the exemption did no real
good, and that it was an unjust dis
elimination in favor of certain class
of business men.
Further remarks were made by
Messrs. Henderson. Patton. Hayns-
worth, Sheppard, Sloan, Buist, Burn
and Zimmerman in favor OF the eG-
emption, and by Messrs. w. D. Evans,
Clayton, Efrd and Talbert in opposi-
ton. Pending further debate the
Convention took a recess till 8, p. m.
Last night after some preliminary
business the Convention resumed the
discussion. Mr.. Floyd offered the fol-
lowing amendment:
"Provided, that before any such ex-
emption is allowed by any city or town
in this State it shall be submitted to
vote of the people of said city or
town for their enlargement or rejec'
ton" -
After some further debate the sec
ton, as thus amended, was adopted
by vote of so to IS.
Section II, giving towns and cities
general authority to ''protect the lives
liberty, health and property of the cit
zens" was stricken out as unnecessary.
Section 10 was passed. 1t forbids
the introduction of any armed
force into the State, except ION
the request of the Executive"
THE DISPENSARY LAW.
The next section considered was the
following:
In the exercise of the police power
the general assembly shall have the
right to prohibit the manufacture and
sale and retail of intoxicating liquors
or beverages within the State. The
general assembly may license persons
or corporations to manufacture and sell
and retail intoxicating liquors or bev-
erages within the State under such
rules and restrictions as it deems pro-
per; or the general assembly may pro-
hibit the manufacture and sale and
retail of Intoxicating liquors and bev-
erages within the State and may au-
thorize and empower the State and
county officers, both or either, under
the authority and in the name of the
State, to buy in any market and retail
within the State liquors and beverages
in such packages and quantities, under