Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-17
Misesllaneuus Reading.
AFTER TAXPAYER" q"
THE END.

"Citizen" Smells a Job and Suggests That
the Voting of Bonds Would be Dam
gerous.
EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER: In
your issue of the 10th instant, the
communication signed Taxpayer"
goes on to state that the present graded
school building and furniture are in a
very dilapidated condition-almost a
complete wreck. 1t states futher, that
the graded school occupies three rooms
20x20, and then makes the proposition
to vote q tax of $4,000 or $1,000.
Is there a taxpayer in 4orkville
who, if he wanted the space of three
rooms, 20x20, in the suburbs of the
town, would expend $4,000 of his own
money for such three rooms?
Then, secondly, as to electric lights.
Some people are bowling about the
darkness of our streets. If any COM
pany will contract to light the streets,
and give a good light, without injur-
ing our shade trees, at a reaonable
price-something that the council can
pay within the present. levy of two
mills-I am in favor of it. But under
our present law of voting for rulers
and voting other peoples money away,
I think it best not to make any greater
incentive for men who want to be
town rulers. At least, not so long as
the "brother in black" who pays only
s25. 10 year to run the town, and the
same amount for graded school pur-
poses, has the power to govern and
tax us.
Thirdly, as to macadamizing the
streets. Our streets, in some places,
are pretty rough; but with filling up
the holes, as the present council is
doing, I think in our present "fourish-
ing condition" they will answer for a
few years longer.
The whole question of these i'm
provements is simply this: Will a
safe, practical man 90 into debt and
mortgage his farm or house to make
ornamental improvements? Those
who do manage their affairs in this
way are but a few steps from failure.
Can we afford to increase our taxes
The present tax rate in this town is
22l mills, or 1921 on the 800.
The whole thing looks to me like a
scheme concocted for the purpose OF
putting up job on the town, by first
having the town to buy what is claim
ed to be an old wreck of a building, at
an enormous price-higher than any OF
our large three story buildings on
main street have sold for within my
recollection. was in the school build
ing last summer, and l did not notice
all this wreck. If the condition Of
the structure is as bad as represented,
I, as one of the owners, think it would
be we'll to discontinue using it. When
we purchased the building we got an
elephant on our hands, and would,
of course, be pleased to be relieved Of
the burden but when the town can
get the use of it for less than "Taxpay-
er" would have US believe will keep it
in repair, is it not better to rent than
to own it? 1 know of no better way to
kill the town than to unload on it and
make our taxes so high as to keep out
capital and drive capitalists to other
towns.
By way of suggestion to the consti.
tutional convention, would call to the
attention of that body that they offer
some protection to the property owners
of the State. I understand that the
taxpayer has it in his power, in
the towns, to vote a tax Of $4,000 OF
every 800 away Of other peoples
money. First, the State can so in S
per cent. then the county Sper cent.
then the township s per cent. ; then
the town 8 per cent. additional.
CITIZEN.
IT WASN'T NEws.-A Washington
correspondent gives The Post this story
of German publisher in st. Louis :
'There had been a big fire directly
opposite the Office Of his paper the
night before. A magnificent building