The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-06
nigh ground and wanted to settle

COunCeS on LQ1S new QoDI, WIN WOulu
receive no benefits, if an issue of State
bonds was to be allowed.
Mr.. Jones-Can the State levy tax
on part of the State to pay the inter-
est on a debt for the whole State2
Mr.. Clayton stated that so far as
Florence was concerned this would
save Florence So, 900 year.
After further debate section 1 and 2
were adopted, as follows:
Whereas in most, if not in all, of
the counties of the State the taxes are
never realized until year after the
levy, and consequently the contracts
for ordinary county purposes and for
the running of the schools have to be
made on credit instead of a cash
basis; and whereas this is an evil
which ought to be remedied.
Therefore be it ordained by the peo-
ple of the State of South Carolina, in
convention assembled, and by the au-
thority of the same:
Section 1. That q commission be,
and is hereby appointed, consisting of
the governor, the comptroller general
and the State treasurer, whose duty it
shall be to ascertain what amount of
money would be necessary to place
the various counties of this State on
cash basis as to their ordinary coun-
ty and school expenses.
Section Q. That said commission,
when it has ascertained said amount,
be, and it is hereby, authorized and en-
powered, in the name of the State, to
prepare and have issued coupon bonds
payable to bearer, which may be reg
istered with the State treasurer, &C
cording to the custom in such cases, to
the amount necessary to raise the
money needed for said purpose and
the necessary expenses of floating the
bonds; that said bonds shall be in such
denominations and due at such times
as said commission may deem expedi-
ent, subject, however, to the provis-
ions of the Constitution of this State,- :
and shall draw a rate of interest not to
exceed Al per cent. per annum; that
said bonds when prepared shall be
signed by the governor and secretary
of state, and sealed with the great seal
of the State, and the credit of the State
is hereby pledged for their payment.
Section 8 caused some debate, par
ticipated in by Messrs. Henderson,
W. D. Evans, Rogers, B. r. Tilman
and Sheppard. That section and the
next were adopted in the following
shape:
Section 8. That said bonds, when so
executed and issued, shall be sold at
not less than par by said commission,
and the money derived therefrom, af-
ter paying the expenses of the issu-
ance and sale; shall be paid into the
State treasury; that the same shall be
paid out by the State treasurer to the
various county treasurers whose coun-
ties are not now on cash basis, as
soon as practicable, in the amount
ascertained by the commission to be
needed by such counties to run the
county and school business on cash
basis, and when so paid said funds
shall be subject to the check of the
county and school authorities to be
expended for said purposes.
Section 4. The general assembly is
authorized and required in hereafter
directing levies for taxes for ordinary
county and school purposes, to base
the same upon the intention Of this
ordinance to keep the counties. on a
cash basis.
Mr.. Breazeale moved to strike out
the next section, which read thus:
Section 8. That on and after the
time the State treasurer shall have
paid into the respective county treas
uries the proceeds of the bonds, as
provided for aforesaid, all contracting
officials of their respective counties,
whether for ordinary county expenses
or for school purposes, shall be held
responsible for all contracts entered
into by them over and above the cash
they may have to their credit to meet
the same, and their official bonds are
hereby declared bound for the same.
Senator Tillman stated that he hoped
they would allow the amendment to
60 in. Later they could vote out any
thing they wished to.
Mr.. Sheppard said that the scheme
was to raise money by taxes this year
to pay the tax in the next succeeding
year.
He thought the section would cause
trouble incalculable.
.Tillman-Well, let us have trouble,
and help these poor women school
teachers who have to shave their sal
ary checks.
Mr.. George Johnstone took the floor
and spoke for some time against the
idea of allowing the governor TO be
the sole judge of the suficiency of the
evidence to remove these officials. It
was wrong to let grand jury take an
exparte statement without one element
of trial, with no notice to the official
and ask the governor to remove him.
It was against the rights of the Ameri-
can citizen. 1t was robbing man of
his dearest possession, the right of trial
by. jury.
Senator Tillman did not want to at
tack magma charta. He simply wanted
to put in a clause that would create
public sentiment which would make
county officials be more careful. He
could see no great bugaboo, or any
hing vile in it.
Mr.. Derham wanted to know if these
county officials were not appointed by
the governor.
Mr.. Clayton said there were only
two county officers that this could
reach-the county school commission
er and county supervisor.
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