Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-10-23
to issue bonds except for educational


to issue bonds except for educational
purposes.
Section 13 was changed so as to
make the fiscal year commence on the
1st of January instead of on the 1st OF
November.
i-THIRTIETH DAY.
The day was consumed in the consid-
Grafton of the taxation question, and q
proposition to establish a department
of roads and forestry. The roads and
forestry proposition was laid on the
table and the most important result of
the taxation discussion was the adop'
ton of the following:
Section 5. There shall be exempted
from taxation all county, township and
municipal property used exclusively for
public purposes and not for revenue. and
property Of all schools, colleges and in
stitutions of learning, all charitable insti-
tutions in the nature of asylums for the
infirm, deaf and dumb, blind, idiotic and
INDECENT persons, except where such pro-
| fits of the colleges, schools, institutions,
etc., are applied to private uses; all pubic
libraries, churches and burying grounds
but property of associations and societies,
althOugh connected with charitable OBJ
| jectS, shall not be exempt from State, coun-
| ty or municipal taxation Provided, That
as to real estate this exemption shall not
extend beyond the buildings and premises
actually occupied by such schools, colleges,
institutions of learning, asylums, libraries,
churches, parsOnages and burial grounds,
although connected with charitable OBJ
jectS.
1t was provided that hereafter State
bonds shall not run longer than 40
years, and they may he retired at any
time the legislature may see fit and be
able to make the necessary arrange
ments.
MONDAY-THIRTY-FI DAY.
The question of county government
had been made the special order of the
day. 1t will be remembered that there
were two reports on the subject. The
principal point of difference in the re-
ports is the regulation of the formation
of new counties. One report provides
that no county shall have less than
400 square miles, and no county shall
have less than 10000 population.
Elections for the formation OF new
counties shall be called upon petitions
signed by 300 freeholders residing
within the area of the proposed new
county, and the county shall be formed
upon a majority votes of the qualified
electors residing therein. The other
report provides for the formation OF
new counties in the same manner,
except that no old county shall be re-
duced below 500 square miles, no new
county shall be formed with less than
500 square miles, and no county line
shall be run within 10 miles of an old
county seat.
When the reports were submitted,
each was backed by six members ofthe
committee. When the matter came
up for consideration, however, Mr..
Harrison, who had signed the last men,
toned, or Austin report, announced
that he had Withdrawn his name and
signed the other. or G. D. Tillman re-
port. That made the G. D. Tillman
report the majority report, and entitled
it to consideration first. Mr.. G. d. Till
man moved to lay the minority report
on the table. Senator Tillman thought
that inasmuch as the committee had
been instructed to bring in two reports,
it would be best to consider both OF
them, section by section, and incorpo-
rate the best provisions of both into
one article. Senator Tillman's view
was accepted and G. D. Tillman's mo-
ton to table was killed by q vote of 81
to ~.
Mr.. Sheppard wanted to amend the
area section by providing that the to-
tai number of counties in the State
should not be increased beyond so, in
Guiding those already formed. If we
should permit the esta blishment OF
new counties without limit, the num-
ber of senators may, some day, exceed
the number of representatives. Geor-
gia has gotten into bad snap in this
way, and the people of the State are
now realizing their mistake.
Mr.. Brice was in favor of the re-
strictions in the Austin report rather
than the Sheppard amendment. The
so limit would allow the formation OF
say Is new counties. All of these
might rush in at once, and an injustice
would be done to others that might
want to to be organized afterward.
But he did not believe in the whole
sale formation of new counties. The
people did not want anything of the
kind. They had voted on the ques'
ton of reducing the constitutional
area in 1882, and they had voted it
down. He believed that if the matter
was submitted to them now they would
do the same thing again. If the coun-
ty area should be reduced to 400
square miles, it would be possible to
establish something like 40 new coun-
ties. At $4,000 to the county for
court houses and jails, the people
would have to pay out something like
100000 to start their new govern
ments, and counting the expenses ofall
the new clerks, sheriffs, treasurer's, au-
ditors and numerous other officers, the
whole State would have to pay out
more than 81 ,0O0,O 900 year for services
that would probably be no more eff
cient than those now obtaining. And
who was to be benefited? Not the
great mass of taxpayers. Only the
citizens of ambitious towns, and the
politicians.
naorro n Tillp,on no6a q great