The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-08-21

structure And l have never seen a
man familiar with the operations of
township government ut the North who
docs not agree with him During and
since my boyhood 1 have attended a
half dozen or moro public township
meetings Mt the North and each one
was revelation of something new, in
teresting and instructive. | then and
there learned how and by what means
the Yankee Is tanght his most striking
characteristics habits Of curiosity, self
confidence. thrift, economy and public
spirit, especially the latter, for the
genuine Yankee is a!v a : planning or
trying to plan something for the public
good rs well as his own good. At all
of those township meetings everyone
Look deep interest in public affairs
and everybody wanted to know what
had gone or would go with every dol
lar of public funds No jobs passed
unchni!cugcd. No little tivc.dollar
bridge over IL Su,lcy cost the township
SD. No I'M roper accounts were paid
Tor either mileage or serving papers or
for transporting or dieting prisoners,
pnupcrS. "r luuutics, or for doing any
other public service. There were no
discussions about dcfaultiur coua.y
trcasurcrs or dishonest county COM
missioncrs, because the duties Of these
officers Hcvuivcd on township officials
On the contrary, tho public business
was conducted RS well i'll every 3articu-
lar ns private business il not better,
which is II great deal more than can be
said of county government nuyw here.
We'll knowing the incNtimublc value
ol township government tried hard
last fall to have incorporated in our
new consututSon provision making it
mandatory "9 the legislature to cstab-
l.sh II system OF elective township gov
crnmcnt, but | could not get it done
for the reason that sowc persons, who
style themselves "champions Of the
people, opposed it. ] offered the
following proposition which, after Il
long, hot and able debate, was voted
down: Tho qualified voters of each
township shall elect ut such times and
Tor such terms OF Office Ms may be pre-
scllbcd by law, township clerk and
treasurer also three discreet persons to
be known as the board Of township di-
rccturs, who shall provide for the care
OF nil paupcrS and lunatics in the
township, assess all property in the
township for TAXATION and who shalt
have charge of OF the township roads,
bridges and ferries, public schools, np-
point he managers ut all federal, State,
county and township elections, shall
register all qualified voters of the
township and shal! discharge such 9th
cr duties anil receive such compcusa-
ton Tor their services rs the Legislature
mny prescribe. For the nbov4 Il sub
stltutc agreed upon by tho foxy LEADERS
was adopted! III the following words:
'Ench ,f the several townships of
th!s STATE with names and boundaries
rs now established 10y law shall consti-
tate II body polite, but this shall not
prc"rnt the general assembly from or
GnniHihS other townships or changing
N!o boundaries of those already cstnb-
llahci, nm the general a>ssmbly may
provide sy,tcm o: township govern
m"nt rs II shall Think proper. "
Ills 9. colirH" was and i but m
!iy pin,!tudr, II fraud, II ahnm. in
tended I" deceive by pretending 10 Il"
something Cor local "!:-%ovrrnmcnt,
hGt IN reality to do nothing. for tue
words i.tH &cncmi assembly nnv rru.
vide such system -: township govern
mcnt ~ it s!i,il think proper" are hnt
the sounding brass II hrutnm full
mcE- as the general assembly cuuli
have established system OF township
government even II the constitution
had said nothing about il. The boss
leaders knew II. Yet n they were
afraid to tight home rule openly they