Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-28
fore, becomes incumbent upon us to offer

It will no doubt be remembered that
this question of changing the charter, etc..
was up at the famous "sewing circle"
meeting of the council, held on the 18th
of June last, and in that meeting there
developed certain circumstances which
seems to throw light OIL the present situa-
ton. For instance, it will be remember
ed that Warden Parish asked Intendant
Lowry as to whether the new charter
would allow the intendant to receive a
salary and the intendant said, 1.-THE act
is silent on that subject" 1t will also be
remembered that Intendant Lowry asked
Attorney Brice the very significant ques-
ton as to whether, under the present
charter, the council could not create the of
flee of superintendent of the streets, and
pay him salary" Mr.. Brice said yes but
it will be remembered that he did not, at
the same time, say that the office thus
created could be held by member of the
town council. And then, along in this
same discussion, will be remembered the
remark of Warden McElwee, to the ef-
feet that ''a town which is not pretty
heavily taxed is not worth talking about"
In order to ensure better understand
ing of the circumstances here reviewed,
it is not out of place to recall the fact that,
for sometime previous, Intendant Lowry
had been making sundry efforts to have
the town charter so amended as to allow
the. intendant to receive salary. This
effort failing, the next move was to create
the Office of superintendent of the streets.
Members of the council were sounded on
the subject privately on the streets but
M essrs. Parish and Pegram objected, and
the scheme was dropped not, however,
without the creation Of little feeling.
It was in resurrection of this proposition
when Intendant Lowry asked Mr.. Brice
as to whether it could be done, and War
den Parish sarcastically suggested the
creation of an office for each member OF
the council.
The principal points of difference be-
tween the present charter and the general
incorporation act which it is proposed to
adopt, have already been mentioned. By
reason of it's having been drawn to fit
all kinds of cases, the general incorpora-
ton act necessarily gives the town coun-
Gil great deal of power-more even than
the present charter of Yorkville. For in
stance, under the present charter, the
town council is not authorized to levy,
for ordinary purposes, tax OF more than
81 on the $1,000, while, under the gen.
eral incorporation act as much as $40 on
the 81, 900 may be levied. The thought
lessly uttered sentiment already quoted,
to the effect that town that is not 'pret-
ty heavily taxed is not worth talking
about" seems to be very good earnest
of what may be expected in the event OF
the surrender of our present charter.
1t is true, that our present charter ex-
pires in 1900, and we will then be COM
PEELED to go under the general incorpora-
ton act but as the said act confers nc
benefit further than the privilege of in
creased taxation and the right to give
compensation for services that are OF
questionable value, it will be just as well
to bear the ills we have, rather than fly to
those we know not of.
Then this proposition to change the
name of the town is another thing that is
deserving of more attention than would
appear at first blush. The town has borne
this name for more than 100 years. The
name figures in biographies, gazateers,
histories and old manuscripts which will
some day furnish the material for history
So far as we know, there is connected
with the name no taint of dishonor. We
know there are many who love the name
and the traditions connected Herewith,
and we should greatly regret to see a
change without some good reason.
But this is not all. OF course the town
council is not aware of the fact. Some OF
it's members are not aware that they are
under oath not to hold two offices, and
neither do they seem to be aware that
they are at present under oath not to take
compensation for their services. There
fore, they are not aware that the law
makes no provision for the proposed
change in the name Of the town. The
general incorporation makes provision
for the naming, by ballot, Of town not
already named but where towns already
named go under this act, the names can
only be changed by the legislature, and,
in our opinion, that body can only pro-
vide for such change under general act,
allowing all other towns the same privi-
lege.
Enough for the present. There are at
stake matters, the full Importance of
which does not appear on their face. But
the people of Yorkville pretty well un-
derstand the situation, and if they will
only give the whole subject the consider