Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-15


Yorkville, and the longer the town delays
taking incorporation under the act in
question, the more perfect and satisfacto-
ry that act is likely to be at the time it
supplants the present charter. Not only
that, with two years before the town is
forced to surrender its present charter, it
will itself have ample opportunity to
secure such amendments to the general
act as may appear to be desirable.
| Now then, just a few words rs to the
present agitation. There is not a particle
of doubt that when the town council de-
cided upon submitting to the citizens of
the town the question Of surrendering the
present charter and adopting the general
incorporation act, they did so under a
most blissful misapprehension of the
facts. Their alleged reason was the fact
that they had borrowed $3.50, and that the
party holding the note WAS not willing to
let it stand unless it shall be backed by
the alleged greater security offered by the
general incorporation act. The council
was under the impression that if this act
should be adopted, they would at once be
clothed with all the powers and privileges
which it confers. The unquestiOnable
fact that in the event of the adoption of
the new charter there would have to be a
new council to enforce its provisions, did
not occur to any of them. Neither did it
occur to them that this note of $3.50 must
necessarily he paid out Of the tax collec-
tions of this year, and if allowed to run
over to the next council, it will not be a
legally binding obligation on the town,
whether the said next council be elected
under the present charter or the proposed
new charter. If the council had realized
beforehand the predicament in which it
has placed itself, there is not the slightest
reason to believe that this election on the
question of surrendering the present
charter and adopting the new one, would
have ever been called.
Then there is another thing. The coun-
Gil realizes il now; but did not realize it
until after it had fastened its foot. The
fact developed the other night in the pub
| lie meeting. In answer to question by
DR.. VIM. Walker, Warden Moore said, in
effect, that in the event OF the. adop-
ton of the new charter, its provisions
would not be enforced until the term
of the present council expires. This,
of course, can be easily managed. Upon
finding that it could not exercise any
authority under the new charter, the pres
ent council also learned that before an
election could be held, there must elapse
at least three months for the purpose OF
another general registration, and in the
event the people declared for the propo-
sed new charter next Friday, by delaying
official application to the secretary OF
state, statu quo can be maintained until the
term of the present council expires. But
under no circumstances can the new elec-
ton take place within less than 80 days.
This crumb of comfort, however, did not
dawn upon the wisdom of the council
until after the election for next Friday
had been called.
In order to make the matter perfectly
clear, we state frankly that the adoption
of the general incorporation act does not
give the present council, as now constitu-
ted, a single power or privilege that 1t
does not now possess. Members OF II
have said that their attorney has advised
them differently but in the public meet
ing in the courthouse, Attorney Brice
stated positively that this was mistake.
The principal effect of the adoption OF
the general incorporation act will he TO
give the next council power to levy addi-
tional taxes up to 10 mills, and the power
TO vote salaries for its members. Even
Major Hart, who appeared as the special
advocate of the position of the town
council, threw discredit on the new char
ter when he said he would be willing to
see taxation under it limited to 3 mills on
the dollar by AMENDMENT. He thus adj
mitted that the taxing power under it
WAS too great Je entrusted to ANY
BopY, much less the present council. A
bird i'm hand being worth two in the bush,
and since the town has more than two
years in which to secure this and other
desirable amendments, it will be well
enough not to be in hurry about adopt
| ing this charter in its present raw state.
In the meantime, we venture that there
can be gotten a council Of thoroughgoing
business men who can and will admins
ter the affairs of the town better, and who
will accomplish more improvements on
2 mill tax, than the present council can
accomplish with mill tax, and they
will do it without any compensation
too-either of free water rent or pickings.
And another thing. About that 500 on
account of which there seems to be worry.
An effort has been made, by at least one
member of the town council, to make it
appear that there is disposition on the
part of the opposition to repudiate 1t.
That is all bumcombe. Business men rec
opnize that whether it was necessary 10
borrow it or not, and no matter what may
be it's legal standing, the presumption is
that it was used for corporate purposes,
and it is a moral obligation. If it is re-
pudiated, therefore, it will be repudiated
| by the present council, for the present
council either has or will have the where
withal to pay it, and no effort will be
made to prevent-unless it should try to
shove the amount on to the next council,
which it has no right whatever to do.
LOCAL LACONICS.
The Enquirer Until 1st of January, 1888.
THE SEMI WEEKLY ENQUIRER will
he sent to any address, from this date un-
til the 1st of January, 1885, for "a cents.
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