Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-11
MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

pallelce.
With this article, for which we have
no especial apologies, we intend to try to
drop the subject indefinitely, that is if
circumstances will permit, and we hope
they will. The object of this article is to
clarity the situation. One Of its effects
will be to raise howl in certain quarters
and bring out indignant denials, etc. +;
but for these we have very little respect.
Maybe, also, there will be demands to
'specify," etc. but we are not going to
do it. No one need take a thing unto
himself unless the cap should happen to
fit, and in that case specification is unnec-
essary.
The municipal affairs of Yorkville are
in bad fix. That is our opinion. There
are many who do not agree with us. There
are many also who do. The trouble comes
from an anomalous condition Of things,
the like of which, we venture, does not
exist in any other town in the United
States. But the bottom of it all is the
failure of majority of the citizens to
give proper attention to their municipal
interests.
Although nobody seems to recognize the
fact specifically, there are virtually two
municipal parties or factions in the town.
That is, there is, and there is not. There is
in that one has been controlling the muni-
cipal affairs of the town for years in its own
interest, and there is not, in that neither
is fully organized. AS the result, the
town suffers all the evils of party govern
ment and derives none Of its advantages.
Observing men who are acquainted with
the situation will, upon a little reflection,
agree with us when we say that i'll no
other one particular has the town suffered
half So much, morally, socially, or in
dustrially as from this cause.
For the past six years, with the eXcep-
ton of one year partially off, Yorkville
has been virtually under the control OF
the same party or faction. Now let us be
thoroughly understood. The town coun-
Gil is composed Of an intendant and four
wardens. Three Of the five make a ma
iority. During the year Mr.. O'Leary was
intendent, the present opposition element
was in majority; but during the rest OF
the time, the same party that now holds
the reins has been in control. Of course
both parties have been represented on
every council; but when it comes to a
vote, it must be remembered, two does
not count against three. We do not care
to particularize to too great an extent I;
but we desire to say that there have been
minorities on the council within the past
six years who did not even know they
were minorities. That is, while they
would be persstently overriden by the
majority in pursuance of systematic de-
signs, the overriding would be done with
such suave consideration as to disarm all
suspicion.
We have not asked permission to use
this illustration but will take the liberty
to use it anyway. Mr.. S. NJ. McNeel is
one of the most highly esteemed citizens
of Yorkville. His reputation as level
headed business man, upright and square
in all his dealings, is general. He has
been member of the town council, and
served as such. Yet in matters affecting
"party" interest, Mr.. McNeel had no
more say so than an outsider. Mr. Nc
Neel has not said anything like this to us; !;
but we take the responsibility of asserting
that it is fact, and, further, that it was
only a short time after he became men,
ber of the town council before he knew it
was a fact.
This condition of affairs has been per-
petuated by the "mass meeting" system.
The mass meetings, as THE ENQUIRER
has taken occasion to assert before are usu-
ally "cut and dried" We have known
them to be called to order by the inten-
dant, who would usurp the craftsmanship
contrary to authority Of parliamentary
law, and then run things to suit himself.
If his tick et-or rather three Of his fac
ton were nominated, then well and
good but, otherwise, there was bolt on
election day with two tickets in the
field.
A case in point. On one occasion there
was an indignant revolt against the way
municipal affairs had been conducted and
the conflicting citizens went into the
determined upon change.
AS the result of the meeting, w. B. de
Loach, ESQ.,, was nominated for inten-
dant; w. d. Glenn, j. II. Riddle, S. A.
McElwee and Lewis G. Grist for wardens.
The ticket as whole, was recognized as a
distinct protest against the way affairs had
been conducted previously. Upon motion
of Mr.. r. f. Mellow, each nominee dis
tinctly pledged himself to abide the action
of the mass meeting. The people went
away thinking that was the end of it; but
behold when election day came there was
a split ticket out and the following were
elected: w. B. Moore, intendant; S. 4.
McElwee, J. II. Riddle, w. w. Jenkins
and J. Ed Jetfrey5. Mr.. Moore had been
voted for in the mass meeting for warden.
The names of Messrs. Riddle and McEl-
wee were on both the regular and indie
pendent ticket. Mr.. Riddle took the
ground that under his obligation to the
mass meeting he could not serve, and re-
fused to do so. Mr.. McElwee served.
Mr.. J. l.. Lowry, who had been nOmina-
ted in the convention for warden; but
who had declined, was afterward elected
to the place rendered vacant by the resig-
nation of Mr.. Riddle.
The ticket that was nominated last
Friday night is virtually the equivalent
to that nominated i'm the other mass meet
ings just mentioned. \ majority of it is
opposed to the way things have been and
are being conducted. That majority, of
course. will control. That is, provided
the ticket is elected but of that there is
no certainty. There was strong evidence
in the meeting the other night of dissat-
isfaction. For instance, Mr.. Adickes