Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-03-14

arOltrary a0u uDJuSI. 1ueTe 10 uo war
rant of law for the individual assess.
ments that are levied. Sanitation rev.
enue Gun be legally collected only by
some means that would not discrimi-
nate against individuals. This state
ment is based upon the fact that sani-
tation is municipal, rather than an
individual responsibility. The princi-
pal revenue of all we'll regulated towns
in this state and elsewhere is based
upon license taxes upon business of
all kinds. The license tax serves, not
only as revenue raiser but as a pro-
lection against people who would Sc
cure the benefits of municipal govern
ment without paying their share of the
expense thereof. In Yorkville, the
right to impose licenses on businesses
has never been made use of except on
principle of sel6shness that has been
unfair to the public. For instance,
there has been license on the beef bus
mess, the livery business, the fish and
oyster business and the Bill posting
business. Each of these licenses was
imposed at the instance of individuals
interested in securing monopolies.
The power of the council to discrimi-
nate in favor of these businesses or
against them is doubtful. We do not
consider that it has such power. The
operation of the bill posting license is
simply ridiculous. For $40 dollars
year, the council sells the right to post
bills or distribute advertising matter,
and even local merchant who seeks
to advertise his business by means of
circulars, is required to pay tribute to
the holder of the license, the council
furnishing the license holder police.
man to collect his duties. The thing
has been carried to lengths that would
not hold in law for two minutes; but
Yorkville people, as rule, are like
Yorkville councils-they believe that
the municipal powers are absolute, and
forget all about statutory and consti-
tutional limitations. The council, as
rule, goes on the theory that it may
do as it pleases, leaving the people to
protect themselves in such constitu-
lional and statutory rights as may be
infringed. The oath that each coun-
Gilman takes ought to be sufficient to
make him very careful about attempts
to enforce laws that he has no right to
make; but here again comes in ignor.
ance, which is really the most oppres.
sive ruler. But Notwithstanding the
irregularities that have been pointed
out in existing license taxes, it is not
to be understood that the principle is
wrong. The present taxes are only
illegal and unconstitutional because
they are unjustly discriminative. A
system of license that would apply to
every business and profession in ac-
cordance with an equitable schedule
would correct the trouble, and again it
would yield large revenue. 1t would
make possible the introduction of i'm
provements in sanitation and put
stop to the present peanut system by
which the scavenger wagon is main
tanned. And another thing it would
do. 1t would make the people of
Yorkville take deep interest in their
town government. 1t would work
change on the feelings of the citizen
who does not now care enough about
the welfare of his fellows to 60 out
and vote. This is not intended TO
reflect in the least on the present men,
bership Of the town council. 1t is
hardly fair to be too personal, and it
would be improper to designate too
closely. We do not care to analyze
the qualifications of the different mem
bers but will remark that one or even
two men of marked ability and dis
elimination are only one or two
units out of five. 1t is fact that In
the past Yorkville has seldom expec-
ted anything from her town council.
She has never given municipal affairs
intelligent attention. Generally she
has received much better service than
she was entitled to. Only occasional
ly has she suffered from dishonesty.
She is getting better service now than
she is entitled to. By this we mean that
the present council, which is fairly
good one, is like others that were fair
ly bad matter of luck rather than of
intelligent, discriminating selection.
The time is coming in the history OF
the town and is now here, when it be-
hooves the people to give the matter
of town government closer attention
than ever. Without inficting any
hardship on anybody, conditions are
now ripe for municipal development
that has heretofore been impracticable.
But the people must remember that
they cannot expect to gather figs from
thistles. If they would have good
government they must select good
men. They must have men of breadth,