Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-03
ONLY SIMPLE JUSTICE.

There has been under discussion IN
the general assembly for the past week
or ten days, proposition looking to an
amendment of the constitution so as tc
allow certain towns and cities of the
state to increase their bonded indebt'
edness beyond the limit of 8 per cent
of the value of their taxable property
The towns and cities especially desir'
ng the amendment are Charleston
Columbia, Georgetown and Rock Hill
There is not much disposition on the
part of the general assembly to submit
the proposed amendment except with
specific application to the towns men
toned. 1t is doubtful as to whether
the amendment would carry if made
general, and if it is to be of such local
application, the vote will probably be
so small as to make the issue very
doubtful one. The special reason why
these town and cities desire such an
amendment, is to enable them to Sc
cure much needed water and sewerage
systems, which are not to be procured
by any other means, and that anybody
should have any reasonable objection
to their incurripg additional indebted,
ness for these purposes, if they so de-
sire, is not probable.
But while the general assembly is
not able to give relief to all of the
towns named except by allowing the
people to vote on the desired constitu-
tional amendment, we beg to call at
tention to the fact that it alone can
afford great deal of relief to the city
of Rock Hill, and affording this relief,
at the same time perform a graceful
act of justice. We mean to say that
the principal reason today why Rock
Hill desires the right to contract in
debtedness beyond the 8 per cent. limit,
is because she is now carrying a debt ol
$50, 900 which ought, of right, be assum.
ed by the state. We refer to the $780,.
900 of per cent. bonds that were do
mated to the state for the building o1
Winthrop college, state institution.
Perhaps there may be those who
will differ with US; but in our opinion
the act which submitted the location
of Winthrop college to co npetitive
bidding was wrong in principle, and
under this act was perpetrated an
injustice that will remain to the dis
credit of the state until the general
assembly sees proper to make amends
Here is the situation. The state de.
termines upon the establishment of 9
college for women, and she is further
determined, as matters of common
prudence and business sagacity from
which there can be no escape, that
this college must be located in 8
healthful section, provided with good
water and convenient railroad facili
ties. Then, under the rather crude
advice of politicians who would escape
the feeling likely to be occasioned by
the selection of one locality in prefer
ence to another, the state proposed
that she would locate her college ir
the town which, possessed of other alb
solutely essential requirements, would
pay the largest bonus.
The offer of the state was made in
absolutely good faith, and the bids
that were submitted for the location
were likewise made in good faith
Rock Hill, with $4,000 of bonds and
$4,000 or $4,000 Of other values
was the winner of the competition and
secured the prize. She secured, it is
true, a good bargain, and her enter
prise is highly creditable to her. Sc
far as we are aware there has never
been the slightest suggestion of regret
and we DO not believe that the city
would give up the college today fol
twice the amount that was paid; bul