The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-10-31
APPEAL OF TIE MAYORS
Of Certain Cities to Voters Of ths
State

- SOU " 49, f'esS wa
siitu :onal amendment to be voted
upon at the coming general election.
To Ii, Voters Of South Carolina:
At the last session Of our general
assembly, through the eff of our
respective senators and representatives.,
the following amendment to the con-
stitution Of our Safe was passed by
the requisite majority Of both the SEN
ate and the house of representatives,
and will be sub nitted to you st the
general election on the Stu day of
November next:
"A Joint Resolution proposing to
amend section !. article VIII, Of the
constitution, relating to municipal
bonded Indebtedness:
Section / Be it enacted by the
general assembly Of the State Of South
Carolina, that the following amend
ment to section I, Of article VIII, of
the constitution, be agreed to: Add
at the end thereof the following words:
Provided, that the limitation imposed
by this section and by section s.
article ", of this constitution, shall
rot apply to bonded Indebtedness in
CURED by the cities OF Colum oia, Rock
H.!l, Charleston aud Florence, where
the proceeds of the said bonds are ap
piled solely for the purchase, estab-
!ishment, maintenance or Increase Of
aater.works plant or sewerage system;
and BY the city Of Georgetown, when
the proceeds Of said bonds are applied
solely for the purchase, establishments
msin;enance or Increase Of Ta.er work,
plant, sewerage system, gas, and eLec
,ric light plants, where the entire rev
enue arising from the operation of such
plants or syste N shall be devoted sole.
l7 and exclusively to the maintenance
and operation Of the same, and where
the question Of incurring such indebt-
edness IS submitted to the freeholders
aod laliied voters of such municipal.
iiy. as provided in the constitution,
upon the question of other bonded in
dehtedness.
Approved the 18Th dsy Of February,
A. D 1909.
We believe if the vital importance
of this amendment to our cities was
understood by you, there would be no
doubt Of its being ad ,pted by an over
whelm ming majority.
Fearing that you may not appreciate
the i'm perativs necessity of giving our
municipalities the opportunity of de
cidi2g, each one for itself, whether We
should increase cur respective debts
for the sole purposes named, we appeal
to you 70 give US this right Of choiue
All must realize that without an
abundant supply Of good water, suit
able for all purposes, and without 8
proper system Of sewerage, which car
not be made efficient without this
water supply, the growth and the health
Of any municipality must be seriously
impaired.
We believe there is no other meas,
ure or project possible, for the advance
ment Of our cities, that can compare
in importance with an abundant water
supply ard proper system of sever
age, ald without these, in our opinion,
they cannot advance in prosperity or
population as they should do.
Section l3, OF article 2, Of tie con-
stitution of South Caroljna, adopted
December 3 1895, provides:
Section Is. In authorizing a special
election in any incorporated city or
town in the State for the purpose of
bonding the same, the general assem-
bly, shall precrioe as condition pre-
csdent to the holding Of said election
a petition from majority Of the free
holders of said city or town IS shown
by its tax books, and at such elections
all electors Of such city or town who
are duly qualified for voting under sec
ton y OF this article, and who have
paid taxes, State, county and muasci-
pal, for the previous year shall be al
lowe 10 vote; and vote of the maj or-
ity Of those votingin said election snail
be necessary to authorize the issue Of
said bonds.
And sections V and VII Of article
VIII of the constitution confirm and
and reiterate the same provisions.
You will see therefore that the
adoption OF this amend dnent will not
commit apy Ct our communities to an
issuance OF bonds, or to municipal
ownership, but will only confer upon
us power in these respects that
ne do not now possess.
And the comforting of this authority,
in the event that other plans prove
impractical or undesirable for procur-
ing for US these vital essentials to our
very life aud growth, will be under
these most ample safe guards provided
by the constitution of the State.
The constitution as quoted above
now wisely surrounds this question Of
increasing the debt of any municipality
with such provisions and limitations,
as require the consent of majority Of
both the real estate owners and Of the
qualified voters in each place to any
issuance of additional municipal bonds.
The amendment submitted to your
votes recognizes and repeats the con-
stittution provision.
Should this 0amendment be adopted
by the voters Of the State, and APPROX
ed by our next general assembly,
neither of cur cities can issue single
bond nor increase their bonded debt
single dollar, by any action whatever
Of our municipal authorities, unless
and until in each city, first, "a ma jor-
ity. Of the freeholders' petition those
authorities to order special election,
and at that special election maj jority
cf the qualified electors vote to issue