Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-01

tive action by the law-making power
of the state, as we'll as the encourage
ment of all Of its citizens, do set forth
and recommend legislative action as
follows:
First. That the county board Of
commissioners be authorized and en-
powered to appoint an engineer, whose
duty 1t shall be to take surveys OF such
highways as the board may direct. and
to furnish estimates Of the cost Of any
re locating or altering, and the ex-
pense Of permanently improving the
same.
Second. That the general assembly
be memorialized to amend the road law
so as to provide for competent, prac-
tical board Of road supervisors In each
township, said township boards each
to consist of supervisor and two
commissioners, the supervisor to re-
ceive a salary of 81 per day for not ex-
ceeding forty days per annum, and the
commissioners each to receive salaries
Of 81 per day for not exceeding twen-
ty days per annum. The various su-
pervisors shall be required to give a
held liable on said bonds for neglect Of
duty. The various township boards
shall have authority to appoint road
overseers, and it shall be the duty OF
said boards to prosecute said overseers
for failure to do such work as may be
required of them by law.
Third. That the communication tax
be fixed at $500.
Fourth. That II deemed necessary q
special levy be made for road purposes,
not less than one or more than three
mills.
Fifth. That the office Of county COM
missioner be abolished and the town.
ship supervisors sit with the county
supervisor as the board Of county COM
missioners.
Sixth. That said board shall apply
the moneys raised to those highways
in the townships from which the tax
levies are made.
Seventh. Resolved that we memo
rialize the legislature to amend the
constitution affecting road work so as
TO allow townships or counties to tax
themselves to build or repair roads.
Also to change the poll tax to three
dollars instead Of one dollar as hereto
fore, allowing two dollars for road pur-
poses. And If such change Is made In
the constitution. the polls so levied
stand as a substitute for the commu-
.ation tax herein recommended.
The first resolution occasioned but
planned that as a matter Of fact the
county board of commissioners have
the power under the present law to
employ an engineer at their discre-
ton. The resolution was adopted by
reclamation.
The second resolution developed
more discussion. Senator Brice took
occasion to say that the proposed
plan had been tried in this county, had
been found unsatisfactory, especially
because such a large board was un-
wieldy for the transaction OF business.
He called attention to the fact that
the county board Of commissioners
have other duties besides looking after
The roads, and experience had showed
that the large board was hindrance
rather than help. He suggested that
the plan had worked very well In sew
eral of the townships; but.not In all
Of them. When each township had
representation on the board Of COM
missioners. It was his observation
that the various commissioners looked
after the interest of their respective
townships rather than Of the county
as whole, and as the result the gen.
eral county interest suffered. He had
also noticed a disposition on the part
of township commissioners to log roll
with each other. However, there was
no doubt Of the fact, in his opinion,
that the proposed system although
more expensive, would mean more ef-
fective road work. He did not wish
to be understood as opposing the -reso-
luton; his idea was merely to discuss
both sides Of the question. for the en-
| lightment of the convention. Mr.. Il.
M. Carroll opposed the resolution on
the ground that the system had been
tried and found to be unsatisfactory
and that 1t was too expensive: He
| thought the present system was good
enough.
Section three was adopted with but
little friction; but the discussion Of
section four, involving the question Of
a special tax levy, thoroughly devel-
oped the sentiment Of the convention
on this phrase Of the subject. Mr.. r.
M. Carroll made determined attack
on the taxation proposition. He said
that he knew of roads in the county
that had been doing service for more
than a hundred years, and he could
not see but that they were as good as
| they ever were. He thought that the
present system was good enough, and
was opposed to any further burdens
on property for the purpose OF build
| ing roads; the tenant and the renter
got as much benefit from the roads as
did anybody else and they should bear
their equal portion Of the burdens. He
thought it was well to go slow about
increasing taxation; that the general
assembly could be depended upon to
levy all the taxes we could pay with
out our requesting any special addi-
| hot ofo
be no end to this thing. We already
have a sufficient mileage Of public
roads; but If a special tax be levied,
roads would be multiplied indefinitely.
He insisted that the present road law
was ample.
In reply to Mr.. Carroll, Major Hart
said, he was heartily in favor of spe-
cial tax levy for the building Of roads;
our present system Of imposing this
burden on labor exclusively had its
origin under a condition when labor
was property, and the requirement OF
labor on the roads was really tax on
property. He believed that property
should bear its share Of the burden,
and he thought it wrong to make a
poor shirt tail Negro do as much to
keep up the roads. as the owner Of a
big plantation. Applause He was
heartily in favor Of a special tax levy
for this purpose.
Mr.. Carroll: want to ask you a
question, Major. Did you advocate
and vote for the tax for the building
Of the Three C's railroad. Major Hart:
Yes, sir and I am still more heartily
in favor Of a tax for the building OF
public roads. [Applausel.
| Senator Brice thought Mr.. Carroll
was under misapprehension as to the
real meaning Of the section under con-
sideration. He called attention to the
fact that even under the present ar
rungement real estate Is being assess
ed about one and one-half mills for
road purposes. and the resolution
merely seeks to give the county board
moral support in asking for larger
levy. There is nothing new or radical
in the proposition.