The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-03-30
There Was no Meeting-Will There Be-?

In the laSC issue VI LIE 4ANtG0:
suggested that mass meeting be helo
in the court house on the 23th, to DIS
cuss town affairs, and the advlsablllty
of nominating ticket for the election
to take place April llth. Quite num-
Der expressed their approval of such a
meeting, but when the hour arrived
onlv about dozen men showed up, ana
of course such small number could
not be any more representative tnan
the one, two or three men who nave
already put forward tickets. hence that
meeting was abandoned.
The main object Of the meeting was
to assemble the citizen taxpayers, dis
cuss the powers council will have unoer
the new charter, and obtain an expires
sion from those who would consent TO
serve on council. There is one thing
certain, the people of Manning Will
have no proper reason to complain
should council enact ordinances, and
make contracts which are burdensome.
because, the disposition to talk privately
and not act boldly and openly IS mani
festly disgusting. We have had men
to come to US and urge the calling OF a
mass meeting that citizens might let
their IDEAS be known, and some OF these
were so, not only conspicuously absent,
but upon investigation we found they
aided others in throwing cold water upon
the project. We have no care as to the
effect of our views, whether they Jar
upon the feelings OF this man or that:
nor do we care if we are regarded an,
taeonistic of this or that mans political
or financial interests, if we perform our
duty conscientiously then it IS up to
the voters to do theirs or suffer the
consequences. There will be an elec-
ton on the 11th day of April for a
Mayor and six Aldermen: at this cleo
ton no one has a legal right TO- vote
who has not been resident OF the
STATE TWO YEARS, THE COUNTY ONE
YEAR AND THE TOWN FOUR MONTHS,
except ministers and teachers who
shall be entitled to vote alter resi-.
dence OF six months in the State. we
do not know whether or not the regis
tration officer has issued certificates tc
men who are not qualified to vote, Dul
we take it, that no decent white mar
would attempt to vote if he is not legal
! " qualified, and should managers per
NIT illegal votes cast it might result II
an illegal election and cause confusion
whether or not there IS opposition. Ii
is ALWAYS safe to start right. but If cor
rupt practices are countenanced IN the
BEGINNING it will establish most bane
fui precedent.
| We feelit incumbent upon US to dlrec
attention to the new powers council vii
have. so that no intelligent voter car
have ignorance as an excuse II he /
disappointed after he has voted. W.
propounded the following questions t
those who intend to consent to be Vote(
for in the coming election:
l. Do You favor raising the tax levy
Under the new charter council ha
the power to raise the levy to 10 mills
,. Do YOU favor installing waterwork
around the business portion OF tn
town only?
The object of this question was t.
ascertain whether or not the canoldat
would favor using the towns money t
build a standpipe and lay water-plpe
to protect the business portion an
, leave the resident portion unprotected
Council would have the power to d
this, and by raising the tax to 10 NIL!
upon all OF the property IN town
would raise enough money to build an
, maintain such an unjust discrimination
1t could be operated thusly: Two O
more persons could apply for charte
from the State and organize q water
works company, obtain q franchise fror
; the town. and then enter into a contrac
, for a term Of years 70 build stanI pip
! and lay waCerpipes within a given area
; to be paid for out OF the towns trea:
+ urv. TO raise a sufficient sum to NEE
: the contract conditions, it would ma
: urally necessirate the tax levy to b
|; raised, and then all of the propert
5 in the town may be found paying tr
t butte to corporation who has made
: contract with the town as buslne;
/ investment, and only a favored 1e
d protected or benefited: we see Il
: reason to prevent a man who will serv
on council to come out openly and bolt