The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-03-30
IT'S The CONFIDlNG WHO GET GOLD
SRICKED.

IT'S THE coNFIDlNG WHO GET GOLD
5RICgED.
The idea Of asking the votes
of intelligent people to endow
seven men with important pow
ers without any expression from
them as to how they propose to
exercise those powers, is absurd.
Confidence is very well, We be-
lieve it to be necessary to have
confidence in our fellowman, un-
til he has shown himself un-
worthy, either through wanton-
ness, indifference. or ignorance,
but when matters are invoked
which admit Of an honest differ
ence of opinion, such as IS the
case Of an exercise Of powers
given to a town council under
the general incorporation ACT,
then, we as an intelligent people
cannot accept the confidence the
ory without knowing something
of the purposes OF those whose
names will be submitted to the
voters. The very object OF the
change Of charter was to give
council powers it did not have
under the old charter, and we
think many who voted for the
change would not have done so,
did they believe the new council
would exercise the full powers
granted in the new charter, with
out conferring with the property
owners.
In the name Of progress. q few
men forced upon the taxpayers
Of Sumter city hall at cost OF
about sS5, 900, and it is alleged
that a similar structure can be
erected for about $4,000. 1t
was also freely stated that some
members of council were inter
ested in the building contract,
anyway, the taxpayers Of Sum:
ter felt the burden, and council
to raise a revenue to meet the
demands upon the city went Il
cense wild; everything movable
and immovable a license was de-
manded for its use, and it went
SO for as to put a tax upon the
salaries Of the clerks behind the
store counters; in this however,
council overreached itself, the
clerks employed counsel, who
took the ordinance to court aad
had it declared unconstitutional.
This is mention to show the
harmful results Of supinely
resting upon the confidence the
orv. Had the candidates for
mavor and aldermen Of the city
Of Sumter advocated openly the
measures they enacted into law
after they We're elected, the peo-
ple would have known, and
would have defeated them at the
polls; as it was, they were con
tent to vote blindly upon the sill
" idea of confidence; but ever
since that dearly bought expert
ence, the taxpayers of Sumter
demand public expressions from
those who seek preferment, and
no mar can be elected in that
CITY who keeps his mouth closed.
Are the people of Manning
going to wait until they are
shackled hand and foot by a
privileged few, and taxes become
uabearable before they awake to
a duty they owe to themselves:
There are a number Of men men
toned to govern this town for
the next two years, we do not
know that any of them have a
personal interest in being on
council, but we do know. il they
are elected without a public dec,
.laration, the citizens cannot com
plain if council. should discrimi-
nate in favor Of favorite few.
The people Of this town are not
different from those of other
towns, and none of US are pos
sessed of the faculty of mind,
reading, therefore we are not in.
formed as to the intentions OF
each other without some ex-
preston, as to take for granted,
that those we elect will represent
our ideas. We will say however,
that we have sufficient confidence
in any citizen Of this town who
makes public; declaration OF
what be advocates that he will
carry out those declarations
faithfully, in other words, he
will not deceive those who have
honored him. This being the
case, in our opinion, under our
new conditions, it is absolutely
essential for the guidance of vot-
ers to know if a councilman fav-
ors granting special privileges,
whether the same will be granted
unconditionally, and thus leave
the people in the hands of a pro
tected monopoly, or whether he
would favor giving the property
holders an opportunity to have a
voice in such matters. The vot-
ers ought to know whether OF
not a councilman favors letting
important work out by contract,
and advertising for bids to fur
nish material and supplies for
the town. These and other
things are important for voters