The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-04-06
WAS 1T LAWFUL?
Caustic Criticism of Appropriation of
County Fund tn Secure New Rail.
road.

wedgetield. April 3.-Past history
viii bear me out in the assertion that
Kicker or knocker. or what ever
you may wish To call it. Is one of the
most unpopular beings i'm existence.
But the more you read and think Of
the recent High Financiering Legisla-
ton which our honorable delega-
tion is responsible for, the more dis
gusted one becomes with present
day politics.
No one for a moment questions the
necessity nor the beneficial results of
new outlet i'm the shape of a rail-
road for our progressive county seat
and no doubt the amount ($12,0OO)
which was taken from the common
county fund will i'm the course OF time
be returned To the county with inter-
est. as a result Of an increase in tax
able property in the county. But we
must not lose sight OF the ques-
tion-Was 1t lawful to raise the
balance of the funds necessary to Sc
cure the terminals by violation of
the constitution of South Carolina
which the following proves to be the
case:
State Constitution of fS95-Article X.
Finance and Taxation.
Sec. 3. No tax shall be levied ex-
cept in pursuance of law which
shall distinctly state the object OF the
same; to which object the tax shall
be applied.
Sec. 6. The credit Of the State shall
not be pledged or loaned for the
benefit Of any individual. company,
association or corporation; and the
state shall not become a joint owner
of or stockholder i'm any company,
association. or corporation. The gen.
eral assembly shall not have power to
authorize any county or township to
levy a tax or issue bonds for any pur-
pose except for educational purposes
to build and repair public roads.
buildings and bridges. to maintain
and support prisoners. pay Jurors,
county officers. and for litigation,
quarantine and court expenses, and
for ordinary county purposes. TO sup
port paupers, and pay past indebted
ness.
Sec. IL. To the end that the public
debt Of South Carolina may not here
after be increased without the due
consideration and free consent Of the
people Of the State. the general as
sembly Is hereby forbidden to create
any further debt or obligation, either
by the loan OF the credit of the State,
by guaranty, endorsement or other
wise, except for the ordinary and cur
rent business Of the State without first
submitting the question as to the
creation Of such new debt, guaranty,
endorsement Of loan Of its credit to
the qualified electors Of this State at a
general State election"
If we really had q surplus 1t
would look as IL our taxes are too
high. IL too late to remedy, IL one
would travel few miles in any di-
rection they certainly would find our
roads in an awful condition. Such
actions on the part of our delegation
kills for all time any bond issue for
road purposes. for there are some Of
those who voted for the bond issue
would be afraid now that some brand
new agitation would he brought to
the front by some of our more prom
inent citizens. and instead of build
Ing roads. could very easily, accord
ing To present day Interpretation Of
law" be used to install an electric
railway or for some purpose.