Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-26
TOWN AFFAIRS,

So far as The Enquirer has infor-
nation there Is to be no contest over
the coming municipal election. There
has been some more or less desultory
talk on the subject; but 1t has not
crystalliZed into anything like a def
mite issue.
To say that everybody is pleased
with and approves the government of
the town would not be true. There are
people who have reasonable specific
objections to the conduct Of affairs,
and there are people who are dissatis-
fed because they do not know how to
be otherwise; but for various reasons,
the principal one being a complication
of personal, social and business affilia-
tions. effective opposition Is very diff
ficult. This of course Is merely a gen.
eral observation. There Is no desire
to suggest any unfavorable criticism of
the town government; because to do so
without suggesting remedy would be
unfair, and whatever shortcomings
there may be in the government as
now administered, it is not easy to
offer any guarantee of Improvement
with the materials at hand.
II there Is one sore spot worse than
another in the town government II
hinges around an Objectionable prac-
tice in connection with the compensa-
ton Of town officials. That every Of
fetal Is entitled to compensation COM
mensurate with his services Is an es-
tablished doctrine that Is no longer
subject to reasonable dispute. The
amount and manner of such compen-
sation however, are very proper sub
jects of difference of opinion. Some
years ago the council decided to COM
pensate it's members with water and
light. The original proposition was
that each member Of the council be al
lowed the monthly or quarterly mini
mum Of both. AS was natural abuses
tended to all who hold positions un-
der the town government. Also the
above went beyond the minimum.
This last abuse was corrected in a
measure something over a year ago as
the result of a mild protest on the
part Of the people: but the original
principle remains unchanged. Legal
ly the council has a right to compen-
safe it's members with light and wa
ter, with the consent Of course Of the
commissioners Of public works. OF
course II cannot take light and water
without the consent Of the commits
sion. The commission says how light
and water are to be disposed Of and
commission and no power except such
as may grow out Of the Withholding
the purchase Of supplies out Of the
general funds. But the commissioners
Of public works also gave their acqui-
escence to this rather Objectionable
means of compensation and so the
matter stands. There Is a strong sem
timent in the town that equity and
justice require that the council should
fix proper cash compensation for its
members and each OF the various Of
ficers should pay for light and water
the same as other citizens.
The Enquirer agrees with those peo-
pie who hold that the water and light
method of compensation Is wrong. 1t
would not be understood as suggest
ing that the system Is morally wrong;
but that 1t Is unwise and urbusiness-
like, and susceptible of abuses that
grow up insidiously and are likely to
do harm.
Viewing the situation generally, we
say that we do not see much prospect
of a general fight over these matters.
The people are not now in a humor to
give the subject the attention its i'm
portance deserves. 1t Is a pretty reas-
enable prediction, however, that If
this matter Is not adjusted on reas-
enable and proper basis soon without
a fight the time will come when 1t
would be source OF very considerable
trouble.