The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-26
MAYOR WRlGHTs STATEMENT.

May l expect your support and CO.
operation? is the question with which
Mayor Wright closes a most excel
lent statement which We publish IN
another column covering what IN his
opinion are some of the needs of the
town. Certainly, Mr.. Mayor, you have
our most hearty and enthusiastic sup
port in all the things you propose for
this town.
First, we desire to direct the at
tention of the readers to the financial
condition of the town as contained IN
the clear and full statement which ap-
pears in another column. It is clearly
and plainly stated just what it cost
to run the town during the year 1916.
Taking out of the statement the cash
On hand and the item for money bor-
rowed we take it that the actual cost
of operating the town for the last
year was in round numbers $4,000.
That includes interest charges anu
sinking fund.
There is the statement also of the
bonded Indebtedness OF the town.
In a conversation with Mayor Wright
he says the issue of 1895 can yet be
refunded. and he has the matter III
charge and expects to refund it at
a lower rate of interest. The COM
missioners of public works have in q
sinking fund some forty thousand
dollars for refunding the water works
bonds which brings our bonded in
debtedness down to about $115,e00.
Under the constitution the town can
issue bonds up to per cent of the
taxable value. But Mr.. Wright says
that he is of the opinion that bonds
issued for public utilities that earn
an income are not counted in the
total bonded Indebtedness, and if that
be true it will bring the bonded debt
down to less than a hundred thousand
which will permit the town to issue
at least a hundred thousand dollars
for further improvements, and then
if we could get law to require prop
erty owners to pay part of the
expense We might spend some two
hundred thousand dollars On streets.
That would accomplish something.
And we could at the same time pay
the floating debt.
We feel sure that all Of the citi-
zens will cooperate with Mayor
Wright in doing the things he wants
to do for the town during this year.
and that when he gets them started
they will keep him on the job until
the work is done. We all have con-
fdence in his good business ability
and sound judgment and conservatism
and will give him hearty coopera-
ton.
Mayor Wright is correct nat the
most important thing for this town
at this time is to have some paved
streets. No town can do much until
it begins to build streets. And they
should be built properly and under
the direction of man who knows
how they should be put down. One
thing must be borne in mind, how
ever, that it will be impossible to
pave all the streets and in the work
we must have in mind also the most
important and most travelled streets.
AS Mayor Wright we'll and truly says:
I'VE must first lay aside all selfish
ness and work for the best interests
OF the town at large" Of course, it
is difficult for any of us to lay aside
"all selfshness" because We are still
human, but We must do the best we
can in that direction, and we believe
the temper of the people is to lay
selishness aside and to work for the
town.
The people are ready now to have
the meeting called, and it should be
done as soon as possible so that if it
should be found necessary to have
any legislation it may be passed at
the session now on in Columbia.
There is need of more revenue for
ordinary expenses, and if the char.
ter provides for only six mills levy
1t should be amended so that more
money could be raised. The asses
ments are remarkably low, but We
would rather see the levy increased
than to have the assessments raised.
Everybody now get together for