Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1878-12-19
FOR II ApvERTIsEB.l
STRONG sUGGES TIONS TO OUR
MEMBERS OF TIE GENE
RAL-ASSE nBLT.

Editors Edgsield .idoertissr::
While the members Of the Legislature
are wrangling over the States Indebt-
edness," could you not suggest to our
immediate Representatives the propri-
ETY., the justice and the honesty of doing
something toward paying the honest and
bona fde debts duo by Edgelirld County
to its long suffering and impoverished
crcditors-somo of whom will have to
witness the sale of their lands flr taxes,
in consequence of trusting the financial
integrity IF tho County? We have al
ready had two iEN esti%atious by gentle
men whose ability and honor are beyond
question. Now, il there are any OPP
posed to the payment of the amount re
ported under tho last ;Hvesti. alton. let
rs have the reason for it; il none be
given, we can assume that these opposed
to its payment are ''%repudiators, and
wish their ntishbors To be deirauded of
their honest debts. No one wishes the
fraudulent debt to be paid. l do not be-
lieve tho people desire the County either
to %repudiate or evade its indisputable
and we'll established indebtcdess; bur, il
this be so, how are we TO act as To debts
due from one cilizrn To another? Above
all, what kind OF morality is thus to be
inculcated
And there is another matter, Mes>rs.
Editors, that I wish to call the attention
OF our Representative to-of far greater
Importance, and more lasting in its re-
suits than II before the Legislature
tits what is commonly called the "Stock''
or improperly. M Fence Lava law,
the simple rnrvt uf which, 40 ~. ."~hei
each individual fence iis pasture lands
enclose his stock--kcep them from imva
ding and trespassing upon his neighbours
land and crops.
1t is altogether Supeitiuous to go over
the threadl,are arguments in favor of, or
10 state objections to tho law here. l
simply add one reason for the passage of
such = law, not heretofore given b. lis
advocates. It is this: Very many of our
public highways" OF 'public roads,"
arc twice as old as our oldest inhabitants,
built when the people were but thinly set
tied, with but few towns and villages as
objective places, and with bat little refer
ence to avoidance of hills, boys, or cross
ing ofs.reams. Our condition is cntir ~
altered. Villages have sprung upover the
entire country, and our old roads, after
wearing out our wagons and carriages,
have become Worn out themselves. At
present we need more public roads,
shorter and better ones-thereby saving
money and time. These we will ct
by the passage of the 'Stcck Law" with
but little inconvenience or injury to any
one, and with the greatest benefit, not
only to the majority, but almost 10 the
whole people. This question is solved
by the conflict of our old and new sys-
TENS; it is irrepressible, inevitable, and
the advocates of the change must win
5000 or late.
The progress, agriculturlly, and the
improved financial condition of the
people of those counties that shall adopt
this "Stock Law" / am confident, will
finally force us, through pride, if not
through interest, to abandon the fences
of our fathers" give up Il old system,
and adopt the new. And VIC further
more believethat ifnot equal to it wi!lbe
almost equivalent in its beneficial re-
suits in building up the County, to an
entire exemption from III annual taxes
for many years to ONE / have yet to
hear of Il single land owner who wishes
or intends to deprive his tenantsof pas
turage of their stock; it is emphatically a
poor mans law, without injury to any.
II. w. ADDISON.