The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-08
The Banner County.

Ed forS Press ara BnuHcr:
At the Democratic meeting held nj Abhc-
Vile last suiniIer several of t:e prakcrs re-
frr.ed TO .Ahbcvil!c as the banner equity OF
the State, ana, rs an intelligent grntlclnal 81
tcrward observed, ii Is the n>l:I empty COM
plimcnt pad to the various counties upon
SucI occasions; bat, In some respects at least,
AbbcIiile has the right to appropriate this
title to herself specifically. In population
and wealth ! brlierc Ab"rri!fc ranks Iir>t.
Within her Limits, she has established two
o Il and prosperous institutions nf learning
Iroln which clcHatiig and hrnciiCeni inl'u-
cnccS are constantly rAu!atin@. Here, too.
three excellent newspapers published. and
by this means the people are Kept informed
as to what is occurring in the outside world.
We have active and INTELLIGENT farmers, good
physicians, ir>i-c!:'>s ministers. aud The clc-
vttlUn vi tmo"f our law yrrs tolht bench, and
OF one OF them to the Oillcc Of SUit'l,Or shows
the c!lara;t,r &C the !Abbcville bar. In no
other couniy, so far as oar observation has
extended. can there he sec II rs many elegant
| private re- licences or as many cnltrprlslng
country lOwnS.
In Solnc respects, however, Abhcvillr is
barely keeping pace with her sister counties,
and frankncss crmpcls US TO admit that in
sulnc particulars at least She Is actually fall
ing bciIind. This leads me to speak Of her
necessities
In the first place she needs = bank. Why
we have not one, | Will not undertake TO sly.
Perhaps it is because capitalists, naturally
timid, feel that our past experience in enter
piiScS OF this nature does not afford them
much Encouragement Be this villa; IL may
l think l am sac in asserting that the COM
mcrcial intclcS OF our people ncccSSititc
the establishment of Il banking institution.
1t would afford Il good place in which TO de-
posit their surplus earnings, aud these by
small annual profits would gradually accu-
muEaLe,. and Sti.l, in case OF need, they could
be Withdrawn ut any time with c,nrcnicnce
and dispatch. 1t would tend to bring capital
into the county, and 1t would enable our pru.
pie to do all OF their banking business al hoine
and they would no longer be compelled to re.
sort to foreign corporations whenever they de.
sire to loan or borrow money, as Is unhappily
the ca. at present. Anderson, Grccnvillt
NcWberry, and Chester, all have banks in sue
cessiul running order, and their stock stands
high IN the money market. some of these
corporations. and SO far GS ! know all of them,
have managed to live through the great 1lnan
cial crisis through which our country !ins
passed, and yet they still continue To prosper
We must not be content to allow others to dc
fur us and ~ our expense That which we can
do for ourselves. ADberiile must have 4
bank.
Again we should have better railroad facili
ties. AT present the Greenvillc and Columbia
Railroad sour only channel Of communities
ton with the external world. OVERT wcshil
our lrGdu.c to market and receive in return
our supplies, aud along 1t we do all OF ouI
travel. Having no competition, no rival cor
POI atoms TO contend against, of course II
makes us pay dearly for The many advantages
which We derive from il. And II Is but natu
raj that it should do SO. We may complain
anu rightly too, OF the injustice OF the road Us
much as we please, and yet pace us In tho
same position and | venture 10 say that We
, would be slow to reduce The rates either on
! freight or on passenger travel. y new roao
! wou!d give us all OF the advantages afforded
: by coinpetition-rhcapcr rtlcs. faster time.
I and safer travel. l am well aware, however
: that some efforts have already been made IL
r ihiSd direction. and that Others Sill arc In con
temptation, and ii is indeed n cause Tor. con
graduation. The Greenwood and August;
l., Road, ] will assume, Is a fixed fact, and i
will be a great benefit not only to the 'mInc
|; diate territory which it travcr>es but To tn
country at large. ] believe, too, that a CHAR
ter has been obtained for the savannah Val
ley Railroad, andi it will serve to dcvclop iha
. portion of our county lying along the Savan
! nah. | understand also that application Iva
already been male for II charter for II new
L railroad which Will run through the ccltra
y portion of the county, touching ut Due West
1 Abbcvillc and other points, and which vii
!. form q link il the grand system Of roads con
meeting South Carolina with the great North
1 west. With this railroad, q bright futurt
= awaits the people residing along this line
!. without II, the prospect at best is not encour
aging. The advocates of this scheme sh"ult
G be marslIaling their forccs--Shonld be crystal
lizing their efforts now. There are many ar
gunlents in favor Of building railroads. but
will simply state three without cnlarging uf
on them. In the first place, they cnllince Tn
wealth and stimulate the Industrial cnicI
u priscs of n country. Secondly, as IN adveltis
= ing agency, railroads promote immigration
i In the third place. railroads educate Il pee
pie. 1890, =, =,
c In the last place, If Abbcville wishes to b
regarded the banner county She should har
more educated farmers. 1t is true that VIC a
ready have many good and intelligent fal
mcrS. Some OF them have done good Scrric
as soldiers, aud, coming out of the war wit
g shattered constitutions and with no capita
saw. IL manly spirit to make the best OF cir
S cumS,anrrs, they have indeed done we'll; bu
V TIER children should do better. We nee
If more educated leaders for the farming class
4 uivr tone and character to that honorab!
lcalling. They Should he inch Of rrogresslT