The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-13
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1886.
absolutely Too Small for nm Honest
South CnrOliniau'S Acceptance.

$50 these so-callcd low-country counties
contain two-thirds of the area OF the Statc'
and Ss2, ,iSl s0i of taxable properly oHt e ~i W,
tul of Si9. .973,SG5 on assessment OF 81. 80: 30 30
This same despiscd lOw-country pala Sol4,as, 10 "
ont of the SS3;i 6Sa.49 taxes paid into the Hl"lc
Treasury In 'S-S3. .o.,r. T., tho
up-country be willing to allow nS some folce
in the affairs Of the State in view OF THESE sa'
licnt facts ?"-Colunsbid Register.
WHY does the Registcr make comparison
between the wealth of tho low-country anu
the up-country? Why does that paper up
braid us by asking Il the up-country shouio
not wbe willing to allow us tthc low-countrSI
xon,e voice in the affairs of the state III VIC"
OF these salient points ?"
For perhaps about the one-thousandth 1ii'ic
the fact of our poverty has been thrown up u
s,s in onn way or another by Charleston OF "
aumbia, or some OF their special irlchuS.
In view of the fact that every citizen III lle
STATE and every county in the State. accoro-
i,o IN their wealth, contributes pro rata
shoro IN tho expense of the Government, ana
in view of that other fact. that every c!tl"eh
before the law Is recognized as the equ'l' VI
every other citizen, we are at a loss 10 kho"
why a rich man, or populous county shouiu
claim spccial privileges to which others are
excluded. The up-country people, to the eX-
tent of their property. pay taxes at the same
rote that their richer low-country nciShbors
nav. If we up-country people have less money
than our low-country neighbOrS, 1t Is our mis-
fortune. If we up.country people nave less
selfrespcct and bow and cringc TO the low
country people, because Of their superior
wealth. ana thus yield something OF our
manhood and our citizenship, 1T is TO our
shame.
AS matter of fact, We think this thing OF
inviting q comparison in wealth is odious at
INV time, ar under all circumstances, but es-
aecially is 1t true, when such comparisons are
80 apt to remind us OF the scores OF fortunes
which have been wrecked in the up-countrS,
and the great number Of houscless families
that are to be found in all parts OF the up
country, and who attribute their poverty 10
the fact that the head of the family had hao
dealings with Charleston. We have no doup'
that there are men inthis "despiSed' up-coun.
try who verify believe that more homes nave
been wrecked in the up-country by llladSis
cd dealings with Charleston than were de-
stroyed in Charleston on the night Of August
81.
No word of sympathy, so far as we know
has ever been expressed for the houscless ana
homeless people OF the up-country. IheS
seem to have been forgotten or else the Rcg'S-
aer and the Nc,ps and Courier have thought
them unworthy OF their attention. But be
nouse Charleston has suffered by an act o
Providence, they would call the Legislature
socether, and involve the State in their loss.
If it is true that one unfortunate ftml
sy is as deserving Of sympathy as another
why is it that the families of those who have
been sold out of houses and homes to satsi!
debts in Charleston or elsewhere, are not III
cluded in their schemes of relief for Garth
ounke sufferers? ? Is not the man who suffers
MT the hand Of his felow-man as deserving OF
sympathy as he who suffers at the hand o.
Providence?
We trust, therefore, that this repeated insin
uatiun that the up-country people are less DC
serving of consideration, and should ylelo
up something Of their manhood because the!
have less money than Charleston, may not De
made again at is absolutely too small for an
honest South Carolinian's acceptance" In
our opinion, 1t is even unworthy OF any South
Carolinian'S tolerance.
We hope that our low-country friends may
not longer bring the poverty argument. aliesa
ton. or charge against us. We trust that TINS
old hint that we should yield something OF
our manhood because of our poverty may De
abandoned. Such acts fatigue our indigna'
tiou. and must stir up all the latent feeling ol
resentment that may be in the breast OF any
citizen who is worthy of the name OF South
Carolinian. Does the Register eX pect up coun'
try manhood to bow down to low-country
golde Does 1t expect the up.country to ac'
knowledge itself unworthy of public respect