The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-25
The CUMBERLAND GAP.
IS ABBEVILLE AND EDGEFIELD TO BE
JOINED BY IRON BANDS?
The People Would Likely Vote the
Tax. if they Had n Fair Law. ana
one Which Would Make it Safe 10

The People Would Likely vote tht
Tax. if they Had n Fair Law. and
one Which Would Make ii Safe Il
DO SO.
We published in these columns last week
OH Act of the Legislature authorizing the pro
jectOrS OF q railroad from AbDevllle 10 tdSe
field, to cause an election TO be held In Aboe
vile, Cedar spring and Indian Hill townships
to levy Il tax for the benefit OF The Cumoer'
land Gap road. =,
II would be useless for us to enlarge on the
necessity for /; railroad from Abbevile to
Edgciied. The necessity for such railroad
is apparent to every one. The building oil
this road would put US In direct coinmunlca-
tion with our sister county Edgefeld, aud we
would also be in railroad communication
with the town of Aiken. which is one OF the
best and most fashionable health resorts In
the country. Our people would find the trip
To Aiken an inexpensive one, and there, they
would find splendid hotel accommodations
for the nominal sum of four dollars DAY:
The Abbevile and Edgefeld lawyers could
travel between the respective Court Houses
with dispatch, ease and comfort. Citizens OF
Abbevlle could visit relatives in Aiken.
without the trouble and expense OF going all
the way round by Columbia or Augusta. In
Il thousand ways the public welfare and pub
lie convenience would be promoted by the
building of this Indispensable road. what a
vast amount OF money in horse hire would be
saved TO fisherman, If they could go TO the
streams by rail!
When at Aiken we could so to Pole Cat
Branchville or Charleston as business or
pleasure might dictate. Between Abbeville
and Troy it is quite likely that two railroad
stations would be established, and wherever
we have railroad stations we have communi-
ties of people. This creates demand for
schools and churches. Another matter. The
men who furnish the land for the towns
might make fortunes by selling lots to immi-
grants who are expected this way at q time
not very remote. But we will not argue the
necessity of road to Edgefleld. We know IT
hfNhx
But we wish to ask the atten ton
of the reader 10 one OF the most re-
markable laws that has ever been put up
on the Statute-book Of any country. Ordi-
narlly If the people want law TO ascertain
the sense Of the community on the question
of cutting off the rum-suckers supply OF IN
toXcants, it takes yards and yards OF petl-
tions and years Of deIay to get the law.
Now, who petitioned the legislature for this
law which deserves to be printed in golden.
letters, framed and hung up on the walls OF
supreme Court rooms, and literary nssocia,
tions. a nice ornament for the frame would
be slaves. chains, shackles and hand.cufts.
Now for the law. Did you read IL? Is IL
not riddle? Is 1t not literary curiosity,
the meaning Of which no fellow can flnd ont?
AS a matter of fact, is not Section one OF
those meaningless antiquities upon which
the Supreme Court could put almost any con-
ceivable construction? What construction
could not court which thinks that "as to"
means "for the benefit Of not put upon such
ming nor ending?
Taken as q whole, the law itself Is scarcely
less astounding than Section 3. 1treminds us
Of the white man dividing turkey and crow
with the Indian. He never once said turkey
for the Indian. This law never once holds
out an inducement for people to vote away
their property. The law does not even con-
tain the pretense of single safeguard to the
conf1ding people who may mortgage. their
property to this railroad, whose vital impor-
lance is not doubted and the building OF
which we would not in any way embarrass.
But the people have rights, as we'll as corpor-
ntions. If we give to this railroad to Edge
field q mortgage on our farms, should we not
have protection in the law-the assurance
of the law-that the railroad may not take
our money without giving us the road, Is
there capitalist outside the lunatic asylum
who would do so ill-advised q thing as TO
give his money without some assurance OF
good faith?
Let the reader not forget his own interests
If the people asked for this most remarkable
law which now ornaments our Statute book,
then they did very foolish thing, II the
railroad asked for it, and prepared the trap,
the people would be still more foolish to go
into the snare which may have been set for
them by the road
We all want the road to Edgefcld and we
will vote for IT, If the law will make us sae
we published last week, some of us at least
will vote against it
When it is assumed to take tax from the
people OF any toWHSnlp-i II oIue, titC Jus.ioS
may be done-eertain and special Legislation
is necessary.
The voting of tax on a county, and the
voting of O tax on township, are two quite
distinct things, which involve the moneyed
interests Of the people.
For instance, the tax on a county for rail-
road purposes is paid by the people OF the
county. In return for this outlay the rail.
least five mills on its taxable value-two
mills for schools, three mills for county pur-
poses.
But, when it Is proposed to levy a tax on
Abbeville, Indian Hill, and Cedar Spring
townships no provision Is made that the tax
paid by the railroad in these respective town.
ships shall be for the benefit Of these town
ships, Such taxes would quietly and cert certain a.
these townships would get back Just one
sixteenth OF the taxes on the property which
they had paid for and secured-the sister
townships enjoying equal privileges or 6ene-
fits from the large expenditure which Able
vile, Cedar Spring and Indian Hill had made.
Now can't our lawmakers be fair with us?
The railroad certainly would not object to
these townships enjoying tho benefit OF the
taxes which 1t may pay.
AS the counties receive forever the taxes on
the railroads which they build, is there any
objection to giving the townships their just
and equal rights? Would any county vote for
a railroad, if an adjoining county were TO re-
ceive the taxes? We think not. Then give
the townships the taxes on the railroads
which they build. And make provision
in the law which shall make us safe in vot-
ing away not only our own property, but 1t
may be, the bed and the homestead Of our
neighbors. No money on the face Of the
earth should be more sacredly guarded than
tax money.
l. Put Abbcville. Cedar Spring and Indian
Hill on footing with counties-if they vote
taxes to railroads.
.. Make the citizen safe In putting his
hands In the lions mouth. Fix 1t so that his
ponderous jaws may not come together, and
crush the people.
5. We will be better satisfied with law
which hints at protection and safety, even
though it be worded so that the Supreme
Court cannot understand it.
1. Make the law in plain English, so that
we know what 1t means. We know enough
however that the law as It stands makes no
effort to promise safety to the tax payer.
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We can give You neat "Opera' slipper for
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