The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-12
A HUNDRED COURT HOUSES,

That IL the Number Wanted - A
Spread.Enele.FO OFF uly.Bun'
cOmbe Speech-Ninety-Six Didn't
Keep the Court House When She
Had II, and Now Wants Another.
Ninety.Six, s. c., Dec. S, 1894.
Mr.. Editor:
when progress seems to be the watchword
foremost in the minds of every class Of hu.
man minds, | was surprised 10 see au editorial
by you In your live paper. ad Vocatlng the nx'
ing of the present county lines in the coming
Institutional Convention as q constitutional
law. At this critical time In our history,
while our sunny land is smoulderlng under q
cloud of oppression and depression, doubtless
brought on bv the united money powers OF
North and East-and I might add OF the
world, il behooves every one who leads or pre-
tends TO educate, TO be unselfish patriots.
All zen who have to do with the coming
Constitutional Convention should be men
who know nothing at heart but the good OF
the State and the welfare OF the whole peo-
Pile. Every citizen alike must profit or suffer
by what is done by that convention sooner or
later, and the brain and experience of the
State should compose the convention. Men
who are broad enough TO look to future good
OF the State over little selfish interests OF to-
day.
people today, If they would lay of the cloak
OF selhshness, would advocate smaller coun-
ties because they know IT would add to the
progress and activity of our State. In fact you
will never reach that stage OF progress that ts
due our natural proclivities until 35O-4OO
sqRare miles is made the constitutional area
Tor counties.
Professional men and newspaper men and
corporations who do not want their limits
ci-cumscribed, must open their souls and give
their apparent sacrifice which is due their
less fortunate equals.
After giving this matter long and deliberate
sft 1xy III a q
ridiculous or eXtravagant, am satisfied that
If every county line in South Carolina were
wiped out and cut the whole State up In sys-
lematical counties, that In less than decade
the wisdom OF the so-called radical plan
would receive the praise OF all live men.
know that the present favored ones would cry
out against these things and ridicule the Idea
of ignoring the present county sites and mag
Nifty the loss OF public buildings, &C., &c.
Many of the present Court House buildings
and Jails of today are worth but little more
than the value of the old BRICK In them; such
Is the case In Abbeville, both disgrace TO our
civilization-mud ridden and unfit TO be In a
decent town, yet we boast OF eight millions
taxable property.
just picture IN your mind for moment
this lovely old State With one hundred beau.
acles towering In the heavens, with the stars
and stripes visible one from the other. Beau.
tiful drives over lovely roads from the limits
of every county to each county seat.
What county pride would spring up and
men of the county would all now each other
and would counsel together. Small indus
tries would be seen springing up all over the
every here and there. Seeming hard times
would be thing OF the past. Oh that we
had men Of brain and backbone and patriots
indeed, that would rise up 10 the emergenc c1es
of the times and lift up the old ship Of State
progress that would never clog. Sha II we re.
main old fogies and continue in the old deep
worn ruts or shall we wake up TO the emer-
gencies Of the times and prosper? What say
you, Mr.. Editor?
/ would have you understand that am ad
vocatng no expensive measure but ponting &
to an economical goal This large, heavy and
expensive machinery we are running must
be set aside, and smaller, convenient, light
and non-expensive machinery substituted
instead. These small counties could be run
so cheaply that enough would be saved by
the people In mileage and by being able 10
spend the nights at home dnring court and on
other occasions 10 pay In five years for Jail
and court house buildings. The good roads
that would at once follow, would enable the
iarthest man 10 attend to his business and re.
turn home at night.
Unless this plan Is adopted, the Legislature
will be burdeped with bills for new counties
ut every session for time TO come and will cost
many times more by loss OF time scrambling
and fighting our new county bills, especially
II the territory Of counties is simply reduced.
What say the country people as 10 this new
OTQer OF tnlnSS! III LnlS Inatter IL properly
done 1t will suffice for centuries and would
be fixtures for the loved ones to follow us as
for our conveniences. Should we not think
seriously and sobery and do the thing right /?
/ do not believe the convention Is going to
do as have suggested, but simply reduce the
area TO say 400 square miles, but certainly the
times demandit.
There was time when 1t suited Abbeville.
Edgetield. Newberry and Laurens TO have
their court house at Ninety-Six, but later,
each wanted u separate convenience and they
hesitated not to place Nnety.Slx on the bor-
der. The cry Is coming from all over the State
for another division and the people are going
10 haveit
Well, have tried to be brief and / fear too
much SO To be understood fully. A word az
TO another matter or two and am done. The
people of the State have had the opportunity
OF reading another message from Gov. Till
man to the General Assem- bly,, and people,
who but him could have told so many plain
truths in SO few plain words. / endorse what
vention and they should be studied by every
voter, for IL Is sound doctrine.
All the crops OF this section are gathered
and most OF the cotton sold. The crops were
good but the low price OF cotton has caused
nearly all our people TO come out behind.
hard time. There Is considerable corn and
meat Tn the country which will help our peo-
pie out some. / am sorry TO say there Is too
small acreage being sown In grain.
/ have written this without any promise
for space In your crowded paper, but you
past, Is why | risk the waste basket now.
Respectfully,
Henry J. Kinard.
P. S.-Your views on the dispensary are cor
rect and commendable. X.