The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-07-17
The County Question.


The Greenwood Journal thus remarks on
an article which recently appeared in the
Press and Banner:
The following, under the head OF "What
the Constitution Should Have appeared in
the editorial columns Of the Press and Ban
ner yesterday morning:
"a provision establishing the dispensary,
forever forbidding municipalities from IL
censing the sale of whiskey In this State.
"The registration law should be firmly
fixed.
"The homestead should be re-enacted.
mo new county should be organized, ex-
cept on consent by popular vote OF major
ity of the people living in the different coun-
ties from which 1t Ia proposed 10 take terri.
tory. Whithodt the consent OF majority OF
the people voting In each of the counties no
new counties should be organized anywhere.
The Journal has nothing TO say. at this
time, about the first three measures suggest
ed. The one In regard to the formation of
upon this morning: The position that no
counties should be formed except by ma
jority popular vote of the different counties
from which 1t Is proposed " take territory,
amounts To saying that the people concerned
have no voice In the management OF their
own local affairs. In our own case, Is IL just
that 1000 people OF Abbeville county, who
want 10 90 into the proposed Green WOOD
county, and who know that it would be great
ly to their interest to do 80, should be prohlp-
tied by the 2,2D0 remaining In Abbeville coun-
ty, who are not materially affected one way
or the other by the division OF the county?
Is 1t right and just That 6W people Of Edge
field county. now twenty six TO tWenty-elght
miles from their court house. who desire TO
go into a new county and get court mousse
within eight miles OF their doors, should be
prohibited from so doing by 5000 people re-
manning I'm the old county. simply because
they have the numerical strength? We don't
think SO, and We don't believe the editor OF
the Press and Banner thinks so.
a Snppaatel might
ated and simplitied by changing 1t 80 as 10
say that "no new county shall ever hereafter,
under any circumstances, he formed III SOuLh
Carolina; ;" that's what IT practically amounts
to.
To which the Press and Banner would say ::
Shall six hundred people be allowed to mu-
tilate and destroy the symmetery Of Edge
field County, while three thousand are op-
posed TO the measure?
Shall eleven hundred men change the boun-
dary lines of Abbeville County against the
will of twenty-five hundred?
Shall few Court House builders have more
weight and influence in the government OF
the county than the great mass Of the peo-
Pile?
The proposition OF our neighbor Is contrary
to the generally accepted theory of this Gov
ernment. The rule OF the majority, and not
the tyranny Of the minority is for the public
good.
Why should this county be cut to pieces
when the great majority of the people are OPP
posed to 1t?
Why should Edgefleld be mutllated at the
request OF six hundred as long as three thous
and oppose the measure?
BY what method OF reasoning can the wish
es OF the six hundred claim the right to dis
regard and override the will of three thous-
and in disflguring county in which all are
interesleds
According to the admission of our neighbor
the majority of the people In the counties al
fected are opposed 10 the new county. Has 1t
come to this that the will of the majority
must count as nothing:
The Constitution Of the United States has
adopted Il just and equitable plan for the
formation of new States. The same equity
would apply in the formation Of new couD-
ties
Law for Formation of Proposed Law for New
New States. Counties.
No new State shall No new county shall
be formed or erected be formed or erected
within the Jurisdiction within the jurisdiction
Of any other State, nO of any county, norany
any State be formed 10y county be formed by
the junction OF two or the junction Of two or
more States. or parts more counties. or party
Of States, without thtiOf Counties, Without
consent of the Legisla. the consent OF the Leg
ture concerned as well 'islature OF this STATE.
as OF the Congress.-las well as OF major
Sec. 3, Art. ". ity Oft the voters In each
and every county from
which IL Is proposed TO
include territory In the
formation of said pro-
posed new county.