The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-30
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
the delegates attended the circus.
THE NIGHT SESSION.

Mr.. COnnOrS amendment 10 make tne
limit 10 miles, unless it was natural
barrier to business.
Mr.. Prince offered the following
substitute:
''In the formation of new coun'
ties no old county shall be cut within
1Olniles of its county seat.
There was further debate on this mo-
ton.
Mr.. Connor, after having served as
county commissioner, had been thor.
oughly convinced of the necessity OF
smaller counties. The new system OF
county government had not been suf-
ficiently tested to make it plain wheth
er the difficulties in the old counties
had been overcome, and they should
20 slow until that was understood.
The demand for smaller counties was
not from the people, but from ambi:
tious towns. He favored limit OF
some kind, but was not particular
about its being 10 miles. Ifthis new
county scheme goes through unre-
stricted, there will be race between
the low and up-country for the con-
troll of the senate, and in 10 years the
senate chamber will have to be en-
larged. He hoped his substitute
would prevail.
Mr.. Bellinger would have to either
vote for the original section or for
Mr.. Prices substitute for Mr. Connor's
substitute. He spoke of the difference
between natural boundaries as they
are considered in the different parts Of
the State. In the low country what is
called branch would be river in
the up. country. There was stream
flowing within two miles of Barnwel
court house only foot or two wide,
but it would have to become ''natu-
raj boundary if Mr.. Connor's amend
ment passed. There were delegations
from 90 counties pledged not to dis
member their counties, while but a
half dozen might have come to cut
their counties up. He believed In
small counties, but was opposed to
running the old counties There were
in his immediate section Allendale,
Denmark, Branchville and another
wishing to become county seats and
cut slices from Barnwell, Hampton
and Colleton. Without this 10-mile
limit they would be ruined.
Senator Tillman opposed the ten
mile limit, and moved to reccmmit
the whole matter, and let the commit
tee try to adjust the differences agree
ing to disagree. Let them, be in
structed to simply fix the minimum
area for county and leave the legis-
lature to use its judgment in settling
the matter.
A Member-Is not the gentleman
like the man who was down and said
he was whipped and then jumped up
when turned loose and went fighting
again?
Mr.. Tillman shouted something
about his being for the interest of the
people. There was great confusion,
three or four men shouting at once,
and a loud statement with violent
gesticulatory accompaniment, of Mr..
q. D. Tillman to his brother, was lost
in the turmoil.
Senator Tillman, after the presi.
dents rapping the body to order, con-
tinued his remarks, closing by declar-
ing that this convention seemed to
think that the people at home would
vote on this question like asses and
slaves instead of like freemen.
MR.. GARY REPLIES.
Mr.. Gary said that this was but
another of Senator Tillman's flank
movements, Senator Tillman was at
once on his feet again, and Mr.. OTIS
was up. Confusion reigned through
out the hall.
Mr.. Tillman renewed his motion.
Mr.. Patterson then got the floor and
said that he had waited for this fight
to come on the 10 mile limit matter.
His old county was vitality concerned
in this 10 mile limit matter. He was
afraid that his friend from Edgefeld
felt that he was whipped, and now
wanted to recommit.
Senator Tillman said he was not
whipped, but the people would be whip
ped.
Mr.. Patterson stated that he wanted
to.say few words for Barnwell. He
and her people could not follow the
gentleman from Edgeield.
He was going ahead, when Senator
Tillman asked him if there was not a
distance of at least 80 miles between
every court house in this Stale.
Mr.. Stokes made the point of order
that on a motion to recommit no
member could discuss the merits of
any other question than that pending.
The chair sustained the point.
Mr.. Patterson-But the chair in
dnlgedme. ,
The 4president stated that he had
done so, but when a member raised the
point he had to sustain it.
Mr.. Patterson went on to enumerate
the several schemes that were being
worked by Allendale and other sec
tons to make new counties. He only
asked that they be protected in their
old county rights. They had their
money invested there. If you adopt
10 mile limit you will protect us. It
was nothing but right for the old
county men to defend their counties.
They now had fine system of public
roads in their county, and there was
really no need of new county.
Mr.. D. S. Henderson simply wished
to know whether this body would stul-
tify itself by recommitting the article.
If they were going to instruct COM
mittes, why not by all means settle
it on the floor like men. Quit this
useless waste of the peoples time and
money.
He moved to lay the motion ofSena.
L.. Ts11,,op n, tho toh1o