The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-10-29
Constitutional Convention.
LARGE OR SMALL COUNTIES.
A KNoTrY AND UNsoLvED PROB
LESl.

LEN.
Ex-Congressman George ID. Tillmal
Argues in Favor OfSmail Counties
w. q. McGowan Leads the Opposi
tion.
The discussion in regard to lare'
and small counties was conducted in
becoming spirit. and there was mucl
ability shown on both sides. Senator
Tillman and Governor Sheppard want
ed to maintain tho leg islative symme
try by limiting the number OF new
counties to be- created, but the sugges
tion was not adopted, and it was
thought best to accomplish this resul
by limiting the area. Ex-Congressmar
Tillman and Capt. w. G. McGowar
made the leading speeches on opposite
sides.
MI. Geo. ID. Tillman said he never
arose TO speak where he felt 80 incapa
BILE OF doing his best or the subject
justice, but he would do his best. Had
he not been 80 thoroughly in sympathy
with the movement for these new
counties he would not have come to the
convention. He went on - say he
made no campaign, and WAS elected by
his people. The uniform support of his
people for thirty-eight years had made
him feel that IL he could serve them
he should do SO. He had twice declined
to be candidate, but 80 many OF his
friends had 80 urgently requested him
to do so that he had felt compelled by
his duty as we'll as by his gratitude to
come here and give what help he could
In the making OF good constitution.
He wanted to say that he did not come
to the convention to wound any ones
feelings, that he had no political aspi-
ratiOns, no wires to lay or no pipes to
put down. "Sir," said he, with the
true ring OF eloquence. 81 am done
with public life. have received far
more than my share of public honors
and am content. 80 NO man here can
charge me with political purposes in
anything may say and any position
with politics. My public life is behind
me. Let men worship the rising rath-
or than the setting sun. and will do
my best for cause which has been
close to my heart and which has ap-
pealed to my intellect since my boy
hood" 1t had been his pleasure to
devote large part OF his life to polit-
ical economy, sociology, ethics and
kindred subjects related to the science
Of government. He did not feel that
physically or mentally there Is any
reason for his retirement from public
life, but he wanted to repeat it that
his retirement from public life was
permanent.
- He went on to say that he regarded
this matter of small counties and self
government as of even more conse-
quence than that of suffrage, for in
some way the suffrage matter would
geological and hydrographical surveys
have agreed that the area of this State
IL $4,000 square miles. That is agreed
upon. II we make the limit to fifty
counties that would give an area OF
over 500 square miles. Why not leave
omething to the people. We are not
accustomed to telling the people to
their faces they are fools. They know
what they want. He challenged any
had ever asked to be consolidated.
That was not the way things went.
The present area now was nearly 1000
square miles. Colleton and Berkeley
have about 1000 square miles. We
have several counties larger than
Rhode Island and many nearly as large
as Delaware. 1t Is a singular fact that
for the first ninety-nine years after the
State was settled we have but single
court house in the State except at
Charleston. That was what brought
about lynch and mob law and 1t was
this condition that led to the assassina-
tion of the grandfather of Col. Thomas
\ Woodward, of Fairfield. He could cite
cases In Edgefeld that never went to
trial because OF the delays OF getting
to the court and the annoyances and
loss OF going to court. In all the old
States the idea Is for farmer to look
around his farm in the morning and
then go to the court house and attend
to business and return home before
night. That, he thought, looked like
civilization. The trouble in going to
and returning from court he thought
had much to do with the reck less spirit
OF many in Edgefield county.
He wanted to know if there was OBJ
lection to small counties, why not elect
the whole ticket OF Senators or mem
bers on one general ticket. If you want
good representative government you
want the people TO knOw each other.
!, lt Ii 30 easy for u demagogue or ras-
Ncal TO pass among large constituency,
Nut in email communities representa-
tive cannot sail under false colors and
they hesitate to defy public opinion at
Shome. New England, he thought, had
!3the best system of government in this
country and he attributed this to tn cir
small districts aud the close and init
mate association Of the lawmakers
with their constituencies Their town
ship government, he held, has done
much TO mako their government SO
acceptable.
Then he took up the judicial phase
OF the question and wanted TO know
whether 1t was wise or expedient to
make u witness go for miles from home,
neglect his business to 60 to court and
wait for weeks on u particular case.
No'Other State, he urged, required men
- 10 SO far and at such expense to at
tend court. He said he bore Charles
ton no prejudice, but was free TO admit
that when he was young he was preju-
diced against that old city because OF
ner responsibility for the parish b Js-
tenn, which he helped to defeat.
When South Carolina was orig ginally
settled the people went to the coast.
!, and they secured the facilities of the
State and they grudgingly surrendered
kapything to the up-cOuntry. Down tt
-Aeif0 (close OF the civil war Charleston
nad}ten Senators out of fOrty-six, and
six low counties had twenty-six. There
were forty-five Senators until 1854 and
1855, when one additional Senator was
given Anderson and Pickens, making
! forty-six, and at that time six counties
\ i'm the low. country had twenty-three
Senators and the rest OF the State TWEEN
ty-three Senators. He said 1t was SUR
prising to see how grudgingly Charles
Il a H. LII