The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-02-20
TOWNSHIP COMMISSIONERS,
What the Senators Know About Worklno tn,
Roads.

What tho Senators Know About Workno the
Roads.
ln tho Senate, an amendment was
offered to the county government bill,
TO the effect that each township should
havo only one commissioner instead OF
three, as at present.
Mr Archer favored this amendq ent
Cne practlcally did the work already
AS IL Is each will wait on the other.
/ and consequently very little is done.
Mr.. Moses was opposed to rushing
thlngs. The three local members oi
the township boards were u good re-.
turning board, but the chairman al
ways acted as q member OF tho county
board. In reality the county board is
composed of tho several chairmen OF
the township boards.
Mr. Iettlgrew's experience was, that
IN IN most cases, one man did the work
Iho others wero moro of an incubus
than anything else. One commissioner,
together with the auditor, would be
amply sufficient to manage returns.
Mr.. Mayiield wanted the amendment
to fail. Didn't think ono man alone
should have power to pass on tho
assessments OF his ncigh bOr's property.
One man might have in his hands tn G
destiuicS of his entire township. 1t
was putting too much power into one
mans hands. He never wanted to sec
one-mal, power establishcd-especi
when the ono man was appointed by an
Office lfoldcr.
Mr.; Finley said that tho intent of
the amendment was to got one man to
sec after the roads. Everybody's bus
mess is nobody's business therefore
he wanted to try ono man. If he
wouldn't do, then wo should try new
system.
MIR. Barnwell said it did not affect
his city; but the prcsont'systcm is an
experiment and he thought it should
be thoroughly tried before We run Off
q plan that looked like notwithstanding
the whole system.
Mr.. Archer said his people had al
ready reached the point where they
saw that three men did not work well
and they wanted one man.
MIR. Jordan said his people also
wanted one man-thought he would
accomplish moro good than three. AS
to the matter OF assessments, ho said
that could easily be remedied by
proper amendment. There wore, he
said, only two places in the entire law
were required to meet. All the othot
duties were devolved upon the chair
men Of the township boards.
MIR. Alayhcld was surprised that tho
roads are worse'in some sections than
under the old systcm. He asked MIR.
Harrison if they were not better in
County.
MIR. Harrison.-No, sir they are in
worse condition.
Mr.. Barnwell.-A gentleman told mo
so. They are decidedly bctter in my
county.
MIR, Pcttigrcw noticed that all those
who had experience in county work,
were on one side Of the question and
all the Inexperienced ones on the other
side. The roads in his county wcre
better, but the chairmen did it. Tho
others wore a kind Of fifth wheel, an
incubus. We should learn by expo
rience, and we can make changes when
necessary.
Mr.. Mayiicld said he could prove by
his fellow citizens that he had always
taken lively interest in road matters.
We are doing we'll, and should let we'll
enough alone. The amendment was
lost and the bill remains as it is. The
following was the vote on the amend
mcnt: Ayes Archer, Barton, Brown,
Derham, Douglass, Finley. Jordan,
kirkland, Miller, O'Dcll pettigrew,
Walker, Williams.-l3.
Nuys-Baruwell, Bricc, Buist, Den
mis-, Dubosc, Ehrd, Fuller, Harrison,
Mauldin, Mayticld, Moses, McCalla,
Mcdaniel, Norris, ltagin, Sanders,
Sloan, Stackhouse, Turncr.-l9