The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-02-10
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT LAW.
Justice Thinks Tha! With Few Amcnd-
mentS II Would BE Perlcct-He Offers
Some Suggestions.

Justice Thinks Tha! With a Few Amend.
mentS II Would BE perlcct-He Offers
Some Suggestions.
Editor The Manning Times:
your last issue Of the Times was an
Article headed, County Government
Top Heavy and asks is the present
law any improvement Oil the Old
law.
l answer it is an improvement and
it will be difficult to pass bette.
one. With Il few amendments It
would be perfect. The fault lies
with the people, not the law. Put
men in office who are competent and
who will do their duty and the prob
lem is solved. The way it has been
run in this county is disgrace to a
civilized community. From repor,s
made from many counties where they
put in the proper officers it is work
ing satisfactorily. AS you say.
though, there is too large Il BODY oi
commissioners. Allow me to suggest
few amendments:
lst. Let each township elect by
ballot one commissioner, whose dnty
it shall be to enroll every mar wao
is subject to do road duty and report
the names to the supervisor, giving
the section of road they are on.
Then allow him an amount sufficient
to pay for so doing.
2nd. On the first Monday in Janu
ary each year let the full board meet
at the court house and organize, and
elect three of their members to man
age the affairs of the county.
3rd. Then on the first Monday of
each month let those three commits
sioners meet at the supervisors Of
fee to receive his reports and attend
to any business pertaining to the af-
fairs Of the county, the supervisor
being chairman, but only voting in
case of a tie.
4th. Then prescribe the duties OF
the supervisor. He should be in his
Office, say every Monday, to receive
ports, complaints, and any otLer
business that may come before him.
5th. That the supervisor should be
required to see every mile Of public
road in the county once in each
quarter of the year, also every bridge,
50 he can report their condition to
his board After the names of those
subject to road daty is furnished him
let him employ competent overseers,
say one for two townships, furnish
them with necessary tools, and then
let the overseer call out for two days
work ten bands. That number is as
many as can be worked to advantage,
having another ten to take their
places, unless he goes through lis
list and hold the ovtrseer responsible
for tools and amount of work done
according to the number of bands he
has under him. There is at least
$500 hands in the county subject to
road duty. That would give, work
ing four days, 10000 days work each
year. III five years we could have
as fine roads as could be made WITH
the soil we have: We would not
only have good roads but it would
increase real estate so per cent. Who
is coming to Clarendon with our
present roads? Then require the
superintendent to put on the chain
gang to I'll up and raise the embank-
ment OF our swamps.
9th. In case the supervisor fails to
do his duty, let the three commits
sioners file a complaint and have the
power to call the full board together
and on two thirds vote dismiss him
and recommend some suitable person
to the governor for his opponent to
fill the vacancy, also holding tie
bonds,nen responsible for any neglect
of duties by the supervisor.
The great trouble is that many Of
Scers are afraid to do their duty, es-
pecially on the roads, for fear they
will get the ill-will OF the dear peo-
pie and that they won't vote for them
next time. JUSTICE.