Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-06-02
DIR. j. A. Johns In Reply.

Wo notice in your usually very con-
scrvativo paper double loaded commu-
nication signed "a. Lay" Ca. L-a-y,) in
which he refers to ono James A. Johns,
who, he says, resides three miles South
west of Westminster, in tho very courte-
GUS and parliamentary language of "Em
Dee," "Pharisce," ''Scribo" and ''Tax-
ty Board of Equalization, did "fear-
lessly" proceed to raise him "a cool
thousand" Was ever such bravery, such
fearless bravery, known before rs was
exhibited by this set whom Hon. M. b..
Dcndy calls rogucs This fearless and
brave "they" "foarlossly" proceeded to
raise about 500 moro of tho citizens of
Oconce, did they not? Was not this 4SO,
whom he says he notified, just tho ones
whose assessments were raised fifty dol
lars and over ? Is this not what his CO.
laborer and co-wrtor calls an Ananias
statement ?
Mr.. A. Lay goes on after giving lcgions
of law about how to get money out of
tho people, and gives j. A. Johns's pcr-
sonal assessment, and compares it with
individuals he is pleased to call Samuel
Frazier Maxwell, p. c., Nelson Brown, p.
C. and Joseph Sharp p. c., and hold these
gentlomcn of color up as proper patterns
for j. A. Johns and those "-lS0' or $40,
or whatever number it may be, but espe-
ciallN those "G4'' dishonest persons who
appeared and attempted to "dodgc" the
payment of "fair share" of just tax.
Is this man daft, lune, insane, or is he
simply natural cretinp What about j.
d. Werner, a. p. Crisp, E. BreaZcale,
Major Dondy, M. b. Dendy, Julian Raw
oncll, Mrs. Norton, Miss Keith, Miss
Lcona Kuhtmann, Vim. d. Dcaton, JULIO
j. Davis, Frank l.. Sitton, Major B. Frank
Sloan, and tho $40 others who arc too
corrupt to pay their "just taxp" These
people can speak for themselves. They
arc Intelligent and good business people.
They know what they nave and tho valuc
of it without being roiC! red to Mr.. Sam
uol Frazier Maxwell, p. c., for instruc-
tions oithor in honesty or Judgment.
might, perhaps, except A. Lay and tho
appears in the list.
[ do not know tho gentlemen of color,
Mr.. Nelson Brown, p. c., and Mr.. Joseph
Sharp, p. c., but happen to be acquainted
with Mr.. Samuel Frazier Maxwell, p. c.,
so facetiously referred to as pro-
per example for us to emulate.
He has, or Mr.. Lay says he
has, moro in his house than have, he
dresses finer than l do, ho has better
talks louder than do, he is q bigger
fool than l am, he has moro sense than
A. Lay and would make better County
Supervisor than A. Lay does. IIo can
got up q b0ttor newspaper article than
A. Lay has signed. Sclah.
Would it not havo been moro interest
ing to MS "pcoplo and Taxpayers" if Mr..
A. Lay had explained to us about tho
sixteen mills and about how tho money
is spent? And as ho has given us so
much law about getting tho money from
us, and how faithfully" and "fear-
lossly" he has discharged his "duty" in
that Ito him) important particular, would
it not have been we'll for him to have
shown how he has spent tho money, and
if ho has "dischargcd" his "duty" in
that particular so scrupulOusly exact?
That might have Interested us more than
the weak and oiious comparison Of such
citizens as mentioned above, and many
othcrs equally as good, will. 5nmr"i Fra
zior Maxwell, p. c., whom ho chooses to
onlogizc so highly.
Why did not A. Lay givo us some
information about tho tax returns he
lowered to bring about an equalization?
Does not tho law say something about
Producing valuations?" His board that
he boasts of doing "duty" SO "foarlcssly"
he says raised j. A. Johns "a cool thou
sand" who and how many did ho and
his board reduce "a cool thousand?'
''N ''N' b. i'c' ny tti'i Ullc
assessment of throo negroes that do not
cvon live in my township. Why did ho
not give tho ossmont Of those who
joined lands wit a mo? Ho says have
been raised till 7 am "nearly" on an
equality with my noighbors. What
excuse docs this "fcarlcss" and inst man
give for not putting mo on an exact
equality with my noighbors when no
Processes to know that ho has notp
Such stuff as this would not pass mustor
at "niggor" logrolling much less before
tho intelligence of Oconoo people.
Why did not A. Lay givo us somo
information" about tiiio 'niaui,ino2' and
is thoro not some law like this: Tho
County Board of Commissioners anoH
give persons interested in tho changes Of
roads notice of tho day on which each
change shoU be considered. Such por-
sons shdN have right to be heard and
offer testimony for or against the change.
Has Mr.. A. Lay complied with this
law, or has ho refused tho citizens and
Taxpayers Of this county a hearing as
the lazy directs, and gono 'foarlessly"
and spent tho money and labor of tho
c0iiuty without any warrant of law and
contrary to law2 Has he or has ho not
"foarleBsly' diverted th9 "machipe" 9na