Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-08-09
A CLEAR MANIFEST.
Patriotic and Wise Response
from Gov. Sheppard.

and thoughtful communications,
one signed by "Free Holder" and
the other by "The People" Both
of these writer's, without unkind.
ness or injustice, appeal 70 me.
Hence | will say to these gentle
men, that iaael;'satio'' as we'll as IN
terest, d,sty as well as desire, all
have combined to prompt me to
act as I have acted in the matter
which our people have had and
noso have under consideration.
But, Mr.. Editor, permit ME to
say, that you and these writer's will
accomplish better results by ap-
pealing to those who have been
less active than I have been in the
interest of our school. I do not
feel that I need to be stimulated,
for I feel that up to the. present
time I have discharged my duty in
the matter. 1 feel that I can say
without immodesty, and without
injustice to those who co-operated
with me, that I inaugurated the
movement which resulted in the
meeting of the 28th ult. attended
the meeting and urged the adop-
ton of the resolution, which I
offered, the purpose of which was
to aprovide buildings necessary
for conducting agood school," as
Gree Holder" expresses it.
My resolution was defeated, on
the first count by a vote of 43 to
AZ; on the second count by vote
of so to As.
How was this result accomplish
! ed?
1t is believed that every citizen
of the town who is opposed to the
issuance of bonds in aid of school
building, was present and voted.
1t is knoeon to be a fact, that a
number-said to be 2S-of those
who favor bonds for such purpose,
were absent from the meeting.
Thus it appears that the friends of
the school are responsible for the
result. Further, it is said, that
gentlemen voted against the reso.
luiion, who were not entitled TO 8
vote; it is knoaoaa to be fact that
several gentleman who favored the
resolution and attended the meet
ing, retired from the hall before
the vote was reached; if they had
remained, the result would have
been different.
Thus it is perfectly manifest,
that majority of our people favor
the policy of improving our school
facilities; and thus it is perfectly
clear, that our disappointment is
attributable to the inaction of our1
friends-whether such inaction
was attributable to over-confdence
or Indifference, is immaterial.
But, Mr.. Editor, the meeting didl.
great good; it showed, as has been.
experienced IN hundreds of lauda-
bic undertakings in other lines of
enterprise, that disappointment
does not justify Encouragement.
1 repeat, the meeting did much
good; it showed exactly where we
stand; it revealed the true situa-
ton. Now, if duty is discharged,
the purpose will be accomplished.
That meeting showed that our
people are divided into three
classes. One class favoring bonds
to build a house in the Academy |
grove; another class favoring
bonds to purchase the hotel build
ing; and still another class op-
posed to building or purchasing q
school house. You may rely upon
it, that unless these conflicting in
terests are reconciled, or these
varying views are harmonized, no
matter who leads, we will stand
where we are in the matter of our
school facilities. Therefore, wis
dom and duty combine 10 demand
that we take the. counsel of each
other, that we reason among our
selves, and adjust our dlfte erences.
The policy that will promote the
i interest of any of us, will advance
the welfare of all of US. No part
of our people can prosper without
corresponding improvement in the
condition of others. No one of us
is justified in assuming that be is
right and the rest all wrong; no
class of our citizens can justify
themselves in holding that the
policy that they recommend is for
the up-building of the town, and
that the policy recommended by
others is obstructive of progress.
We should assume that all are act
inc in good faith. and in accord