The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-08-16
He IS NOT SERIOUS.

lnopposlng the Columbia state
soaking idea," the Aiken Journal
and Review, as will be seen from an
article reproduced from the latter
paper and appearing on the sixth
column, page l of this issue, takes q
very sensible and the only tensble
position on the pres ent rage for the
dismemberment of old counties and
the formation of new ones with is be-
ing so persistently agitated princi-
pally by designing politicians and self
interested persons-"that it is best
to let we'll enough alone" A study
of the map of South Carolina will
show conclusively that the county
seats of the various counties are as
conveniently located in regard to the
convenience of the people residing
therein as can be surveyed from an
economic or any other point of view,
except it be that eastern and south
ern portions of 'Richland should
90 to Kershaw and Sumter counties
respectively and the western, includ-
ing Columbia, and northern portions to
Lexington and Fairfield respectively.
This arrangement would be accord
ing to the "eternal fitness of things
for large per cent. of the business
men of Columbia are Lexington born
and Lexington raised, the foun-
dation of whose business principles
was laid and developed in Lexipg-
ton and Lexington capital is largely
used in the development of Colun-
bias enterprises, therefore the logical
conclusion is that if one of the two
counties must be swallowed by. the
other then that portion of Richland
mentioned must 60 down the gozzle
of Lexington, else the Survival of
the fttest" will be rendered Of no
effect and' will, as it were, be turning
backward for centuries the hands
upon the dial of time ard creates a
vacuum in natures's laws that cannot
be filed; no, not even by tho soak
ing idea"
When the State first laid its reve-
nues and heart at the feet Of Lexing-
ton and professed never dying and
urquenchable love for the rich and
unlimited estate of the fair maid we
confess that we were impressed with
the. momentous issues involved in
such an undesirable union that We
seriously contemplated applying to
Judge Simonton for a restraining in
iuction forbidding the ceremony be-
cause it was in violation of the inter-
state commerce law in that it abridged
the personal rights of the individual
citizen, but when We remembered that
Ben Ryan Tillman was keeping
his mouth shut and saying nothing,
we felt that the Columbia State,
like John J. Ingalls, with variations,
was a newspaper without theme
and it had to kick up racket
to let the people know that it still
lived, We were fully persuaded that
our neighbor across the Congaree
was only funning and that his inten-
tions concering matrimony must not
be taken seriously. Now since Ben
Tillman has opened his mouth at
Sumter and other places in the State;
since he has unbridled his tongue and
broke loose again, the State has
seemingly neglected Lexington and
is hunting 'sour noble leader" with its
little pop gun.
Certainly friend, the State is not
sincere in its gushing efusion of af-
fection. Does not the Editor of the
State know, as we'll as he knows
anything, that the people Of Brook
land know full well that consolids-
tion means their ruib? Does he not
know that to make that town part of
Columbia would be to increase their
taxes without corresponding in
crease in the selling value of their
lands? Don't be know that the people
of Brookland and of Fork township
know that to purchase and free the
two bridges under the consolidation
prOposltlOn tbat tney VIII nave 10
pay the purchase price the'nselve
either by the issuance cf interest
bearing gold bonds Or by the increase
of municipal taxes on their property
and the business by which they earn
bread and meat for themselves, their
wives and children? Does he not
know that by consolidation that the
taxes Of the people Of Brook
land will be over doubled while those
of the people Of Columbia will re-
main as they now are' Did not an
alderman of the City cf Columbia re-
Gently make a public statement that