The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-02-01

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where county has been dismem
bered. The Dibble' law is unfair te
the smaller counties, for it WAS CT
acted with the understanding that il
was not to be in force longer tha,
necessary.
Mr.. J. II. Wilson of Sumter said
he was not here with his eyes lock
ing toward Washington. He pleaded
that his people be treated fairly. He
was member of the House in 1882
when Sumter county was put in
the "black district" against his earn
est protestations.
: Mr.. Winkler claimed that there was
no injustice in the present formation
of districts. Was a single Demo
crat in South Carolina kept from vot-
ing thereby? He was surprised at
the statement of Mr.. Ragsdale that
the present alignment is dishonest.
Where was the dishonesty? Why
did the gentleman from Fairfield
| say that politicians were trying to
defeat the bill?
Mr. Ragsdale, interrupting, said
that "because one congressman was
known to have been here and others
sent kilograms begging for the de-
feat of the bill"
Mr.. W:nkler said that he had re-
ceived no such telegram and had not
heard of any such thing. 1t was
unfair to the congressman who were
500 miles away to bring such charges.
Where was the dishonesty of the
present arrangement of districts?
Mr.. Patton springing to his feet
replied that it was dishonest in that
it annihilated the vote of Richland
and other counties.
MIR. Sharpe of Lexington, point
ing to Mr.. Patton's map, said that it
was a map on paper. We are to con-
front conditions, not maps. He
failed to see the unfairness in dis
membering townships and counties.
He didn't think any mistake had been
made by the general assembly which
had fixed the districts. The ques-
tion appeared to him to be merely
to- turn out the old and put in
new congressman. Lexington county
had had no congressman since the
civil war, but he was satisfied with
the present district line. It was
question whether the people wanted
this7change or not. He had not
heard the people demanding the
change. The --latest gerrymander-
ing" placed Lexington with Laur-
ems, and the people of these counties
knew nothing of each other. He
did net believe the lines to be dis
honest. He said that candidates
for congress run on their merits and
not on county support.
Mr.. Peurifoy of Saluda was sur
prised at the position of Mr.. Sharpe.
If that county wanted any honors,
let her come over with Saluda, Edge
field and other counties and she could
get them. When the Dibble law
was passed conditions were different,
and the lines should be restored as
they were.
Mr.. Sturkey had opposed the bill
two years ago on the ground that it
was o new issue. He now opposed
it on the ground that the people were
satisfied and it was a matter which
affected them.
Mr.. Hydrick of Spartanburg op-
posed the bill. He said that when a
new law was proposed good reason
should be assigned for it's enactment.
| NJ cll law should be changed with
out protest against it. Has any
one ever heard of complaints. This
is be&u,ifu! map showing symme-
try of grouping. What is symmetry?
Why not take the crooks and curves
out'of the county lines if you want
symmetry? Does intimate acquaint-
ance with the congressional candi-
dates aid the people in determining
who is the best man? To be a con-
csessm m u man should be we'll known
anyway. This map shows nothing
Of railroads or other means of com
mu' i:ation. Spartanburg is closer
! to Richland than Lancaster by rea-
| son of its means OF communication
with R:cbland, and it d ,es not want
to be in the proposed c ,tawba dis
trirt. This b!l! is unfair O1e of
the arguments in favor of the bill is
that the larger counties will domi-
nate the smaller counties.
Mr.. Stevenson, in reply to the "pa-
! er map" argument of Mr.. Sharpe,
said il Mr.. Patton's map was pretty
on paper it is great deal more than
colld be said Of the Dibble arrange