Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-07

paid cheerfully and without a whimper.
We knew our strength, the money was in
sight, and we ought by rights to have got
ten the college. Rock Hill saw fit to raise
our bid, and we remarked at the time that
she was paying dearly for her whistle.
Certainly we did not expect after that
close competition that she would ever call
upon the state to release her from the OBJ
legations. She went into this thing with
her eyes wide open and Rock Hill ought
to be made to stand by the letter of her
contract. There are hundreds of places
in South Carolina as well suited for this
school AS Rock Hill. They wanted it and
were able to pay for it. Because ROCK
Hill promised more than Spartanburg
was willing to promise. she got the col
lege. Now she ought to pay for her prize.
We feel sure that we are right in this mat
ter, and whether THE ENQUIRER really
represents the sentiment of the ROCK
Hill people or not, the chances are that
this is the opening wedge to build up
sentiment to relieve Rock Hill of these
obligations. We believe the Gatfney
Ledger will bear out the position we have
taken.
Now just where The Herald gets its
warrant for imputing "bad faith" to
the people of Rock Hill we are unable
to see. In what we had to say on the
subject last Saturday, we took occa-
sion to say that we had never heard
the slightest suggestion Of dissatisfac-
ton on the part of Rock Hill in regard
to the matter. We have not assumed
to represent the sentiment Of the Rock
Hill people in the proposition we are
now advocating. We do not know
whether the people of Rock Hill agree
with us in our contention or not, and
we do not care. We made the sug-
gestion on our own responsibility, be-
cause we believed it to be right, and
what others may think cannot change
our opinion on the subject, unless
their thoughts are coupled with logic
sufficient to show us that we are mis-
taken. The Herald's charge of bad
faith against the people of Rock Hill
then, must be taken as purely gratu-
itous evidence Of its bad humor.
But this idea of the states assump.
ton of the debt that Rock Hill incur
red on account of the establishment of
Winthrop, is not original with us.
That, in view of this attack from Spar
tanburg, we freely confess. 1t is an
idea that we borrowed from Spartan
burg. Some ten years ago a represen'
tative of Spartanburg county sought
to induce the general assembly to as
sumo the Indebtedness that the vari-
Gus counties of the state had contract
ed on account of railroad building.
Spartanburg had, at that time, the
heaviest debt of any county in the
state, and hence the proposition from
a Spartanburg representative. But we
did not consider that proposition just
for the reason that many of the coun-
lies would have been called upon to
contribute for improvements from
which they derive no direct benefit.
Every county in the state, however, is
supposed to derive equal benefit from
Winthrop, and that is why we consid-
er it especially just that they assume
their equal share of this disproportion-
ate burden that is now being borne
for their convenience by single COM
munity. If there is anything wrong
then in this idea, The Herald will
please lay the responsibility not upon
the people of Rock Hill, who are en-.
tirely innocent; but upon the shoul-
ders of THE ENQUIRER, or perchance,
upon the shoulders of the Spartanburg
people who originated the proposition
to have the state assume the railroad
debt of their county.
Even in The Herald's tantrum, we
see evidence of a realization of the
justice of this proposition to relieve
Rock Hill ofthis unjust burden. "The
chances are that this is the opening
wedge" it says. If it really consider
ed the proposition as unjust and abb
surd, it would see no place for that
opening wedge which, whether it ever
comes or not, certainly ought to be in
serted. And this is not all. Clearly
has The Herald, in its anger, exhibited
its dog in a manger spirit. How is
the city of Spartanburg to be inj ured
by this just relief Of Rock Hill, or
how are Spartanburg or Gaffney to be
benefited if Rock Hill is not relieved ?
Those are questions we would have
The Herald take up so soon as it re-
covers its good humor. And in the
meantime, however, strongly our es-
teemed contemporary may hold the
people of Rock Hill responsible for such
views as we have seen fit to express,
we promise not to hold the people OF
Spartanburg responsible for the rather
peculiar utterances of The Herald.
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