The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-16
GOOD ROADS ISSUE.

Editor OF the Watc0man ana OOutnrOu
Your editorial last week about legislative
candidates being called upon to state their
position on the sale of the State farms at
Hagood. aud the putting of all able bodied
cenvicts to work on the public roads is time
" and along right lines. None but the
feeble, and boys and women should be EN-
ployed on farm, and then only in growing
vegetables and provision crops for the sup
port of themselves and the other convlcts
working on the roads.
Some of the convicts should be employed
IN makieg drain tile or brick to replace the
small bridges which are such source OF ex-
pense Oae or more such plants located
where railroad facilities would give easy
distribution should De established. and as the
work progressed more could be added, or
those established coold be moved to more
desirable locations.
A email brick or tile making plant coa!d
be moved about more cheaply than the oflck
or tile could be distributed. Say, make brick
or tile for radius Of ten miles acd then
move to aro,her locality which would not be
over zen mites from the point ID be supplied
from the last location, and 80 90. Vi course
some few points would have 10 ne left further
of, out it conid be arranged 90 that two or
three wagon loads could reach these places.
And where more tbau one or two huodred
thousand brick would be needed the plants
could oe we'll located closer than 90 ten
mile radius
OF course the objection will be raised shat
this will come in competition With private
enterprise. do not think il will hold good
for at least two reasons: lst. No private
enterprise is now engaged in making brick or
tile exclusively for road improvement. Aud
End, If they were it would be at profit,
while this system proposes to furnish them at
cost and at cost, when properly arranged.
cheaper than private enterprise could meke
them. Permaaeot culverts will have to be
put 10 some day for it is DOW hard to 6nd
durable timber, and every year it is getting
scascer and more expensive.
am in favor of aoolishing every form Of
voluntary and unpaid labor 90 the roads.
Instead of the option Of paying tax or
working the roads. think an equitable ar
rangement could be made by requiring each
as,sbodied male between 81 and so to pay q
poll tax Of 81 for road purposes, unless he
paid license tax on one or more vehicles, or
property tax on $1,000 worth Of either
real estate or personally Require license
90 every vehicle. graded from road cart or
bicycle 10 four horse Wagon or log cart,
and tax on all property :or road purposes
Tae convicts TO be fed aud clothed, and nec-
essary tools 20 oe charged against the tnocs
aris,ag from these soC rces, and the balance
e1pea4ed 10 hiri2g work or buy'og material.
The aoove looks CO q belso ne: and Ike p:l-
ing up ;a1ss do not pretend It is s. perfect
plao, but IL is the outline or what can De
made perfect system. AS tor taxes, the
heaviest tax we DOW pay is the tax on trans
por,at;on, levied by bad roads, sDd from
which we get no sesurns We ceono' have
good roads without paying for them. Cndeg
the preseot sys,em VIC pay for them but do
no. get ,heu. You will 6od, though, MIR
Editor, that very few OF our people will ap'
preciate the importance of good roads, and
the doing away with convict farming, and
the candidate who comes out sqaareiy for
tins reform viii. be lief. at home, um afraid
E. W. o.