Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-01-18
ABOUT THE ROAD Law.
Representative Werner Replies to Ned Todd $
Letter In Last Weok's Courlor.

on tho general situation, and on the road
law in particular. That is good letter
and nothing would be moro acceptable
| to me, and doubtless to the entire Oco-
neo delegation, than to have more of
such lottors from all parts of tho county.
am not only willing to DO watched
closely and criticised severely, but am
glad to have an oxacting constituency,
because | do not wish their approval
unless L como up to their expectations,
and because l know such an oxacting
constituency will DO suro to approve of
good work and of u worthy Representa-
tive.
| lIowevor, hardly think there arc any
Representatives hcro who wish to be tho
! peoples bosses, and I know that l do
not wish to bo, and think that caro-
ful and just review Of my work horo will
show that l have tried worry hard to bo
not only q true Representative Of tho
best interests of tho county and State,
but have served both with n dogroo of
success tn at am only anxious to havo
compared with any Representative that
has ever bccn sent hero from my county,
and this, I think, should meet tho ap-
proval of most watchful and cxacting
people. Tho burden Of my thoughts and
ar xictics from tho first day | camo horo
until to-day (and such will continue to
be my dcsircs) is to know what the poo
plc want and to have what is for their
best interests, and to aid in enacting
such laws as will rebound to that end,
and bclicvo that tho people think this,
and | furthermore boliovo that "Ncd
Todd' knows this to bo true; therefore
| am worry sorry to 500 him spoil an
otherwise good lcttcr by giving way and
saying things that tho records do not
sustain.
Now, as to tho road law, wish to say
that it has given me more trouble than
any and all other business that | have
had to do with since camo here. When
| first camo here there was much con-
plaint in that direction; tho county was
largely in debt by reason of tho change
OF system i'll working the roads. Many
of the roads were neglected, while othcrs
appeared to got more than their share of
work. There WAS a change mado that
was thought at that timo to bo for the
best. That was found unsatisfactory,
Tor various reasons, known to all. Thcn
last year thought, from what | could
learn, that the great majority Of the pco-
pic desired to go back to the old way of
woodworking, and had an act to that
elect passed. Now, Of course, OK
pcctcd this to displcasc some, but, from
what | knew and could gather from
others, thought this for tho best, and
still think SO. Now the question is not
whether tho present plan will please cor
tain individuals, but whothcr it is tho
best plan to work all the roads and to
give the best results to the entire county.
The question is not to relieve "Ned
Todd' and others Of their road duty by
the paying of certain money, but whc-
thcr such men can do better by working
themselves or having it done in their
own neighborhoods than to send their
money to the county treasury to bc spent
in such parts Of the county as is deemed
best by the County Supervisor. In
other words which is better, to have one
man to say what is to 10 done about the
roads, or to havc all tho people to say,
and each man in his own ncighborhood ?
Now, instead of wishing to boss tho pco-
pie and tax them for somebody else to
boss, tried to let them boss themselves
and take the choice Of working or hir-
ing someone to work for them. Docs
'Ncd TOdd' think our Supervisor is
better qualified to look after the whole
county than he is to look after his own
ncighborhood or his own money and
time? 1t appears that he is the one that
wants one man to boss tho whole road
money and time of the county instead of
bossing himself or spending his own
money when he knows it ought to be
spent.
AS an instance Of how the other sys-
TEN worked one contractor last year bid
on road for so. lie spent only two
days on the road and all the work was
done by those who had not paid their
road tax. This contractor got his $40
for two days work and did not spcnd one
cent to work the road.
Now, does amy one wish such as this
|
many parts of the county. Many of
them arc in bad shape and some of them
impossible. ] have much harder time
in this road working than "Ncd Todd'
or any others who do not pay large taxes
voted last year to tax myself ono mill
for road purposes. | have to work now
just "# a! others or have it DONE and
!nr the good Of the roads would rather
do this than to have such Il plan and
such roads as we have had
Now my friend at Retreat should be
willing to join in for that which is for
| the good of all the people, for it is cvi-
dent in our county that it will take both
work and taxes to make good roads and
put mp the bridges. and surely all are
willing to do their Eart. Individually
either way would suit me, but have
done what thought for the best for all
the people and for all the roads, and
while | never mean to stand for the
legislature again, know OF nothing
that would sooner do than to be instru
mental III cnactin9 road law that would
be for the good Of all the roads and sat-
iSfaciory to the people. | confess that |
do not know what would be for the host
but put the thing rs near as could in
the hands of the people and if thcy are
not pleased and will mako it known
would be glad to try and please thrm
| thOIluh from what | lna ru 4 l . ,,.,.,.,.o,