The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-01-10

| troduced, as it has been or will be.
have seen proper to address q request
| TO every member OF our congressional
delegation, requesting them to give
diligent attention to this important
measure. and | Rave also addressed
| communications to the Governors OF
tie several southern States. whose cit
liens are in common interested in the
fund, and requested them to take SINH
lar action. and replies have been re-
ccivcd from several Of the Governors.
showing that they have acted upon
this suggestion, and the Legislature OF
Georgia has passed resolution re-
questing its congressional delegation
actively TO cooperate, and 1t Is nopec
that at the present Congress by united
effort, this legislation, long delayed,
will be enacted 1t is difficult to see
why in this era of good feeling, when
all the acerbities OF the war have gone
TO their merited oblivion, that the Con-
gress Of the United States should with
mold from its citizens the simple right
to proceed before its own courts, and
demonstrate their interests in the
fund, for which the highest courts has
admitted that they occupy tiduciary
position.
In this connection it is proper to state
that much of the evidence upon which
these claims exist is rapidly passing
away. and some means should be al
forded to our citizens 10 perpetuate
this testimony as far as possible, and to
enable them to do so a commissioner
should be appointed with power to ad-
minister oaths who should take deposi-
tionS of witnesses who are cognlZant OF
facts relative to these claims, put them
in permanent shape, and register them
in a suitable manner, SO that this teStl-
mony, now so valuable, may be available
whenever the Congress of the United
States shall see proper to permit these
matters to be litigated. Such a commits
sioner should be appointed without ex-
pense to the State, but his compensation
should be entirely a matter OF agree
ment between him and the parties who
may desire to avail themselves OF his
services in the perpetuation Of the evil
dence relating to their several claims,
and sum OF money, not exceeding SiOO
might wisely be appropriated TO defray
the eXpens- of printing needed blanks
and purchasing suitable books OF
J record.
ROADS.
There is no subject of greater i'm
portance aud that will affect more peo-
pie than that Of good roads. No sub
ject will come before you to which you
could give careful consideration with
more profit. The tendency has been
for the country population TO move 10
the cities and towns in order to secure
the advantages of church and school.
II this continues the country districts
will become depopulated and the popu-
lation will be congested in the cities
and towns. The condition of the public
roads in certain seasons of the year
makes it almost necessary that the
country people should be denied school,
church and social privileges. Unless
something is done TO arrest this How OF
| population to the cities and towns the
condition OF the country districts will
| become alarming and it is already re-
ceiving the attention of the thought
full. The country is the preserver OF
true manhood AID the foster father OF
manly independence. Nothing will
conduce more to its development aud
desirability as place OF residence than
the building of good roads. The saw
ing af time. the saving in the wear and
tear of stock and vehicles, and the ad-
dition to the loads that could be hauled
with more ease, would compensate for
much outlay in road improvement, not
to speak of the convenience and COM
fort to the people who travel on the
roads in marketing their products and
attending church and school. Our con-
ditlons are such that it would scarcely
be wise to levy an additional tax for
this purpose. But by wise and proper
use Of the means at our disposal much
more might be accomplished than is
now done. In many Of the counties
much of the work on public roads is
but shiftless pretence. Under our
system Of county chain gangs II the
force were kept at work on permanent
improvements and the building of
permanent roads instead of cleaning
out bitches and throwing little dirt
in the middle. which has to be done
over after each rain, much more might
be accomplished. Some of the counties
have realizod the importance OF this
permanent work and as a result good
and permanent roads are being built.
| submit for your consideration the i'm
portance of requiring all county chain
gangs to be kept on permanent work
and not be permitted to fritter away
their time on work that will have to be
done over two or three times year.
am glad to report to you that tae
authorities of Clemson College have
realized the fact that road improve
ment is one Of the greatest economical
problems OF the day and that they are
dcvoting money and time to the study
of the problem for the benefit OF the
farmers of the State. Experiments
are being made under the direction of
an expert, who will also give the col
lege classes series Of lectures on road
making. Experiments have also been
made at Clemson on the use OF broad
tires and the results have been pub
ished in bulletin form. If in your
wisdom you can devise some plan bv
which you can give to the people o.
this State better roads you will confer
a lasting blessing upon them.
WAR CLAIMS.
During the raising of troops by the
State in 1898 for the war with Spain
- ll. i Il