Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-01-11

| troduced, rs it has been or will be. |
| have seen proper to address a request
| to every member of our congressional
| delegation, requesting them to givc
dlligcnt attention to this important
measure. anG | Eave also addressed
| communications to tho Governors OF
! the several Southern States, whose Cit
iHens arc IN common Interested in the
fund, and requested them to tuko SINH
| lar action, and replies have been re-
ccivcd from several Of the Governors,
showing that they have acted upon
this suggestion, and tho Legislature of
Georgia has passed Il resolution re-
guessing its congressional delegation
actively to cooperate, and it is hoped
that at the present Congress by united
effort, this legislation, long delayed,
will be enacted. 1t is difficult to SEQ
| why in this era of good feeling, when
all tho acerbities of the war hnve gone
TO their meritcd oblivion, that the Con-
grcss Of tho United States should with
hold from its citizens the simple right
10 proceed before its own courts, and
demonstrate their interests in the
fund, for which the highest courts has
admitted that they occupy IL 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 uf-
fordcd to our citizens to perpctuato
this testimony rs far rs possible, and to
enable them to do so commissioner
should be appointed with power to ad-
minister 0aths who should take drposi-
tions Of witnesses who arc cognizant Of
facts relative to these claims, put them
in pcrmancnt shape, and register them
III Il suitable manner, so that this tcsti-
mony, now so valuable, may be available
whenever the Congress of tho United
States shall sec proper to permit these
Enttcrs to be litigatcd. Such Il commits
sionar should be appointed withou: cx-
pcDsc to the State, but his compensation
should he entirely Il matter OF agree
mcnt between him and the purtics who
may desire to avail themselves OF his
services in the pcrpctuatiOn Of the evil
dcnce relating to their several claims,
and II sum Of money, not exceeding 3I0u
might wisely be appropriated to defray
the expense Of printing needed blanks
and purchasing suitable books of
record.
ROADS.
There is no subject Of greater i'm
portnncc and that will a, t more peo-
pie than that Of good ro..us. No sub.
Jcct Will come before you to which you
could give careful consideration with
moro profit. The tendency has been
Tor the country population to move to
tho cities and towns in order to secure
the advantages Of church and school,
If this continues the country districts
will become dcpopulatcd and the popu-
lation will be Congested in the cities
and towns. The condition Of the public
roads in certain seasons Of the year
81 hut hn
| country people should be denied school,
church and social privileges. Unless
something is done to arrest this flow Of
population to the cities and towns the
condition OF the country districts will
become alarming and it is already re.
cciving the attention Of the thoughts
full. The country is the preservcr OF
| true manhood and the foster father of
| manly independence. Nothing will
| conducc more to It's development and
dcsirability as place Of residence than
the building OF good roads. The say
| ing af time, tho saving in tho wear and
tear Of stock and vehicles, and the add
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 aud 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 AMI proper
| use OF the means at our dispO: Il much
| moro might be accomplished than is
now done. In many OF the counties
| much Of the work on public roads is
| but shiftless pretcnce. Under our
system OF county chain gangs if the
force were kept at work on permanent
improvements and tho building OF
permanent roads instead OF cleaning
out bitches and throwing Il little dirt
| in the middle, which has to be done
| over after each rain, much more might
be accomplished. Some Of the counties
have rcaliZod the Importance OF this
permanent work and as Il result good
and permanent roads arc being built.
! submit for your consideration the i'm
portancc of requiring all county chain
gangs to be kept on permanent work
| and not be permitted to frittcr away
their time on work that will have to be
done over two or three times n year.
! am glad to report to yOu that the
nuthOpiticS OF Gle nsOn College have
realized. the fact that road improvc-
mcnt u One OF the greatest economical
problems Of tho day aud that they are
dcvoting money and time to the study
or the problem for the benefit Of the
farmers of the State. Experiments
arc being made under the direction of
an expert, who will also give the col
lcSc 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
lishcd in hullctin form. If in your
wisdom You can devise some plan by
which yOu can give to the nroUlr of
this state better roads you will confer
lasting blessing upon them.
WAR CLAIMS.
Durin the raising Of troops by the
State in 1898 for the war with Spain
considerable indebt cdncss was incurred
which h"" not yet been entirely nd justcd
Claims nave been put in against the
general government for these several
amount' out many OF them still remain
unpaid. | will submit to You Il special
message covering, as far AS | am able