The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-11-21
THE STRAW MAN DlsSECTED.


of a part of Cougaree township IN
this county to Richland, submits the
following grounds as reasons why
the people Of that township should
be anxious for annexation: "R'chiand
hae no county debi; ite taxes are
LIGHTER than those Of Lexington; it has
better schools, roads and bridges, and
moreover il is far more convenient to
the folks across the river than Lex
ington G. Fl is or can ever be; Brook,
land is practically part Of Columbia
and that a free bridge across the
river will not be long delayed by rea-
son of annexation.
If our neighbor will pardon the
paraphrase, We would respectfully
submit that having erected its man
of staw it as usual proceeds to turn
the crank and griuds ont 'ideas" Pc
culiar alone to the State, often regard
less of either logic or reason. An
example of which is shown in its ad-
yocacy of the consolidation OF the
counties of Lexington and Richland.
Take the evidence submitted by 1t
in support of its advocacy OF the
dismemberment OF Congaree township
in this county.
The FIRST reason assigned as an in
ducement is that Ricbland has no
county debt, and its taxes are lighter
than those of Lexington. Richiand
is indeed fortunate in having no coun-
ty debt and is to be congratulated.
Would that the same thing could be
said of Columbia township, to which
Congaree township would be an,
nexed should the scheme be success
full. But, however, neither has Lex
ington a county debt in the meaning
of the State newspaper. She has
not a dollar of bonded indebtedness
and ss far as we now remember never
has had. It is true that Lexington
like Richlaud and the other counties
of the State got behind fiscal year
BY reason of the Hampton Chamber
lain dual government, and while
some counties have caught up By an
extra levy others have not. Lexlng-
ton is among the latter, but she has
up with her school levy and has 8
county sinking fund which will enable
her to pay as she goes without draw
ing upon the revenues OF one year to
pay the expenses of the previous, and
this, too. with g greatly reduced tax
levy. Taking all the circumstances
into consideration the inducements
are largely in faver of the people in
the territory proposed to be cut re-
naming in Lexington rather than to
go into Columbis township, Columbia
city or Richland county for that mat
ter.
As for the States second reason,
that taxes are lighter in Riehland
than they are in Lexington, we main
tain that our neighbor is badly mis-
taken. The tax levy of 1899, accord.
ing to the Comptroller Generals last
report, for Richland was> mills
while that Of asiaess,6 was T.
I slas8 2 difference of t of mill
apparently in favor of Richland
But let us consider, first, that 8
half mill is included in Lexington's
levy which is only temporary and
which 10 all probability will be
stricken out in the next estimate
This places the levy Of Lexington 8
fourth of mill lower than that oi
Richland. But this is not all, fol
while the tax levy is favorable tc
Lexington the assessment OF proper ty
is more SO. The average value oi
land in Congaree township is only
50 II per acre. as the Auditors books
will show, while the lands in Colu,n
bia township, just across the river, al
most of the same quality, and SC
on, is, we believe, over doubled. Agair
while the taxpayers in CoDgaree
were paying only III mills, with s
low assessment Of property, those oi
Columbia township (ipcluding The
school district of Columbia), with 6
high assessment, paid in taxes Ia
mills. This amount would be The
levy of Congaree should it annex it.
self to Richland and that withou!
any increase in the market value Of
their property. This alone is suffi
cient to induce them TO oppose the
absurd proposition and remain il
Lexington county.
As to Ric5land having bette,
schools, roads and bridges than Lex
ington is not correct with the posi-,
BILE exception of the city of Colum-
bia. But we can concede this as