The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-09-11


On the other hand the expense of ope-
rating the government of a small coun-
ty is not proportionately less than the
sum required to operate larger
county. The same number of county
officers are required, and the salaries
are usually but a fraction less than
those paid in large county The
same number of courts must be held
and the expense is, save for the less
mileage paid witnesses and the short
er term they are in session, just the
same as in large county, and the
saving on mileage and shorter term is
very nearly counterbalanced by the
loss of time that invariably attends
the opening of court. But without
going further into details it may be
accepted as fact that the expense OF
operating the government of two small
couny formed from one large county
is greater than the expense OF opera
ting the government of the old county
before the division This increased
cost of government may be compen-
sated by the enhancement in values
in and around the county seat, but
this enhancement in values is not
often sufficient to ease the burden of
increased taxation that falls with
equal pressure upon the property own
ers, whether he is land owner in or
near the county seat and recipient
of the benefits derived from the crea-
ton of the county seat or resident
in the remotest part of the county.
These are merely general principles
that apply with varying degrees exact
ness to small counties according to
the conditions existing in various
counties. How they will apply in
actual experience to Lee county is
merely matter of arithmetic, and
those interested can make the calcula-
ton for themselves. The estimated
valuation Of the taxable property in
cluded in the proposed new county is
81, 759, 6O5, and, if it is possible to ar
rive at an approximate estimate of the
amount that will be required to pay
the salaries Of county officers, court ex-
penses, maintenance of roads, bridges
and public buildings, record books,
stationery, and supplies for the county
officers, printing, advertising, and
other incidental expenses, it will be
easy to determine the rate of taxation.
This is the gist of the whole matter
as we see it: If the people Of the ter
ritory included in the proposed new
county are convinced that it is to
their interest to form the new county
it is their right and privilege to 60 to
the polls and vote for the new county
and no one can gainsay them. If they
shall so decide, it is for them to assume
the responsibility for the future. If
they shall find that their brightest
anticipations are realized their judg-
ment will be vindicated, if experience
convinces them that they made mis-
take and the burden of taxation be-
comes onerous they will have to grin
and bear it for it is next to impossible
to disestablish a county once it is es-
tab1ished.
We are free to admit that we believe
that the establishment of Lee county
will be to some extent detrimental to
the business interests of the city Of
Sumter, but We do not take so gloomy
a view Of the outlook as do some Of
our friends, merchants, lawyers, cot
ton buyers, bankers and others in
various lines of industry, for we have
a better opinion Of Sumter than to
imagine for single minute that the
future of this place is dependent
upon the drawing Of an imaginary line
across the county and the establish
ment Of Court House in Bishopville.
All the farms will remain where they
are now and the farmers will keep on
farming whether they become citizens
of new county to be known as the
county of Lee, or remain citizens of
Sumter county, and even though they
should attend court in Bishopville
when required to do so, they will trade
in Sumter just as long as it is to their
interest to do so. And we believe
that with the advantages that Sumter
possesses it will be a matter of no
serious difficulty for her business men
to make it to the interest of Lee coun-
ty people to trade in Sumter in future
as they have in the past, just as they
now attract the trade of so great a
number of Clarendon county people.
We would greatly dislike to see the
symmetry of Sumter county so griev-
ouSIv rnuti1ated as the Lee cOuDty sur