The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1902-10-22
Wednesday, October %, 1902.

SpaC6 WAt pSIale uS ~ Safo VIZ % 0-SNo
of IS. G. B." that attention that we
would like to do.
We submit, as q matter OF fact, shat
in no essential particular has he sue
cessfully contrsdicted any statement
of facts made by as as reference to
his article will clearly show to any
fair and anpreiudiced mind.
We still insist that the assessment
Of Richland is higher than that ct
Lexington, as reference to the Comp
troller Generate report will demon
strate.
What are the Clerks of Courts,
Auditors and j. dges of Probate for
but to record instruments of writing
Of legal business transactions in the
county in which they originateds If
this were not so and these instru-
ments of writing were only to be re
corded in case of litigation, why
then the necessity Of these officers in
each county, Why not make State
officers of them and then in case of
litigation the lawyer from Spartan
burg or some other near or distant
county could 60 to Columbia and OBJ
tain from them the information
desired.
When We wrote concerning the tax
levy Of Richland, and the prominent
minister" there was not an element
of doubt in our mind regarding the
statements made and under similar
circumstances We would make the
same statements. Only after the
commencement of this controversy
did we find that in, the first instance
We were mislead by the statements.
of The advocates Of spnexatioD, and
in the second there was reasonable
doubt, the benefit of which was
eheerfully given to rs. G. B
In reference to Richland's debt we
still insis tthat that county is in debt.
III this were not SO, why did the
Official write that he twill pay every
dollar that che [Richland owes with
this year,sreyenues ? Remember sthis
years revenues enly commenced COM
ing in on October 18th, and that she
had to borrow money, or in other
worde. had to anticipate the fall col
lection By borrowing to pay current
expenses. Again, the Comptroller
Generals report informs US that
Richland county is indebted to the
estate Of the late Treasurer in the
sum of S7,O65 03 for over paid county
taxes, the correctness of the account
is certified to by Mr. Owings as
Supervisor of that county and the
Foreman of the Grand Jury. Yes,
Lexington has borrowed money in
times past but this year she is in q
position 10 use taxes collected in
1892 to pay the current expenses of
the county government and those of
her schools for 1903. Have you any
assurance what Richlsnd will borrow
to meet the expenses of the next fe-
cal year?
Some of the people Of the Fork
have not yet begun to count the cost
of the change. Why, even in the
matter of the expense in attending
court and other business has not been
considered. As they are now situated
they come to Lexington as jurors and
witnesses, many of whom have
friends and relatives here or near by,
by whom they are Hospitality enter
tanned, whereas should they 60 to
Richland they will be at big ex-
pense boarding while there.
We admit that Mr.. Owings was
elected over three competitors but
we submit that it was done mainly
by the vote of the city of Columbia,
which controls the vote Of that
county. If Mr.. Owens political sue
cess shows anything it shows that a