The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-23
TWICE A WEEK, $3.50 YEAR

their valor and their patriotism.
Let South Carolina, their own State,
see to it always, that tenderly and
with truest affection, these gray
knights of the Southern Confederacy
are given some return, at least, for
the service they gave to their State.
1t has been said that there are
three things which make a State
great--"fertile lands, busy work
shops aud easy lines of transporta-
tlon." The Almighty has blessed us
IN South Carolina with a fertile soil.
We have been giving ourselves each
year, rs | have already shown, busy
| workshops, and it now remaips for
ns to pay more attention TO those
lines of transportation which are as
| indispensable to the comfort and con-
venlence of every class Of our people
as they are to our industrial and
commercial life.
Good Road Conventions at various
times have recently been held in our
State, and there seem to have been
an awakening of interest among our
people opon this subject, as is eviden-
cod by the fact that some of onr
counties are actively at work i'm
proving the condition of their high
ways, feel sure that our General
Assembly will give to this subject all
the attention it deserves, and will,
through wise Legislation, enable our
different counties to provide practi-
cal solution Of this problem 80 vital
to their welfare.
Another question before our peo-
pie although it is often lost sight Of
is, the drainage Of our swamp and
low lands. This is an important
question not only to one section Of
our State but to every section. In
l0OO, an amendment to the Consti-
tuition WAS submitted to the people
Of tho State, by whom it was adopted,
making it mandatory upon the Gen
eral Assembly to provide by law for
the condemnation, through official
channels, Of all lands necessary for
the proper drainage of onr swamp
and low lands, and also for the equit-
able assessment Of all lands 80
drained for the purpose of paying
for such condemnation and drainage.
Nothing has yot been done, and, in
my Judgment, this amendment should
not be overlooked. Appropriations
amounting to several millions Of dol
lars have been made by the, National
Government for reclaiming by irri-
CATION arid lands of the West. If
1t will pay to expend millions for the
irrigation Of deserts in the West,
surely it il we'll worth the attention
Of our low-makers, without perman-
ent expense to the State, to take
steps to drain lands IA fertile az can
be found anywhere, and which, in
their present condition are not only
Valueless, but are standing menace
to the health Of South Carolina. Ad.
ditionnl Importance attaches to this
subject, when we remember these
now useless lands comprise fully one
fifth Of the area of our State.
While considering subjects of gen-
eral welfare to our State, it would be
we'll for Us to give attention to the
| importation and sale Of adulterated
and impure food products O her
progressive States give the greatest
attention to this important question,
which we cannot afford to let PASS
without duo consideration. It is
we'll to see that when our people pay
their money for pure food that they
should have this, and not such adul-
toratlons as are deleterious 10 their
| health.
The question of Biennial Sessions
has been much discussed for the past
few years, and, although they have
been favored by majority of the
General Assembly, ns yet two thirds
OF the members have not consented.
and hence Il constitutional amend-
ment providing for them has not
been submitted to the people. In
my Judgment, were such an amend
ment submitted, it would be adopted,
which | cannot but believe would be
to the interest Of the State. Very
few Of the States of the Union now