The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1907-08-21

IOtal. ~ HILLS.
Average. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 3T
A difference of little over d mill
in favor of Orangeburg and Lexing-
ton. A part of Lees levy is to pay
interest on Kershaw railroad bonds
for which she was in no way to blame.
In spite of Lees high levy let us
grant, for the sake of argument, that
Calhoun levy will be 31s mills. Lex
ington's levy is 81 and where is the
man, in view of the increased advan-
tages in other ways, that would balk
on the difference? Let the public,
however, be not deceived. The Dis
patch admits that an extra levy is a
dire necessity to help the. miserable
roads of the county. Besides this,
you are moving Heaven and earth to
kill the dispensary which will entail
additional taxation. For these rea-
sons you know, whether you confess
it or not, that nobody from Lexing-
ton will be hurt who lives within the,
lines. &aI&&
The average tax, levy for county.
purposes of all the counties in the
State is 1878 mills. The average
tax levy for same purposeo Of the new.
counties Of Bamberg, Cherokee, Dor.
chester, Florence, Greenwood and;
Lee is 12 mills. = IfS this does not
knock all the props from under.
you against new county I would like.
to know the reason why.
But, you harp long and loud, upon.
the double expense of running two
governments and sets of officers where.
there was one before. This question
puzzles interested newspapers, old
county officials and those set of fassi-
lized notions and methods, but is sim
pie to modern, progressive observers.
One thing is legitimate competitor,
making two blades of grass grow
where one grew before. Two doctors
thrive where one starved; two mer-
chants succeed where one failed.
Same with banks, newspapers and
counties. In smaller counties dis
tances and time are saved which
mean money.
Let US analyze your argument:
Bamberg has levy of mills; Barn.
well from which Bamberg was carved,
exclusively, has levy of 31s mills.
If your contention is correct the levy
of each would be 6a mills. Green
wood and Abbeville in same ratio.
As matter of fact these counties are
among the lowest in the State with
as good officials, admittedly, as Or
angeburg and Lexington have. A
man who is satisfied with present
conditions; who is opposed to a judi
cious and reasonable remodeling of
old, large and inconyenient counties
is an enemy of progress and advance
ment and that is all there is to it.
You are still disturbed about Cal
houn's court house and jail and dis
posed to sling slurs at the citizens of
this town guaranteeing $4,000 for
building same. I will pay your ex-
penses, both ways, to ST. Matthews
and entertain you while here for an
investigation. If you find anything
'sfshy" you are welcome to expose it
in your columns.
You know that you are indulgins in
the veriest rot about a $4,000 court
house and jail for a small county.
challenge you to an investigation of
those at Bamberg and Dorchester and
leave it to the judges as to their quail
ity and efficiency. The smallest
"dig'' that you tried to make in our
ribs was when you wrote as follows:
"You had better tell the people that
it will require 10 to Is mill tax levy
on their property for the additional