Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-02

dress Of welcome, which was responded
to by Carrier Robert ]. Robinson of
NJ. B. Jennings, Esq, of Yorkville,
by special invitation delivered an inter-
esting address on the road question.
and after quite an earnest discussion
of the whole subject Carrier John w.
Miller, of Yorkville. proposed the fol-
lowing address:
Fellow Citizens of York County:
"Of you. for you, serving you daily,
and under endless obligations to you
for the countless kindnesses and other
evidences Of appreciation that you
have shown us at every opportunity,
riers' association of York county, beg
your sympathetic consideration Of
this appeal in behalf of better roads.
I'VE do not feel that it Is worth
while to enter into an argument as to
the benefits to be derived from better
roads. It would be a waste Of words
to eXpatiate on the comfort and con-
Venience to be secured through road
Improvement. There is no need to
tell you of the great saving Of live and
rolling stock, and it would be equally
useless to attempt to estimate the ex-
tent to which real estate values would
be enhanced. You appreciate all Of
these things as well as we do, and 1t
gives you as much pleasure as 1t does
us, no doubt, to dream of the bless
ings that macadamized roads would
bring to every citizen of our beloved
county.
"All Of us have been talking better
roads for years and years: but besides
talk we have done next to nothing.
You know why, and we know why. A
frank confession Of the plain truth
will compel us to admit that we have
been knowingly and wilfully trying
to deceive ourselves. AS men Of the
high intelligence that all Of us claim,
we know that we cannot improve
roads without expense. We know also
that other people are not going to
bear this expense for us. There never
has been a time when we did not un-
derstand that we ourselves must do
the work If 1t is done at all, and we
know also that the only way to do 1t
Is by taxation.
Heretofore our representatives in
the legislature have refrained from
providing a practical road law, ade-
quate to the end desired. The real
reason for their reluctance we are not
warranted i'm assuming; but we can
suggest an explanation that is not al
together unreasonable. There Is an
old story that seems to illustrate the
point A negro preacher. very devout
so far as mouth service went, kneeled
behind a stone wall, and in the midst
of a loud and fervent prayer said, 20,
Lord: If I do not love thee better
than all the earth, beg thee to throw
hVnn-
critical life" Just about that time a
sacriligious negro who happened to
be on the other side Of the fence
pushed down two or three large
stones. The preacher jumped out of
the way and ran for his life, shouting
"Lordy, Lordy, can't you tell when
man is only joking"
"But now, fellow citizens we have
a law. DR.. ]. Fl. Saye has taken us at
our word and provided means where
by the roads can be improved. Shall
we stand to the issue and do our duty
as becomes the great people we aspire
to be, or shall we stampede in igno-
minious flight and protest that we are
only joking?
Fellow citizens, the roads are good
now. They are always good in the
summer when there is less business
last winter and they will be fearful
again next winter. They will continue
to be fearful until we go at them like
grown men and fix them as they
should be.
"Of course the Saye law may not be
perfect. 1t would be far wide Of the
mark to say that there ever was a
perfect man made law. But this Saye
law Is the only road law that we have
ever had that was worthy OF the
name.
"And now what we want to ask of
you fellow citizens, patrons Of the ru-
raj routes, is to stand by this law and
see that it gets fair trial. or those
who offer as candidates for the office
Of supervisor and for the office OF
county commissioner, we beg you to
support the men who seem best quail
flied to enforce this law in letter and
spirit. It all depends upon you, fell
low citizens, and by your faithful at
tention to this matter, you will confer
a great boon upon your humble SER
wants, the rural carriers and inesti-
mable blessings upon yourselves and
your posterity."
The proposed address met with gen.
eral approval except that some Of the
carriers feared that it might be con-
strued as an attempt to interfere in To-
cal politics, and upon motion a resolu-
ton was adopted disclaiming any such
intention. 1t was resolved also that
the address be printed at the expense
Of the association for free distribution
among the people Of the county.
Officers for the ensuing year were
elected as follows: D. c. Clark, pres
ident; John NJ Smith, vice president;
B. R. Il. Bowen. secretary and treas
urer: E. w. Conner and w. H. Pursley
delegates to the annual meeting Of the
state association in Aiken on July 3
and 4, and John W. Miller and w. T.
Sims. alternates.
Before adjournment 1t was agreed
that the next meeting Of the associa-
ton will be held in Yorkville on the
First Monday in September, Labor
Day.
The delegates to the convention were
very much pleased with the warm hos
pitality Of the Glover people. All Wis
itors were assigned to homes and when
they got together again in the after
noon each declared to the others that
he had enjoyed as fine a dinner as he