The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-24

preclatlon in public resolutions which
desire to take this occasion Tn
thank you for. I also succeeded in
getting fifty thousand dollars for the
thriving city Of Orangeburg. These
appropriations will give you magnifi-
cent federal buildings, buildings in
keeping with the progressive spirit
OF the people. have not neglected
70 care for the improvement of the
rivers that run through nv DISTRICT
ana as you. know, succeeded in get
'ihg large appropriation for the
Congaree river at the last session of
congress.
The federal government is spending
sixty million dollars annually in irri.
cation work in the west and it is a
strange coincidence that the irrigable
lands of the west are just about equal
to the lands Of the South susceptible
to drainage. There are something
like eighty million acres of land as
rich as the lands Of the Nile, capable
of the production of every crop that
grows under the sun, in the South,
which are now of no value because
OF the lack Of drainage. The COM
mittee on agriculture is dealing with
this problem and each year we are
Increasing the appropriations for the
employment Of experts to teach our
people the best methods Ito be used
In drainage oprations. You will re-
call that have had during the last
few months a party of surveyors
south OF Columbia, doing some DEM
onstration work. These have finish
ed and trust soon to be able to give
report Of their work to the people.
Work Of this character is also being
done In Charleston and Georgetown
with most beneficial results. I think
that it is not too much for me to say
that l have been somewhat instru-
mental in these undertakings. But
for the work to be an entire and COM
plete success other legislation is
needed. This work of bringing into
subjugation Of these valuable lands,
now useless, will take a great deal of
time and patience before the federal
government can be induced to 60 into
this business. but as population in
creases the demand for land grows
and the chances Of success of federal
aid will become brighter.
have cordially supported the
work Of the bureau Of good roads.
The appropriations for this work are
small when account is taken of the
tremendous Importance Of good roads
to our people. 1t is a matter of su-
preme importance to this nation that
balance be maintained between ru-
raj and urban population. No greater
danger threatens Us than that our
population should drift into our cities
leaving our fields to grow up and lie
waste. The drift Of population is TO-
wards the cities. The cause is not
hard to find. 1t is due to the monot-
ony and inconvenience Of farm lie.
We have to some extent remedied
this through q system of rural de.
livery and II we will supplement this
with a splendid system OF good roads
l suspect that the drift Of population
OF the nation will be from the cities
to the country. No one can measure
the benefits that a system of good
roads must have upon our country
and its future.
The hope Of the people and the
perpetuity of Republican institutions
depend largely upon the Willingness
Of the farmer to stay on the farms.
These. Mr.. Chairman, are the lines
upon which I have worked and upon
which I expect to continue to work IL
I am honored with reelection. re-
gard these as practical and OF vast
Importance. L have fought along
these lines, feeling that to do the
practical work of my district is Of
more importance to the people than
to make great tariff speeches.
would rather have the reputation Of
being of benefit to the great mass Of
the people of the State in a practical
way, sowing thought here and yon-
der, than to be able to send back to
you the greatest speech that had been
made upon the currency this session.
1 have tried to make myself familiar
with the work Of my own coomittee.
You appreciate the fact that all legis-
lation becomes the work OF the
committee when I tell you that over
twenty-six thousand bills were intro
duced at the present session Of con-
gress 1t would be a physical impos.