The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-03-31
t'Fair Play" Replies
to Anti-Annexationis

SA46S0ASOoOSeS
TO the Editor of The Dispatch:
I stated in the shor5 article to 1.-The
State" that 1 did not want to get into
a controversy, but it is human nature
for man to want to uphold his end
and to strike back when assailed.
did not say how, or by whom, the
roads around Lexington we're being
improved, as l had not sought the in
formation, but judged from "The
States" correspondent writing from
Lexington that the most Of it was be-
ing done by the county. I do know
from my personal observance that
when the road from Lexington lead
ing to Lorick's Ferry was clayed some
years ago it was done by the county.
Will Anti-Annexationist assert that
the county did not have the chair
gang at work on the roads. improved,
and that the most Of the work was
done by the chaingang at the expense
to the county. It is very good thing
to have will and mole convenient to
have way when that way is a way
of supervisor hunting votes or the
south side of the river with the chain
gang, as was heard all over the coun-
ty last summer in the campaign, and
did more to defeat the then present
supervisor than anything else on our
side of the river.
It does not matter, Mr.. Editor,
what the shape of the cog or the con-
dition of that caudal appendage, the
tail, who have been wagged by Lex
ington county until. nearly worn to
a frazzle, we do not see that our con-
dition can be made much worse by
having more dog to wag US. This we
do know that there will be some ad-
vantages coming from the larger
body thatwill have to support us than
from the small oues that has support
ed us in the past.
We will have just as much voice in
deciding political affairs in Richland
county as we have in Lexington, as
Lexington county has nearly four
thousand voters in the primary elec-
tions more I think than Richland
county. do not have the figures at
hand, but I do not think they po]lea
over four thousand votes in the last
primary. We will have the same
p-oportionate right in the distribu-
ton of revenues arising from an as
sessed property valuation in Rich
land county of --- million dol
lars as we haYe now from Lexington
with her---million of assessed val, a.
tion even if we have to pay q little
more tax because our assessed valua-
ton is raised the levy will be lower,
80 in the end the increased amount Of
.xes will not be enough to be felt by
any. Our largest tax at present, our
railroad tax, will not be increased,
for if the assessment is raised the
Levy will be lowered, as I understand
that we haYe to raise 80 much per
year for interest and 30 much to re-
lieve the bonds, a fixed amount.
Now, in regard to the indebtedness
of the two counties, we find Richland
with about two thousand dollars in
debtedness, as per supervisors sworn
statement of three weeks ago. Lex
ington county, with an eighteen thou
sand dollar contract on her hands
with ten thousand FIVE hundred or
less to pay it, and no provision made
for the difference. Unless there is
fr lud proven in the steel bridge con-
tract Lexington county or some one
will have to pay that contract, or pay
awyers % fight it, at least, and as
or grand jury passed over this mat
ter at it's last meeting, it seemed that
they thought the contract was all
right and it will have to be paid.
Mr.. Editor, sentiment is very nice
thing in its place, but in this matter
with us, as we see it, it is plain bus
mess proposition and as such We have
trie to discuss it and not veil the is
sues at stak9 as "AntiAnnez alton
istn has done when he got off, 1.-THE
Datch Fork of Lexington has an iIdi-