The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-02-17
CIRCULATION 2,286.
"wednesday, February II. 1909.

Why the season Of unrest among
the people of Lexington county? This
is question that has been puzzllng
some of the oldest inhabitants OF this
county for the past several weeks.
In fact, it is question that is being
discussed by every tongue, both white
and black, from one end OF the county
to the other. Even some of those
who are backing the scheme to "cut"
the old county, we are told, give no
laudable reason; they do not know
why they want to go; they do not
know what benefits they are going to
reap, if any; they do not realize that
Lexington county is, financially
speaking, one of the best counties N
the State.
It i. true that we are behind some
of the other counties in good roads,
but it is not because we are not able
to have as good roads as other coun-
ties, but it is because our people have
been brought up in the paths OF econ
omy from the very beginning OF our
county at home as we'll as in public
affairs. Adhering to this principal,
the people have tried to keep down
taxes, and how well they have sue
ceeded the records show.
Our schools, we believe, compare
favorably with the. schools OF other
counties, and offer just as good op-
portunities for the training of the
young, who must, in time fill the
places of honor and trust that are now
being filed by older men.
The. Dispatch has ever stood for
better roads, and we will continue to
use our Efforts along the line of ad-
vancement and progress in this par
ticular, until Lexington can boast of
roads equal to- those of Aiken and
some few of tie other counties.
Our people hsye prospered, as
whole, and we should feel proud of
the condition which exists in our
county today. But now that efforts
are being made to take from us por-
tion of the Dutch Fork-a people who
have always stood by the other Sec
.tions of the county, and a people for
whom we have the highest regard,
personally and otherwise, we admit
AN all candor, that we are trumped.
,Iffthese people hope to gain anything
BY making the change, we fancy that
they will be- sadly disappointed. If
they hope to have better roads, bet
ter schools, better accommodations
and lower taxes we are of the opinion
that they will be disappointed again.
If the people want better advantages
there is only one way to secure them,
and that is by paying for them, and
certainly Lexington county is just as
able to pay for them as Richland.
We fail to conceive where the citi-
zens of the Fork, will gain anything
ty property values being increased in
Richland county, for they will be on
exactly the same spot, and the SOIL
will not be enriched any more. The
nroducts of the farm will not bring
any more because it is raised in Rich
aand. We seriously doubt if it will
bring as much, for Columbians have
become 80 accustomed to using the
nroducts of the Lexington farms that
thev are inclined to pay premium on
.tnff that is raised in Lexington. we
fail then to find single instance IN
which the people of the Fork can
hope to be benefited by the change;
and, verify, we find ourselves where
we began-why the feeling OF unrest
among the people of Lexington
AnnptvS