The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-01-06
Public Meeting.

The mass meeting held in the court
house last Saturday was disappointing
in. that the attendance was not at all as
it should have been, we cannot say that
it was even 3 representative gathering.
The people who should have been inter-
ested in county matters are either ln-
different or their time is so taken MP
with their individual affairs they have
no tire to consider the public. There
was not over fifty persons present and
but few OF these pay any considerable
amount of taxes.
After the meeting was called to Or
der a statement of the County's finances
was read, this proved a Gisagreeable
surprise as it was hoped the showing
would be made that the county was on
a cash basis and out of debt, but the
figures showed a statement OF S29. 06
with receipts amounting to only S20,-
SS9.25, making s7,953.Sl less received
for 1908 than debts incurred. Not at all
an encouraging outlook: according TO
the figures presented.
DR.. C. B. Geiger, one of the county
commissioners explained the workings
of the board. that they divided the coun-
rv into districts for each OF the commits.
sioners to look after, thai he had sacrl-
feed much of his time to looking after
the roads and bridges IN his territory,
and all accounts approved for work IN
his assignment were correct OF his per-
sonal knowledge and he would not agree
to approve accounts presented from the
other assignments until the comu1ls-
sioner gave it his personal endorsement.
He had done all he could to keep down
expense and what was done was abso-
lutely necessary, he was not an appll-
cant nor could he be induced to serve
another term, the work and the respon-
sibilitv was too great for the compenSa-
tion and he only consented to serve the
one term because he regarded it a duty
to accept after being appointed. He was
interested in the county as citizen and
a taxpayer.
Supervisor McFaddin explained sew
eral items in the statement furnished
for the meeting, and stated that the eX-
penses for 1908 had been eXtraordinarl-
ly large: the purchase OF several mules,
road machinery, tents, moving OF court
house and other things which will not
come again soon. He reminded the
meeting that all material was high, pro-
visions high, and when the citizens did
piece of work for the county they de-
manded full pay-it often happens that
work has to be done, and that right
away, in such g case he is required to
pay more than the work is worth, ad-
vantage is taken OF the conditions. He
has tried hard TO keep down expenses,
but when the people are demanding new
roads and better roads it costs money.
He makes it g rule whenever practic-
able to inspect work before it is approx
ed but he cannot 6e everywhere at the
same time and must depend upon the
honesty Of road overseers. He said, it
is impossible to get the people out to
work on the roads and the Communication
tax is not sufficient in some townships
while there is Communication money in
the treasury for other townships
Commissioner Broadway said he had
been commissioner several terms, had
always done his duty, looked after the
! county:s interest as well as his own and
in his assignment of territory he had
good roads as economically worked as
he could get them. There is great dis.
position to make the county pay, and
pav good, but it is so with all public
work. He was satisfied that claims are
paid which are excessive and the COM
missioners must pay them because they
cannot help themselves: it sometimes
happens that among the greatest how
lers about extravaganza are those VINO
have made eNorbitant charges against
the county for their work. He said that
in his long career as commissioner he
had done only one thing for which he
was ashamed. and that was consentlns
to the purchasing OF the road engine,
aside from that mistake he challenged
any man to do better.
Mr.. J. E. Kelly was present but was
not feeling well, he virtually charged
the board with negligence, that the
financial showing made showed the
county to be badly and eXtravagantly
managed. He then piled the commits
sioners with questions: which they
answered but not satisfactory to him.
He was asked by DR.. Geiger if IL was
not fact that he refused to serve as an
overseer because the pay was lnsuth-
cient? TO which he replied, yes. MIR
Kelly complained a great deal and
much of his criticism is well founded
but when called upon by the chair tc
offer some remedy none was forth-com'
ing, and instead OF Offering remedy K
correct the alleged ills he switched
round to remind the chairman that be
did not carry out the instructions OF {
mass meeting to repeal the lien law
Mr.. Kelly and the chairman got into {
wordy mix-up. but all the same condi
tions in the county are not what they
t,o II l. Nh. L oll |,