The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1909-07-29
lKFAVOR OF RUTLEDGE COUNTY.
Same Old Arguments RehaShed-ldke
City the Chief Consideration.
II County Record

ot.t. clippings and comments in
cur columns to which you have
been pleased to give prominent pub
licity with reference to the new
county of Rutledge. Some of these
have been provoking)y amusing; 9TH
ezs, perhaps,a little at variance with
the spirit that animates the move
ment. That this phase of the new
county question may be seen in it's
true light is the purpose of this
letter.
1t has been patent for some time
past to all thinking people of Will
llamsburg that the time was now at
hand when Williamsburg, like many
other counties of the State, had ar
rived at the place in her history
where natural conditions indicated
that she should be cut for the form
alton of new county; cut within
herself or from without.
Lake City, one of the leading
towns of the county and one of the
most progressive in eastern South
Carolina, does not propose to sit idly
by and allow her birthright to be
taken by another.
We have claims, we have merit and
we have things that belong to us by
right of Inheritance; and, Mr. Editor,
you will find that the citizenship Of
the new county of Rutledge are ask
ing only for square deal; only for
the rights that legally belong to
them,an guaranteed to them BY the
State of South Carolina.
When We first awoke to the fact
that We should have to protect our
own interest it was upon seeing the
, surveyors of new county project
passing along our town boundary
and dipping deep down into the very
best territory of old Williamsburg
THIS was the handwriting on the
wall. We awoke! This is sufic
lent cause for the whole movement.
y Yet the assertion has been made
that this whole movement was gotten
up by land speculators and persons
seeking selfish ends; but We know
these assertions to be false; false in
conception, in PRONUNCIATION and in
the object to be obtained.
That our movement is a clean,
worthy and iustifable one has been
amply proven by the unanimous
findings of the commission appointed
by the Governor, and the stamp of
approval by the Governor himself.
We have also observed from time
to time that you have held out
hope to the people of lower Will
. liamsburg regarding the formation
of a new county embracing lower
Williamsburg and upper Georgetown
counties, and put this forward as a
possible reason for voting against
Rutledge. That if Rutledge fails,
these friends will have an opportunl-
ty to try for new county, we ad-
mt, if the requirements could be
met; but unless taxable values could
be doubled how could they even in
dulge hope?
Granting that these requirements
could be met where would the court
house be located? Everything indi-
Gates now that Rosemary would Sc
cure the county seat; that is beyond
question. How would this suit peo-
pie eight and ten miles below Lake
City and Kingstree? Where would
! the slightest benefit come in for
,,em? The greater portion of lower
tledge has its natural outlet
;ough Lake City - one of the
pest markets in the State to
ly your needs, one of the best to
our tobacco, cotton and other
|..esos.
All to gain and nothing to lose,
II f. d..