The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-03-24
expect everything without cost.

expect everything WITHOUT cosC.
I introduced bill by request to raise
the coroner's salary $50. because most
all the salaries had been raised the ses-
| sion before but this one and it is not
sufficient to retain good man long,
that might some day be the high sher-
if of our county and he should have
| enough to command a proper respect
for the office. This was not passed.
Now, "Critic," single handed, pre-
sumes to know all when the facts show
| that he knows nothing. Why was the
two additional magistrates appointed:
Because of numerously signed petitions
by the citizens of those districts asking
| that these districts be put back as they
formerly had been. I did not act on
the single critical advice of single
Critic" but after the proper lnveSti-
CATION of the facts presented by proba-
| bly four-ffths of the best citizens Of
those districts, which as now arranged
cost but very little more than as it
formerly stood and our people are en-
titled to some just consideration and
conveniences, even though it cost
fraction more. Those districts were too
large and were not giving satisfaction,
hence the change and I hold the petit
tions properly signed to justify my ac
tions, the opinion of 'sCritic' to the
contrary Notwithstanding. He is woe
fully in the minority. Why is all this
unrest as to cutting up old Lexington
County? When made the inquiry
and investigated the matter the answer
to me was: we are dissatisfied as to our
free school conditions, our roads and
bridges, Our magisterial convenieDces,
etc. Then when I make an effort to
adjust the evils one lone "Critic" howls
against the will of vast majority, and
is plainly representing an imaginary
following and is bowling about taxa
ton, when personally, as is usually the
case, he pays but little. I am opposed
to cutting up our county and think the
original nd natural boundaries should
not be altered. The natural boundary
lines of the historic "Old Dutch Fork"
should never be cut. The defendants
Of the Dutch settlers of the Fork, if for
no other reason, should not disregard
the famous history Of her ancestry and
should throw no slur upon the pages Of
her glorious history, yet unwritten.
The traditional lines should ever stand
for Clutch Forks glorious future his
tory. Be content; you will have schools,
magistrates, roads and bridges, and
glorious future yet awaits you.
Now, as to my highway civil engin-
eering bill. This bill was introduced
by request of the State Highways or
Good Roads Convention and will here
say, that deem it q compliment to be
selected by the convention to introduce
the bill, and have no apologies to
| make for it, as am heartily in favor
the measure and when you fully study
and understand it, you will see the
great benefit of it and Critic" even
will be silenced in his sickly and chron-
ic whine. Now everybody knows, in
the first place, that one Of the issues in
last campaign was good roads, and ev:
erybody knows, that the county chain
gang, has never been profitable to Lex
ington county. Now why: Because Of
cost, misdirected and the Lack Of proper
scientific methods of work, and 30 long,
as we 60 on in our slipshod way
throwing a shovel Of dirt here and run
ming yonder and leaving this half un-
done and that temporarily fixed and
promised some more, Lord knows when
and all left to be washed Off the first
big rain-good roads, labor, time, cost
and all, where is the business judge
ment, or future benefit in such work?
None whatever, We need -~.re system
and scientific methods
Now, in the second place, let's see
what the cost Of highway engineer
will be to Lexington county, whose
duty it shall be, to come at any time
and properly lay off and give estimates
as to road grades, bridges, etc. This
based upon the taxable property of the
state will cost Lexington county about
SIS per a1num. Can we not save a