The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1909-08-05
IN THE MATTER
OF RUTLEDGE COUNTY.
FACT, LOGIC and SENTIMENT WOVEN
INTO IRRESISTIBLE ARGUMENT A.
GAINSI The new COUNTY.
Editor County Record: :

/. great, noble soulinspiring struggle
for self-preservatioa has at last con-
descended to notice through your pa
per ''bits of argument, clippings and
comments on the Rutledge county
movement" These they tell us "are
provokingly amusing and at variance
with the spirit that animates the
movement" This reminds us of a
French lady who while in animated
discussion with her sister, exclaimed:
"But l meet with no one but myself
who is always in the right
We concede to Lake City's new
county promoters that their conten-
tion is not restrained by any consti-
tutional barrier. That they have the
right under the laws of our State to
further their natural interest, as
they are now doing; but, Mr. Editor,
we grant this CONCESSION with the
distinct understanding that it goes
only so far as they are justified by
the State law.
Under the State law We often see
public acts which say in effect:
'They should take who have power
and they should keep who can" In
their plans, "The net is spread in
plain and open view of all voters
with judgment enough to discern
what it is there for.'' We hold that
there Is higher law, that We should
be prompted by a higher purpose in
dealing with public questions than
merely meeting the requirements of
the laws of our State. 1t is now daily
drawn to every thinking mans at
tention who has a cultivated con-
science that in public matters people
are too prone to think that because
their conduct is not condemned by
the laws of our country, the laws of
the Infinite Power which rules the
destinies of the universe are not
transgressed.
This view of the matter is one of
the greatest calamities and heaviest
curses we now have to contend with.
The end of mans law is but the be-
ginning of Gods law and the basis of
Gods law is equity aud justice in a
esmuch higher degree than is contain
ed in any laws created by man.
Itis very evident to our mind that
Lake City's contention for the form
alton of a new county, having Lake
City as the county seat, is all wrong.
Wrong because it is not for the gen
eral good Of Williamsburg county.
Wrong because it is favoring the
few at the expense of the many.
Wrong because in its purpose it
snatches from the citizenship Of
lower Williamsburg their privilege
of the twentieth century. Wron 6
because it bhghts the hopes, appro-
pirates the prosperity, binds the
hands and shackles the feet of sue.
seeding generations. In its purpose
we can see only an act of disloyalty
to ones mother county by those
who feel their power and forget the
right.
That we may not seemingly ap-
pear too harsh in passing judgment
on our neighbors and friends, we
will say for their benefit that it is
natural for man to indulge in the il
nsion of hope, but in so doing they
should he very careful not to shut
their eyes against painful truth.
They should see to it that they are
not numbered among those who,
"having eyes see not and having ears
hear not
Lake City had a dream and she
awoke! She dreamed that sister
town had appropriated few square
miles of territory, without even
voicefrom the people, and was then
&aking ready to rejoice in great
6amp and glory as beautiful, pro-