The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1910-06-15
Should Brookland
60 70 Riehland?

To the Editor CT The Dispatch:
Now that the lines are drawn and
the petitions have been presented to
the Governor asking him to order an
| election to annex part Of Lexington
county to Richland, I have prepared
this article, in my humble way, to
show only few reasons why Brook
land, above all, should vote against
the project.
understand that the prime object
for some Of the people Of Brookland
wanting to go to Richland-and in
deed this seems to be the only object
is to get a free bridge across the
Congaree. Now want some one to
explain to me how we are to get the
| free bridge if we 60 to Richland?
Will the capitalists who own the bridge
make free gift of the bridge to the
county? Have you any assurance
that the county Of Richland will buy
the bridge for your especial use? Do
| You know that all this talk about
Richland buying the bridge and max
ing it free is "popy cock,' gotten up
by the petition bearers to get signers?
II you don't know this, do; for the
men who are now in power in Rich
land, may be out Of Office when annex
alton would take place; and If they
have made any promises, that fact in
| itself shows that they were not made
! in good faith. Granting that Rich
land could promise, have you any as-
surance that she will keep her pledge?
Does not the trapper always put bait
in his trap? This annexation project
is scheme on Richland's part r) give
her more power in the future to op-
press the poor white man. I hope to
have more to say in later article on
the subject OF Richland's depressing
the poor white man.
Letting the free bridge rest for the
present, let US analize this annexation
scheme and see what it will do for
BrooklaEd. Brooklani now has self
government and her vote is quiet
factor in the elections Of Lexington
county; but once she goes to Richland
she will be annexed to Columbia, and
self-government, independence and
influence will be as completely lost to
herself as the Ten Tribes of Israel are
lost to history. Her merchants. artl-
sans and professional men will then
be compelled t. pay heavy city Ii
cense in order to carry Oh their hum
BILE business. Her citizens will have
to pay a heavy street tax to keep up
and improve streets on the other side
of the Congaree. All salable lands
will be gobbled up by Columbia's cap
italists, and be held at extortionate
prices, 80 that it will be practically
impossible for poor man ever again
to buy home. House rent will be
doubled on the poor man, who now
rents his home, once that home is in a
city, without any increase in his Wag-
es. Last, but by no means least,
Breokland will have the glorious priv
ilege of helping to retire those one,
two or three hundred thousand dollar
bonds, now hanging over Columbia,
without getting one cent in return.
Just as sure as a part of Lexington
goes to Richland, just that sure Brook
land goes to Columbia, whether she
wants to or not. If any one doubts
this let him say 40 and [ will tell him
how it can be done.
Now, people Of Brook'and, if you
want to help pay Columbaa's new wa
terworks debt; if you want to help
pay the debt for the paving of Colum-
bias streets; if you want to help pay
the debt for Co5umbia's sewerage; if,
in short, you want to nelp pay the
debts Columbia has made for the last
hundred years, and help to pay those
in tie future she will make for her.
self (not for yeu), and get nothing in
return but increased cost of living,
then by all means vote to 20 to Rich
land. You may want me to explain
why increased cost of living. I mean
| increased expenses, increased licenses,
taxes, rents-that everlasting flow OF
money across the river to help beau
tify Main and few other streets on
the other side, while you will be left
as you are, with not even the small
means you now have for keeping up
your town.
Some may say that Columbia will
take care of US if we are tackled on to
her. Does dog take care of the tin
can tied to his tail? Does the cat take
care of the mouse che holds in her
claws? Did the spider take care Of
l.