Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-04-19
MIR. CARY ON ROAD LAW.
He Sees Need Of u Change, But Pre-
fers Present Measure Voted Down,

Seneca, April 19.-Editor Keowee
Courier: AS the time for voting on
the county government bill, as pass
ed by the last General Assembly, is
very near-next Saturday, April 22d
i will thank you to publish this
communication in reference thereto.
Some people have gotten confused
and have the idea that this bill is
the same as introduced by Senator
Earle at the beginning of the session,
and the measure l said through your
columns that l expected to oppose,
while the two measures are different
in many respects.
l want to say that neither Of the
two was gotten up by me, Senator
Earle being the author of both, and,
while did not oppose the passage Of
the last measure through the House,
I %refrained from doing so reluctantly,
feeling that 1t was not what we
wanted and needed.
l was surprised at the article from
Mr.. Harris in your paper Of March
1st, In which he sought to escape re-
sponsibility for the passage of the
act, saying 1.-The other two members
had agreed OF the measure"
BY way Of refreshing Mr.. Harris's
memory, Will say that it was at his
request, about five days before the
close of the session, that I agreed to
go with him to Senator Earle's desk
with a view to seeing If We could not
agree on a county government bill.
Mr.. Harris boarded at the same
house with Senator Earle, and it GER
tainly seems reasonable to think that
he had gone owe the bill with our
Senator, and that it's provisions met
with his approval. K
Mr.. Harris and Senator Earle
voted together on many bills of a
similar nature in the respective
branches that they were members Of
from time to time, indicating to my
mind either a sameness Of opinion,
or agreement On their part. At the
meeting just before the bill was in
troduced Mr.. Harris did not raise a
single objection, as I remember.
thereby indicating his acceptance
without objection.
AS to the bill, I have several objec-
tons, which will enumerate In de-
tall, but l want to say that paris Of
the act are, in my judgment, good,
and l should be glad to see incorpo-
rated In a county government law.
My first objection to this measure
Is that only those having tax re-
ceipts and registration certificates can
vote, II as many Of our good citi-
zens have lost or misplaced these, or
moved AND have not qualified, a
large number, perhaps, can have no
voice in the matter.
Objection No. 2 Is that our two
County Commissioners made the race.
were elected, and expected to serve
two years without change, and l do
no think 1t fair to them to be
thrown out within a few months af-
ter being elected.
Objection No. 8 Is that in case any
township, one or more, does not vote
to change the plan of county govern,
ment, we will have the two mo- TO
serve possibly not more Than one
township as County Commissioners
II receive the same salary rs for
serving the whole county.
Objection No. 4 comes from the
fact that If this measure becomes a
law, the delegation to the General
Assembly has the right to remove
from office these township con mis-
sioners, and frankly this Is more
power than |, rs a member Of the
House, crave or would like to have
given. me.
In the minds Of others there may
be more Objectionable features, be-
sid" those mentioned above, and I
want to say that am willing to
stand my share Of responsibility for
this measure, and that Mr.. Harris or
myself could in all probability have
prevented its passage in the House
If we had made the effort; and I
want to confess that | think | made
a mistake in not trying to prevent its
passage.
In conclusion I trust no township
VIII elect more than one commission
er, if any change ia made, but hope
the whole measure will be voted
down.
| am as firmly convinced as ever
that we need a change to one man
to each township on a salary Of not
less than one hundred dollars per
year, the change to go in effect with
the year 1913, letting our people In
the primary OF 1912 say who they
want to serve them.
Yours truly. F.. M. Cary.