The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1911-12-27

To the Editor OF TIE Manning Times:
| bee space for co!nmertS OF our pub
lie road law, and the condition OF our
roads: called forth by your article IN
this weeks issue of The Times.
I believe that if our present road law
was honestly enforced. in It's require
menr for road duty, that we would need
no more legislation on road building,
and that our roads would be ID Tood
condition.
! therefore. do not believe that we
need a bond issue, and could. under or
Ginarv conditions oppose such 4 propo-
sition. We are getting 100 far away
from our individual responsibility in
these matters of public concern
Suppose We had the 100000 N the
county treasury today: without taking
time 10 state the reasons why. isn't 1t
fair 10 presume that this large sum
would be handled in the same way that
our annual pnblic road fund is handled.
and such contracts as might be entered
into for using this amount be enforced
in the same haphazard manner familiar
to all?
Haven't We come 10 folding our arms
against indivil:ual effort. and look more
and more 10 the public money and the
chaingang 70 keep up the roads
The bond issue would only intensity
the present tendency, and after few
wears our roads and bridges would be
IN the same Old condition, aud the coun-
" burdened with the debt.
An annual strict enforcing OF our pres
en5 law viii 60 us more permanent ana
ever recurring GooG.
7 do not mean TO say our existing law
is all it should be. it could be made bet
ter For instance: | believe that we
should have just as perfect system !cr
enforcing the road law. as we have Tor
collecting the annual tax.
Who knows whether or notl cld road
duty last YEAR, Who knows if | have
done it this year. and might | add who
cares3 Is il a matter of public record:
Does the tax book show If y. 8. and G.
have paid their tax. and Il not, VII the
law bring them to account: IS IL so
with the road law and road duty:
I was told by reliable gentleman
living near Summectoo, during ]as5
wear. that the road hands in that sec
ton has not been warned out 1or TWO
wears. Could the Supervisor tell US oy
the records of his Office if this was true:
Could he show US in black and white
that every citizen on that sect!on OF
road, liable to road duty. had either
paid the road tax. or had done road
duty full time for six days:
During the past year complained to
one OF our Com miSsionerS about some OF
our narrow roads when formerl we had
good wide, TWO track roads. The :ep y
came :baC there vas no law by which
The legal width could be enforced. |
thought that was moDstrous TO nave
legal width. and 60 law TO enforce It.
I am writing at the farm seven miles
south of SummertOn. in this section TIE
road hands were out one and hait days
last year. and perhaps Two Gays taiS
wear, should we complain il our road IS
bad: A, our point only L few ioadS 0!
saw dust we're put into some holes on
causewav. about three months alter
wards hands were paid to go TO this same
causeway and work il over.
Do we see in this and other instances
a neglect to erf1rce the road law, and
an abuse of the public fund: Is 1t fair
to presume that these cases are multi
piled all over Clarendon county? Now
if am censuring others, let ne speak
OF myself also.
Last year did more ttac my duty on
the road. This year asked for GER
tain section OF road with certain hands
TO work It. up to date l have not touch
ed the worst part of it. For one reason
and another 7 have waited and wa'teA !.