The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-06-14
Wanted: Better Roads.


tricts is the good roads problem. We
few white people that do remain out
in the rural districts and keep the
county from being turned over en-
tirely to the negroes, are becoming
alarmed along the line Of good roads.
The most essential subject to us is
good roads and how to get them. 1.
often read suggestions for same; but
it takes more than talk to build roads.
Now is the time to begin to get some
thing done Campaign year). We
want to send delegation to the legis-
lature that will devote their time and
energy to the interest of the rural
communities for good Sand and clay
roads instead of fighting corporations
and fighting for political self interest.
What would be any more benefit to
Union county than good roads? And
certainly we can't have them with the
past road Legislation or in other
words, what has our last legislature
done towards the rural community. I
answer, nothing of any material inter-
est. But furnish gas, fiurng for no
toriety, which benefits nobody. We
want road law in this county that
will give us a road in winter as we'll
as in the summer, and if we will send
a set of practical business men to the
legislature pledged to give us law of
the kind, by and by we will have this
good road. But as long as we send
the smiling politician there we need
not expect anything but to stay in the
same old ruts and drag out our lives
by keeping the rural communities to
gether the best we can. That Sunday
smiling politician need not count on
any help from we fellows that remain
out in the rural communities, for we
are waking up to the fact that we
want practical business men to repre-
sent this county in the legislature that
go to work and give us relief, and by
sending good business men with ex-
perience we will get something done
along the line of good roads. 1 am
free to admit that we can't build good
roads without something to build them
with. 1t is quite as impossible to
build good roads without money as it
is to build railroad without money.
You take Goshen Hill township for ex-
ample. With the pitiful sum of $500
per mile, with just few delinquents,
how can you expect anything done
with that amount. Why $500 per
mile won't clean out the bitches, let
alone do anything else. Furthermore,
there are roads in Goshen Hill town
ship that isn't over Is feet wide. How
can you have a road under these con-
ditions. 10 know the Supervisor and
the Commissioners are to blame to
certain extent, but the blame don't all
lie with them. How can they do with
out something to do with. If the leg
| islature don't make provisions for
them why as matter of fact
they can't build the roads. To the tax
payer: Don't you know it is cheaper
to build roads by taxation than to
wear out mules and wagons. l am
free to confess that it takes more
money to build roads in some town.
pare Goshen Hill and Santuc, or San
tuck and Fish Dam. know by gen.
eral observation that it will take just
about as much again to build roads in
Goshen Hill as it would in Santuc;
but after said road is built, it wouldn't
take any more to maintain it in Co
shen Hill than in Santuc.
We want you who do go to the legis-
lature to get road law made that
will give the county commissioners
authority to levy a special road tax
for road building, so that they will
have something to build roads with,
for it is foregone conclusion that
you can't get something for nothing.
| am not in favor of road building by
bonds from the fact it would cost more
in way than taxation, direct. l will
give to the voter my idea of how to
build permanent roads by taxation:
First, by Communication tax direct,
and from every man from FL to 60
years to pay $500 communication tax,
and no days, for free labor is thing
of the past. Then levy a special road
tax over and above what is already
levied, this to be paid out in contract
form as follows: Let the roads out by
contract the successful bidder to give
qualified bond double the amount of
the contract, the road to be worked
between March 18th and August 18th.
Then set aside a certain amount to
maintain the road from October 18th
to March 18th. Of course all of us