The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-25
MIR. BELSER'S RECORD.
"Citlxen" Calls Attention to Work I'm
Legislature.

1
ally in anything which makes for the
development Of our section and State,
l have watched the work Of Mr.. Il. b.
Belser in the legislature with interest
and feel that while this is probably
unnecessary 1t may not be unwise to
call attention to few facts which
seem to indicate that he is making
us valuable representative and
should be returned.
Three considerations should in
iluence voter in his Judgment of a
candidate for the legislature; hon
osty. ability and the capacity to utilize
knowledge in a practical way.
No one who has ever had business
dealings with Mr.. Belser but knows
that he is absolutely honest and un-
usually frank. In addition to a clear
mind he has ability to carry forward
successfully large business deals and
his success in his own busines has full
ly demonstrated his capacity to car
fy Out MS purposes.
While a citizen Of Sumter, his In.
terests are not confined to the city
alone and a large part of his atten-
tion Is given to his farms which ne
superintends personally. A large farm
er himself. he Is interested In and un-
derstands the needs Of the farmer.
1t Is not improbable that Mr.. Belser
Is the best equipped man In the
State upon the subject Of roads. Good
roads are his hobby. All Of us be-
lievo In good roads but he does more
than that. Ho knows the kind Of
roads and their comparative cost,
how they should be built and the best
methods Of financing q proposition
with which to construct them. He
wanted a bond issue so that we could
have $4,000 a year for road build
Ing. The opinion Of the county was
divided upon the subject and the is
sue not authorized. Yielding without
grumbling to, will Of half our voters.
he went 20 work to get the roads any
way and had the communication road
tax authorized. This forces the negro
to pay his share for the uso Of the1
roads and incidentally sbrings I'M
about $4,000 a year for road build
ing. Now we are spending over $780,
600 year on the roads OF Sumter
county. almost as much as he origin
ally suggested by the proposed bond is.
sue.
When the mill tax for common
schools was passed. Mr.. Belser fought
for an amendment providing that one
half Of this fund should remain in the
county in which 1t was collected.
This means that instead OF having
about 5000 from this hill as original
ly proposed. Sumter county Is receiv-
ing $4,000 moro for school purposes
by means of this amendment Had 1t
not been for the amendment this
amount Of money collected from the
taxpayers Of Sumter county would
would have gone into other coun-
ties.
The marriage license law provides
that there shall be a fee of $1.OO, di-
recting that 25 cents Of this amount
shall go to the judge Of probate Cor
clerk OF court in some counties) for
his entry fee and the balance into the
school fund. number Of amend
ments and bills have been attempted
In the legislature providing that the
full fee shall go to these officers in
stead OF the 25 cents. This would
have indirectly deprived the school
fund Of considerable amount OF
money. Mr.. Belser consistently had
these propositions killed as they were
introduced. While these officers prob
ably don't like his idea along this line.
the citizens undoubtedly do.
But above all that can be said in his
favor Is the potential value Of the
man I'm his relation to the equitable
assessment OF property throughout the
whole State. He has been making a
study Of this matter and his proposed
bin along this line met with the ap-
proval OF the house committee last
term. But for the stress OF business
In the house and Mr.. Belsers own
sickness. 1t would probably have been
| passed then. 1t Is in form 10 90
through the legislature at the next
session IL he is there to make fight
for II. This bill. if passed. win be n
great help to the small property own
er both I'm the country and city. and
will. I'm q practical and fair manner
bring the burden of taxation between
the large and small taxpayer to u
much more equitable basis.
a business man who goes to the
house of representatives i'm this State