The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-12

The securing OF signatures to the
petition for an election TO decide
whether or not the city OF Sumter
shall issue s250.00O of street improve
ment bonds for street paving under
the abutting properly assessment plan
Is proceeding satisfactorily and IL now
appears practically assured that the
election will be ordered. Nevertheless
more opposition to the plan TO give
Sumter good streets and sidewalks has
developed than was anticipated, and
what Is most surprising is that the op-
position has come from unexpected
quarters and that tho opposition Is
based largely upon n mlsapprehension
OF the abutting property assessment
plan. Most OF those who object TO the
bond election appear to entertain the
belief that for the city to vote to au-
thorize the issue of s250.O00 In bonds
is to Immediately increase the bond
cd debt OF the city by that amount
and To commit the city to street paw
Ing programme entailing the expendi-
ture OF the full amount of the bond
issue. Under the abutting property
assessment plan no street paving can
De undertaken until a majority of the
freeholdcrs on n street or section of
street have slguiRed 5y petition TO
City Council that they want their
street paved and are willing to DO as-
sessed their pro rata share OF the cost
OF the paving-each property owner
to pay one-third OF the cost OF the
paving In front OF his property. Pay
ment OF this assessment Is not requir-
cd to be made In a lump sum at once.
but In divided into twenty or thirty
equal annual payments. The annual
payments Will be small and will not be
burden on anyone. Property owners
Will have the benefit OF good streets
at n cost so inconsiderable, with the
payments. extending over so long a pc
riod. that they will never feel the cost.
The s25O.0o0 In city bonds that the
election Will authorize will be issued
only as needed. and IL no streets Pc
ution for paving. the bonds will never
be issued. III the people OF Sumter
want good streets they can obtain
them through the instrumentality Of
the abutting property assessment plan.
IL they are satisfied with the streets
as they are they do not have to Pc
tition council TO pave them. But as a
matter OF good business and enlight-
ened public policy the people of Sum-
ter should vote In favor OF the bond
issue. so that those property owners
who want their streets paved and
are willing to be assessed TO pay for
the paving may have the opportunity
OF so doing. "A. u. and c. should not
be denied the privilege OF paving the
street on which they live for no better
reason than that T.. F. and G.. do not
want their street paved.
SN" SNhSNithCc may ap-
prove his course I'm quitting a post of
greatest responsibility at the most
momentouS crisis In our country's his
tory. when II Is vitality necessary that
the administration and the people as
n whole present an unbroken front
against foreign infringement OF ma
tional rights, but IL will be difficult 20
convince the American people that his
personal opposition To "a firm and un-
yielding policy In defense of well es-
tabiishcd rights should bo paramount
To the duty he owed the American
people and the administration. III Mr.
Bryan's adherence for war is so
dcep-seated that he would forego all
national rights and would pacihcally
submit to the most unreasonable az
sression rather than run the slightest
risk of being drawn into war I'm de.
fense Of those rights that are in
s.parable from national integrity, h,
d,d right In resigning from the cabi.
net for the post he held Is NO place
for n man of that type. Entertaining
snch convictions he did himself an,
the country grave injustice when h'
accented n seat In the cabinet and as
s,med the responsibilities inciden