The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-08-03


sufferers in this county as suggested in
telegram. Heartily commend your eff
forts in this matter. 1t is a most worthy
appeal. J N HAMMET,
Chm Board County Commissioners.
j = FRIERSoN,
Road Engineer.
Kingstree, S C, July %.
Hon w Ragsdale,
Washington, D c.
County government in full sympathy
with effort to aid storm sufferers. Sc
we're deterioration in cotton. Credit
system is practically closed. You real
ize results. Get resolution along line
suggested started if possible. Entire
citizenship in full accord with plan.
Will 90 to Washington with authentic
information if needed.
&c EPPs, Senator.
Kingstree, S C, July %.
Hon w Ragsdsle, M c,
Washington, D c.
Dear Congressman:-The County Su-
pervisor and the Road Engineer wired
their consent this morning for Federal
supervision of road building in this coun-
| ty, conditioned upon an appropriation
| for the relief of storm sufferers, and |,
too, sent you telegram.
| trust that you can impress upon the
Government that We have not suggest
| ed this plan as a means to gouge the
public treasury of funds with which to
build our public roads, for the idea of
road building is Incidental and second
ary. Our people are not sick and ply
sically helpless, nor are they beggars;
but it is employment which they most
desire. The county industries, depend
e7t almost entirely upon farming, are
completely paralyzed. The average
farmer has absolutely nothing in the
way of labor to offer the farm hands
who cultivated, and expected to harvest,
the crop which has been destroyed, nor
has his more fortunate neighbor any
assistance to divide. Yet unless some
thing can be done to give these people
employment, they will be forced either
to get out and seek work, which is not
practical, or actually steal for an exist
ence.
If the Government doubts that they
need assistance, let it make the appro-
priation and then fix the daily wages at
| the minimum amount necessary for an
existence, and if no one applies for
work, then let the appropriation be
withdrawn.
If Congress could fully understand
social conditions, labor conditions and
the actual need which has come to so
many of the people in Williamsburg
county, there would be no hesitancy in
offering aid, and the plan suggested
would undoubtedly be adopted as the
most advisable.
If you will refer to the weather bu-
reau reports you will find that rains
have been continuous since the storm or
a few days thereafter, and the little i'm
provement in cotton which had been
noted has since been entirely wiped out,
and the plant at this late day must nee
essarily make new start or there will
be practically no cotton for the negroes
to pick, and conditions will continue to
grow worse; and there will be no Con-
gress in session.
Of course there is ample wealth in
our county to feed the needy, if it were
equally distributed. There was plenty
in Charleston when that city was blown
away, a plenty in Galveston and plen-
ty in all such places suffering such ca
lamities, but unfortunately the distribu-
ton of wealth in such times depends
entirely upon voluntary division.
am very pleasantly acquainted with
Congressman Lever, and he, too, be.
lieve, has confidence in my opinions and
would assist you, if you should need as
sistance, in getting through the plan
which you are working upon.
If Congress will do nothing else, and
there is no other plan, then get direct
appropriation and have it turned over
to the Red Cross association to be di-
vided as charity fund, as the associa-
tion may find need of, among the people
in the county. / sincerely trust, how
ever, that you can convince the war de-
partment, or some other source, that
the road building plan is far preferable.
Yours very truly,
Kingstree, S C, July 81.
Hon w Ragsdale, M G.,
Washington, D c.
Your letter of Both not yet received.
Your plan outlined in letter of 2Sth to
H E Montgomery is ideal and proves
your ability to handle matter.
&c EPPs.
Kingstree, C. July 81.
Hon w Ragsdale, M C,
Washington, D c.
Dear Congressman:-1 am waiting
anxiously for your letter of yesterday,
as announced in telegram received this
morning. =,
l truly hope that you have worked
out plan by this time and that you
have in sight relief fund for the NEEDY
in this county. Adverse conditions have
developed far more rapidly than ! nad
at first dreamed of, and action cannot
be too hurriedly pushed if urgent de-
mands are to be met as they arise.
The tobacco market will open here and
at other points in the county tomorrow
and will probably show big sales, but
these must not be regarded as an indi-
cation that conditions have been exag-
gerated. Rather, as matter of fact,
they will show how eager the farmers
80 VI