The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-12-06

a my project OF entelPliseoi vi PioSie''
l0 which has merit or intrinsic worth
t&W should be welcomed by commun
itv, but all effort to organize thing tor
which there is little demand and less ne
cessity should be regarded as an intrusion
of ill-directed energy. An effort to build
I'D or multiply organizations which only
interfere with or infringe upon the rights
of like institutions already established,
giving neither new advantages nor better
conveniences, is like offering undesirable
services where assistance IS not needed nor
invited.
Several wears ago, when the aggressive
and ambitious town of Lake City sought to
divide Williamsburg county into two parts
and under two governments, so that the
citizens of this town and It's immediate VI
cinity might enjoy the privilege OF court
house at their doorstep, and incidentally
reap pecuniarv benefits to follow, 1t tailed
most miserably And it rightly failed, tor
the attempt to create new county was
based upon motives other than those sup
ported by the laws of demand or necessity.
The people living in the remote sections
which had been included within the bound
arv lines of the new county saw plainly the
folly of surrendering their interest III the
old county, together with its public proper
tv, which they owned in part and for
which they paid, simply for sentiment OF
reward and shadow OF promise which the
new county scheme held out to them
They realized what it would mean to
give up everything and start out again, to
further burden themselves with taxes which
would bring to them no new or better con-
dition, no privilege not already enjoyed no
advantage other than provided by the Old
county. They foresaw the unreasonable
demands that would have been made upon
them in order to add ease and comforts to
a community already blessed with luNurles
not enjoyed by the average taxpayer
thev remembered that the bulk OF taxes, or
at least the burden, falls upon and Is
borne by the smaller taxpayer. They
paused before the ballotbON and then re-
fused to become parties to an enterprise
that would sap their thrift and industry
through tax levy system over which they
would have no control and from which
they d receive no reward They remem-
bered that there existed already a court
house and Jail, paid for i'll full, and as con-
venientlv located for them as would De
any new and expensive buildings that
might be erected i'll Lake City, and as
good business men they turned down the
proposition They realized that 1t was
poor policy OIL their part to increase their
tax levies for the purpose of erecting new
buildings which would only be conven-
ience for business and professional men.
They understood why the lawyer desired a
court house at his doorstep, so to speak.
They understood why the real estate deal
er wanted a new county seat. They reallz-
ed why the lien merchant argued for nearby
freproof vaults III which to keep their rec
ords of indebtedness. They saw why these
classes of men desired county seat III
their home town, but they rightly failed to
see why farmers and business men i'll the
remote sections should be forced into all
ill-shaped county that was being organized
for such selfish purposes, and meeting the
question like strong men, voted it down.
Then came into play the initiative of
plan which now eliminates in another et-
foat-an effort of force, indicating that
principle which strong and aggressive
people would compel over weaker commu-
mites against their will-the spirit which
has involved the world in mighty conflict
of war-the principle which invites and de
serves defeat among all self-respecting and
independent people.
Will the people who must now settle this
question again, allow themselves to drift